Hello and welcome to our live coverage of this huge match for Ireland in Slovakia.

Kucka has left the boot in a few times - he is lucky not to have been booked.

Good run from McGeady before it is tackled out for an Irish throw. Ireland still the busier side.

Keane puts a long range shot wide. The keeper had it covered too.

The Fields of Athenry ringing around the stadium now – the Irish fans in great voice.

Nice little spin from Keane but Hubocan is there to defend.

A Slovak shot goes well wide of the target as the visitors remain the better side.

Long flicks a long ball onto the path of Fahey and the Birmingham man does well to shuffle his feet and get a half-volley on target but it is straight at the keeper.

Slovakia looked rattled here and this is the perfect time for Ireland to push on for a second.

Whelan fires the free-kick at the wall – it deflects to Fahey but he can't then find a green shirt.

Fahey now breaks clear and Hubocan takes him out….a clear yellow card.

IRELAND HAVE THE LEAD!!!! Fahey puts in a great free-kick….the Slovaks don't deal with it….it falls to the feet of Sean St Ledger and he puts in a low drive into the corner. His second goal for Ireland.

Durica bundels into Long - the Irish get a free kick but no yellow card for the Slovak

Kucka is left on his own and Weiss checks it across to him but the Slovak man fires it well wide. A dangerous game the Irish played there though.

Ireland try to string a few passes together but again they give it away. St Ledger the culprit.

McGeady with a cheap free-kick given away to Hamsik but Ireland manage to defend the danger.

10 minutes in and still no real shape to this game.

Weiss with a ball that is neither a cross nor a shot - Given gathers.

Bad news for both these teams....Russia have scored in Macedonia.

Dunne stays cool and manages to defend while under pressure from Jendrisek

Quick passing from the Slovaks but the Irish had the midfield close to the defence and had enough bodies to deal with it. They did not always do that against Russia.

McGeady tries his first attacking run of the match but he just runs into Zabavník