Troy Parrott had Irish fans singing as he smashed home a spectacular last-minute winner to see the Boys in Green past Lithuania.
It looked an unlikely outcome as Ireland, who had four goals disallowed for offside, watched the clock tick into the seventh minute of five originally allotted for injuries.
Parrott had been denied brilliantly by Lithuanian keeper Dziugas Bartkus moments earlier, as was John Egan, but his earlier theatrics in staying down injured led to an extra two minutes.
And Parrott made perfect use of them as he controlled a headed clearance 20 yards out. It was slightly behind him so needed two touches to set himself.
Once that was done, the Buckingham Street man send a thunderbolt low past Bartkus to send the home crowd wild with a mixture of relief and elation.
