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AS IT HAPPENED

As it happened: Ireland v Denmark, World Cup qualification play-off

Ireland faced Denmark, with the winner set to earn a spot in Russia next summer.

Hello, and welcome to today’s liveblog.

As always, we’d love to hear your thoughts on the game. E-mail paul@the42.ie, tweet @the42_ie, post a message to our Facebook wall, or leave a comment below.

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Kick off for the games is at 7.45pm.

We’ll have the team news once we get it.

If you’re not already ridiculously excited for tonight, this video should do the trick…

Here’s the Ireland team. Just one change from the first leg, as David Meyler comes in for Callum O’Dowda…

The subs have been confirmed…

Some pre-match reading for you…

Dunphy and the lads are not overly enthused about the team selection…

We’re under way…

Sean Maguire is here…

Sean Maguire James Crombie / INPHO James Crombie / INPHO / INPHO

Sisto threatens to break, but Arter makes a good challenge to stop him.

It’s been a lively, fast-paced opening.

IRELAND 1-0 DENMARK (DUFFY 6)

Denmark fail to deal with Robbie Brady’s free kick and Duffy heads home.

Great start by Ireland!

Ireland have struggled to hold onto an early lead in this position before, away to both Serbia and Georgia among other occasions.

It will be interesting to see how they respond to this situation.

Chance for Denmark!

Kjaer finds Larsen with a long ball, but the defender fails to make proper contact with it.

Christie was caught sleeping there.

Meyler and McClean both try to clear the ball at once and get in each other’s way.

There is a touch of nervousness about the Irish team at the moment.

Great save from Randolph!

Kvist’s shot is deflected, but the goalkeeper gets down well to save.

Eriksen plays Sisto in. His shot forces another decent save from Randolph.

Denmark are finding plenty of joy down Ireland’s right-hand side.

McClean finds Murphy in the box, but he can’t sort is feet out and Denmark clear.

Better from Ireland.

Great ball in by Christie to Murphy, who gets across the defender but flicks it just wide.

This has been a thoroughly entertaining opening 20 minutes.

Denmark have had 70% of the possession so far.

That’s no surprise really.

Brady plays through McClean, who fires just wide from a tight angle.

Ireland are playing with much more of a threat in this second leg.

Robbie Keane and his wife Claudine at the match Robbie Keane and his wife Claudine at the match. Ryan Byrne / INPHO Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO

Sisto’s shot deflects over the bar for a corner.

Denmark continue to dominate possession and territory.

IRELAND 1-1 DENMARK (CHRISTIE OWN GOAL 29) 

Sisto beats Harry Arter down the left.

His cross is directed towards goal by Christensen, whose effort hits the post, but the rebound deflects in off Christie.

IRELAND 1-2 DENMARK (ERIKSEN 32)

Ward loses the ball on the halfway, allowing Denmark to counter.

The ball finds its way to Eriksen, who curls the ball home beautifully.

All of a sudden, Ireland need two goals.

The last time Ireland scored three in a competitive match was away to Moldova over a year ago.

They’re going to have to do likewise tonight or else they won’t be going to Russia this summer.

Clark boots the ball straight out of play and McClean is clearly not happy with him.

There is an element of desperation about Ireland’s play right now.

McClean goes down in the box under a challenge from Christensen, but the ref waves play on.

It would have been a very soft penalty.

Ireland haven’t showed much composure on the ball since the second Denmark goal.

Brady has just hit a cross into the side-netting in a promising position.

Ireland seem to be effectively playing with two strikers now.

McClean and Murphy are up front.

HALF-TIME: IRELAND 1-2 DENMARK

Half-time and World Cup qualification is looking a tall order for Ireland now.

They need two goals in 45 minutes at the Aviva or else they can book their summer holidays for somewhere other than Russia.

It’s been a poor first half by the hosts and in many ways, scoring early was not beneficial.

