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The Shamrock Rovers midfielder directed a header past 'keeper Dwayne Nelson after meeting a free-kick from Drogheda United's Paul Keegan some two minutes into stoppage time.

It was a disappointing outcome for Northern Ireland who did create numerous scoring chances throughout the game.

Thomas Stewart came within a whisker of opening the scoring after 19 minutes when he made the most of a Shane Guthrie mistake to bear down on goal only for Conor Kenna to deflect his subsequent effort onto the crossbar.

His Linfield team-mate, Peter Thompson, came equally as close on the half-hour mark when he turned the ball onto a post frm a Barry Holland cross.

Jamie Mulgrew then fired narrowly wide from 30 yards while Ballymena United's Craig McClean teamed up with Thompson on 59 minutes to create an opening for Holland only for the Cliftonville right-back to send the ball just the wrong side of the target.

Indeed, other than an early Dave Mooney volley and an 88th minute Denis Behan shot the visitors rarely troubled 'keeper Nelson until that crushing 92nd minute winner ....

Northern Ireland: Nelson, Holland, McClean, Mulgrew, Watson, Lindsay, Ward, Clarke, Thompson, Stewart, Scullion subs Keenan (not used), Ogilby (not used), Coates (not used), Boyce (not used), McIlmoyle (not used), Garrett (replaced Scullion 57), McAllister (replaced Stewart 73)

Republic of Ireland: Murphy, O'Brien, Powell, Kenna, Guthrie, Keegan, Kelly, Rice, Quigley, Mooney, Brennan subs Clarke (not used), Higgins (not used), Kavanagh (not used), Darren Murphy (replaced Kenna 78), David Murphy (not used), Pender (not used), Behan (replaced Kelly 46)

Referee: Adrian McCourt (Bangor)