Ireland 1 - Poland 1: Last-gasp equaliser from Long keeps Irish hopes alive

Posted Monday, March 30, 2015 by Express.co.uk

Ireland salvaged hopes of reaching the Euro finals – but left it late as substitute Shane Long equalised in the 90th minute against the Group D leaders.

Shane Long snatched a point for Ireland in the last minute

Poland now lead Germany and Scotland by a point but Long's effort kept them in the hunt a further two points behind.

Ireland were first to threaten when Wes Hoolahan took advantage of a quickly taken free-kick to surge towards Lukasz Fabianski’s goal, but scuffed his shot wide.

But with Grzegorz Krychowiak prompting the Poles they started to dominate and went ahead with their first effort on target after 26 minutes. Robbie Brady dallied on the ball and Slawomir Peszko pounced to dispossess him, surge past Marc Wilson and smash an unstoppable left-foot shot across Shay Given and inside the far post.

Brady was unlucky when his deflected 52nd-minute cross looped over Fabianski and came back off the inside of the post.

But Martin O'Neill brought on Long seven minutes from time and he proved the saviour as he forced the ball home in the last minute after Hoolahan had headed on a corner.