The Duffy header only encouraged Ireland to sit back and readily boot the ball away.

Denmark were invited on and they took full advantage, brilliantly opening Ireland up on two occasions.

Ireland could have scored again, with Murphy flicking a good chance just wide and McClean also firing just to the wrong side of the post, but overall the Danes have been the superior team.

Could we see Hoolahan and Long in this second half?

Hoolahan is coming on to replace Arter at the break.

And McGeady has replaced Meyler too.

The second half has begun…

McGeady gets the ball in a promising area but fails to beat his man.

Ireland at least appear to be playing with more pace and purpose now.

Clark makes a good interception from Eriksen’s dangerous cross.

Ireland will inevitably be more open now that they need to take risks.

Sisto’s fizzes a shot well wide.

Denmark have controlled this second half so far.

Sisto shoots from distance and Randolph parries it away for a corner.

Denmark are being given so much space to play.

Denmark make their first change.

Ankersen comes on for Larsen.

Chance for Ireland!

Duffy gets on the end of Brady’s corner, but the header is straight at Schmeichel.

Denmark break and Ireland are wide open.

Eriksen sprints through, but his shot is saved by Randolph.

Christie beats his man, but Schmeichel saves his shot.

It’s end-to-end stuff right now.

Poulsen is down after a collision with Ward.

Finally we have a chance to catch our breath, after a crazy few minutes.

Christie wins a free kick. He’s been a threat down the right this second half.

As I type, Brady’s delivery goes straight into Schmeichel’s hands.

IRELAND 1-3 DENMARK (ERIKSEN 63)

That’s game over, I’m afraid.

Ireland give Eriksen too much time on the edge of the box and he curls the ball home.

McClean heads Ward’s cross over the bar.

At least Ireland are still trying to play anyway.

There’s is a real desperation about Ireland’s play now.

There have been countless misplaced passes in recent minutes.

Meanwhile, Denmark make another change, as Poulsen is replaced by Cornelius.

Ciaran Clark replaces Shane Long.

Looks like Jeff Hendrick is playing centre-back now.

Still not much in the way of creativity from Ireland despite Hoolahan and McGeady’s presence.

It’s mainly been hopeful long balls up to Murphy.

IRELAND 1-4 DENMARK (ERIKSEN 74)

It’s a dreadful goal for Ireland to concede.

Ward, who is in as a makeshift centre-back, unwittingly lays the ball off to Eriksen as he fails to control it, and the Tottenham star hammers the ball home from the edge of the area for the hat-trick.

The life has completely gone out of the Aviva Stadium now.

The crowd know that the game is all over.

Ireland almost score a consolation.

Hoolahan plays through Long, who lifts it over Schmeichel but it goes just over the net.

Eriksen escapes on the counter, but Duffy makes the interception and concedes the corner.

The Tottenham man has well and truly justified the pre-match hype tonight.

It feels like watching a training game now.

Both sets of players look shattered and aren’t really tracking back with the same intensity as in the first half.

Denmark make a final change.

Jørgensen is replaced by Bendtner.

McClean bursts forward but then blasts the ball well over.

Ireland have been pretty toothless going forward.

Ireland, to their credit, are still piling forward.

They just don’t look good enough to score sadly.

This game is being played at walking pace now.

Ireland could do with the final whistle now.

PENALTY TO DENMARK!

DENMARK 5-1 IRELAND (BENDTNER 90)

Bendtner sends Randolph the wrong way to make it five from the spot.

It came after a clumsy foul from McClean on Bendtner from behind in the box.

FULL-TIME: IRELAND 1-5 DENMARK

So that’s that. Ireland have been dumped out of the World Cup in demoralising fashion.

There can be no complaints about the outcome, as the hosts have been well and truly outclassed despite a promising start that saw Shane Duffy open the scoring.

Well that’s all from me for now. Thanks for reading and commenting.

We’ll have more reaction on the site shortly.

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