Fahey gets Ireland's Euro 2012 hopes off the ground

Goal hero Keith Fahey

On a sticky night in Yerevan, Ireland did the job they arrived to do. A 1-0 win courtesy of substitute Keith Fahey's well taken, 76th minute goal. It was just reward for a performance which, on another night, could have yielded a larger winning margin.

The signs looked ominous for the visitors before Fahey struck. Dominating possession, territory and doing everything but score. But with the game level, Armenia's counter attacks carried an increasingly worrying threat. The heat clearly hampering the Boys In Green the longer they were subjected to it.

Robbie Keane created the most danger, a dis-allowed goal and a strike against the woodwork sandwiched a stonewall claim for a penalty. It was Keane who created the pivotal chance for Fahey, cutting inside Robert Arzumanyan, who did enough to muddle the situation. However, the ever superb, Kevin Doyle was on hand to toe the ball back to Fahey who, with the composure of a man with 50 international goals, coolly side footed his first into the corner.

The only down side on the night, was a poor showing from Paul Green. Dropped into the side to sink or swim, he unfortunately did the former. Criminally gifting possession to the opponents, mistakes which against slightly better players will cost his team dearly.

Ireland began brightly and had a great chance to take the lead via route one in the eighth minute. Doyle flicked on Shay Given's goal kick, but Keane could not find the angle to beat Roman Berezovsky.Shortly after, Keane was the centre of attention again, going down a little easily under pressure from Arzumanyan, whom he tormented all night. Not least when he hung out a leg to trip the Spurs striker shortly before half time, somehow, no penalty was given. 

On the counter attack, Armenia were threatening, never more so than when Green gifted them possession when he was one of just three green shirts on the halfway line. The host's two serious attack's in the first half came directly from Green's mistakes, and perhaps the step up in standard is too drastic for a man midway through his career.

As the first half had worn on, Armenia, were slowly gaining a foothold in the game thanks to the searing heat. There were worrying signs five minutes into the second half as the Boys In green desperately sought water during an injury stoppage.

As the hour mark approached, Irish hearts were in mouths again: Artur Edigaryan sneaked into the right side of the six yard box. A first time shot was called for but he rolled back to Henrik Mkhitaryan, who pulled all the stings for his side, then picked out Yura Movsisyan to crash a right foot shot against Kevin Kilbane.

Mkhitaryan was finding increasing amounts of space, and in another flowing attack tested Given with a low shot to the bottom left corner. But the most worried Ireland's back four looked was when Richard Dunne powered a kamikaze header towards Given's top right hand corner. 

Luckily the ball cleared the bar, and after Fahey calmly took his opportunity, Ireland, in true Trapattoni style, held on for the win.

Next up, Andorra at the Aviva.

ARMENIA: Berezovski; Hovsepyan, Arzumanyan, Mkoyan, Arthur Yedigaryan ( Manoyan 68); Artak Yedigaryan ( Manucharyan '70) ), Mkrtchyan; Mkhitaryan; Pachajyan, Movsisyan, Manucharyan.

IRELAND Given, O'Shea, Dunne, St Ledger, Kilbane, Lawrence, Whelan, Green, McGeady (Fahey '68), Doyle, Keane (Keogh '85)