Ireland v Paraguay – as it happened

Ok, that’s about the size of it kids. We’ll be back on Friday with Ireland v Algeria. That’s going to be a different story, that one.

Even later corner for Paraguay. Poor ball from Torres. And there’s the final whistle! Thank God!

Late corner for Ireland…. Played short and Fahey caught in possession.

I can’t say it’s been a classic here tonight in the RDS. This is the biggest pile of rubbish I’ve seen in the RDS since I went out a day late for Funderland.

Spectators legging it already. I’m not sure why – it’s not as if the emptying of the RDS leads to traffic chaos!

Shane Long on for Doyle.

Paraguay have had 67% possession in the second half! Shocking.

Six minutes left to play. Ireland have been poorer in the second half, although Paraguay have improved in their own right.

Santana off for Aquino. Santana was having a good game. Kevin Foley coming on for Lawrence. Foley getting his second cap and he looks delighted. Big grin on him! His Ma must be in the crowd.

Ireland are struggling – the changes don’t seem to have helped. They are sitting far too deep and pressure is being invited on.

Santa Cruz is off for Martinez – an attacking midfielder.

Ireland break forward – played out wide to Kelly who whips it in! Delivery is poor and cleared with ease.

Some sloppy passing from Ireland and Santana picks it up. Ireland giving away possession very cheaply.

Santa Cruz beats his man on the wing and puts a great ball into the box. It flashed straight across the mouth of goal! Barrios was making a run onto the back post – a foot further forward and he would have been on for a tap-in!

Paul Green comes on for Whelan. It’s his first cap. He’s English but I think he has a grandmother who went to Bundoran on holiday once.

Duff looked to be in there but he got crowded out and was forced back into midfield. Retained possession, but could have had a go!

Paraguay have made three changes. I’m not going to go through them all. You’ve no idea who they are anyway so there’s no point. Three Paraguayan lads went off, and three came on. That’s your lot.

Robbie didn’t look particularly happy to come off.

Cillian Sheridan is coming on for Robbie Keane.

Paraguay are stepping it up here. They’re playing with a bit more urgency and are looking like they reckon they can get back into this one.

On the plus side, I told you he was the man to watch. I told you all! Ha!

Some more nice interplay in midfield and that man Barrios picks it up at the edge of the box, takes a couple of touches and slots it home. Ireland should have been faster to get the boot in. He had far too much time.

Goal Paraguay!

Paraguay are a good side but I think the occasion is getting to them. This is the RDS. This is the big time.

There has been a real contrast of styles here tonight. Paraguay are stroking it around with some lovely passing in the middle of the park. Ireland meanwhile, get the ball and boot it up the field and then run after it. It’s crude, but it’s doing the job lads!

Great ball from midfield plays in Duff – he’s behind his man and going full tilt towards goal! Shot straight at the keeper. Keane in on the rebound but fluffs it high and wide.

Loose ball falls to Doyle at the edge of the box! He chests it down, turns beautifully and did well to get a good shot away. Forced a save.

Trapattoni didn’t make any changes ahead of the second half. He has a well-stocked bench though, and you would have to expect a couple of them to make an appearance at some stage.

And the second half is underway. Come on! Get excited!

And there’s the half-time whistle! I have to turn off the TV quickly now or else I’ll hear Steve Staunton speaking. We’ll be right back folks!

Nice build up play from Paraguay, Alcaraz with the shot! Forced a good save from Westwood. Not a bad effort at all, at all.

Into injury time in the first half.

Paraguay probably aren’t fussed about being beaten, but I doubt they want to be hammered 5-0 now.

A few spikey challenges going in there. Duff, Barrios and Whelan dropped in the space of 15 seconds.

Ball in by Kelly – Doyle brave again to win the header. It falls into the path of Liam Lawrence who catches it on the half-volley! Take it out! It took a slight deflection but he hit it firmly. No stopping that one.

Goal Ireland!

Some more patient approach play from Paraguay. Vera’s final ball is poor. Paraguay are very, very pedestrian. I think they might have something else in mind. Can’t think what it might be though.

Meanwhile, it’s scoreless in the Montenegro v Albania game.

Greece are playing against Korea DPR tonight. It’s currently 2-2.

Doyle running at the Paraguayan defence. He’s proving a handful for them.

Just gone past the half-hour mark. It’s been a flat game so far, has to be said.

Gamarra expected to cross but he has a go! He went straight for the top corner at a tight angle. Good effort, wasn’t too far away.

Gamarra chases a ball down the channel and Kelly rushes out to challenge – ouch. caught him in the throat there by the looks of it. Free Paraguay.

Cross comes in from Paraguay but it’s headed clear comfortably by Kelly. Ireland looking solid at the back.

Duff back on his own by-line defending a Paraguay attack. The Ballyboden man is having a great game so far.

No penalty. We’ve been robbed! It’s Paris all over again!

Duff to whip it in. Comes out to Lawrence and he’s been taken down in the box mate!

Duff flying down the right, cuts inside and he’s tripped from behind!

Paraguay are a good passing team. They’re stroking it around and looking for an opening rather than bothering with route one. Enjoying a lot of possession.

Lawrence and Duff have switched sides. Let’s see what impact that has…

Andrews plays the ball back to Westwood – he’s put his keeper under pressure! Barrios was quick off the mark, but Westwood cleared before the Paraguayan could get a challenge in.

Ah! The crowd are chanting for the first time this evening! Oh. They stopped.

Paraguay are playing very high up the park. The Irish seem to be handing over the centre of the park to Paraguay every time they get possession.

Kelly wins a corner after running at Morel. St Ledger gets onto the corner! Poor. Over the bar. That was a free header pretty much.

Paraguay break – early ball goes into the Irish box. Santa Cruz almost got onto the end of that one!

Liam Lawrence, or ‘LL’, plays it in along the ground. Duff meets it first time! High and wide.

O’Shea with a long ball forward for Duff to chase – brought down by Vera. Free Ireland.

Paraguay starting to come into the game somewhat. They’ve taken a while to settle but are now starting to win balls in the middle of the park.

Good work by Duff down the left. Ireland enjoying some good possession.

I think if we get 10 goals each against Paraguay and Algeria we will have a strong argument for late inclusion in the World Cup.

He’s up and about again though. Fair play to him.

Ball came in from the free, Santa Cruz freaked out and headed it off his own cross bar. It comes back out into the path of Doyle who dives in to finish with his head. He was brave there – getting to the ball meant flying into the upright and he hit it hard…

Goal Ireland!!!!

Robbie Keane makes a fine run down the middle and wins a free. Might be within shooting range actually. Lawrence might fancy a pop.

The final Paraguay starting team differed from the provisional. It’s: 22-Bobadilla; 4-Caniza, 14-Da Silva, 21-Alcaraz; 16-Riveros, 11-Santana, 3-Morel, 13-Vera; 9-Santa Cruz, 19-Barrios and 7-Gamarra.

The one-man wal does enough to get it clear.

McShane goes over the top of Riveros and gives away a free in a dangerous area.

Ok, and we’re off!

Football fans haven’t exactly turned out in number for this one – the RDS didn’t quite reach its capacity of 27 or whatever.

We’re closing in on kick-off. There are quite a few fit Paraguayan birds in the crowd. They will be floating around the bars in the D4 area afterwards. Go get ’em.

Steve Staunton is doing commentary on the game over on Sky Sports 1. It’s a testament to this country that even a cabbage like him can find work.

Watch out for Lucas Barrio. Cracking player who was almost shoe-horned into the Maradona’s squad for the World Cup.

The Paraguay side is expected to look like this: Aldo Bobadilla, Carlos Bonet, Paulo Da Silva, Antolín Alcaráz, Claudio Morel Rodriguez, Enrique Vera, Nestor Ortigoza, Cristian Riveros, Roque Santa Cruz, Lucas Barrio and Jorge Achucarro.

We’ve got the line-ups for you: Keiren Westwood, Stephen Kelly, Paul McShane, Sean St Ledger, John O’Shea, Liam Lawrence, Keith Andrews, Glenn Whelan, Damien Duff, Kevin Doyle and Robbie Keane.

Incidentally, the Sky Sports tracker states that Croke Park is the venue for tonight’s match. If you’ve been relying on Sky for your information then you’re probably somewhere near O’Connell Street by now.

Little do they know that we’re saving the Aviva Stadium something important – a Michael Buble concert.

The Paraguay team have probably come within eye-shot of the Aviva and Croker at some stage since arriving in Ireland. They will think we don’t like them.

Tonight’s game will be played in the illustrious RDS. I might go as far as to call it salubrious if I knew what that word meant.  Seriously though, is this kip even in the top 10 Irish stadia?