It's been a long, arduous journey through the Euro 2012 qualifying stages for Giovanni Trapattoni's Ireland side. Look back at how the Republic secured their play-off place, after finishing second in Group B.
Game 1: Armenia 0-1 Republic of Ireland, 3 Sept 2010
Keith Fahey came off the bench to launch the Republic of Ireland's Euro 2012 qualifying campaign with a hard-fought victory in Armenia.
The Birmingham midfielder struck his first senior international goal after 76 minutes to edge the Irish past Vardan Minasyan's men at the sweltering Yerevan Republican Stadium.
No-one will have been more delighted than captain Robbie Keane, who passed up a glorious early chance, had a goal ruled out for offside and then hit the post on a night when things did not go for him in the final third.
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Game 2: Republic of Ireland 3-1 Andorra, 7 Sept 2010
Robbie Keane fired himself back on to the goal trail as the Republic of Ireland eased past Andorra to complete a perfect start to their Euro 2012 campaign.
The 30-year-old insisted during the run-up to the first competitive game at the Aviva Stadium that he would not dwell on an uncharacteristically unproductive trip to Armenia last week, and he was as good as his word to extend his national record tally to 44 on his 102nd appearance.
Another centurion, Kevin Kilbane, had started the ball rolling with a 14th-minute header, and the Republic were cruising when Kevin Doyle blasted home a superb second five minutes before half-time.
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Game 3: Republic of Ireland 2-3 Russia, 8 Oct 2010
Russia withstood a late onslaught from the Republic of Ireland to claim a crucial 3-2 victory in their Euro 2012 qualifier at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Friday night.
The visitors led through first-half goals from Alexander Kerzhakov and Alan Dzagoev, as well as a deflected strike from Roman Shirokov.
Ireland responded through Robbie Keane's penalty and a close-range effort from Shane Long, but Russia held on despite pressure from the home side in the final ten minutes.
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Game 4: Slovakia 1-1 Republic of Ireland, 12 Oct 2010
The Republic of Ireland got back on track in Euro 2012 qualifying with a battling draw against Slovakia in Zilina - but were left to rue Robbie Keane's missed penalty.
After Sean St Ledger's opener had been cancelled out by Jan Durica in the 36th minute, the Republic were handed a glorious chance to retake the lead in first-half stoppage time when Aiden McGeady was felled by Jan Mucha.
But the goalkeeper made up for his error with a fine save, and, as Slovakia dominated the second half, the Republic were left hanging on for a point which keeps them level with their opponents in Group B.
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Game 5: Rep of Ireland 2-1 FYR Macedonia, 26 March 2011
The Republic of Ireland moved joint top of their Euro 2012 qualifying group with a hard-fought 2-1 win over Macedonia at the Aviva Stadium.
Aiden McGeady's first international goal put Ireland ahead in the second minute and Robbie Keane added a second from close range midway through the half.
Macedonia responded just before half-time when Ivan Trichkovski deceived Richard Dunne and slotted past Keiren Westwood.
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Game 6: FYR Macedonia 0-2 Republic of Ireland, 4 June 2011
Robbie Keane plundered the 50th and 51st goals of his senior international career to fire the Republic of Ireland to victory in Macedonia.
Keane, the only survivor of a costly 1-1 qualifier draw in Skopje almost 12 years ago, became the first Irish player to complete a half-century of international goals when he scored an eight-minute opener.
He doubled his tally for the evening after 37 minutes with a neat finish, and although there was a major scare for the Irish when Ivan Trickovski smashed a penalty against the crossbar three minutes later, Keane's contribution proved decisive.
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Game 7: Republic of Ireland 0-0 Slovakia, 2 Sept 2011
The Republic of Ireland's hopes of automatic qualification for Euro 2012 are in the balance after an abject 0-0 draw with Slovakia at the Aviva Stadium.
The home side produced a nervous and sloppy display that allowed the visitors to control possession and territory.
A number of fine saves from Shay Given and a Sean St Ledger block on Marek Hamsik made sure the visitors left with just one point.
Richard Dunne could have snatched an undeserved winner but he failed to make a good connection with Stephen Hunt's cross in injury-time.
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Game 8: Russia 0-0 Republic of Ireland, 6 Sept 2011
Shay Given and Richard Dunne frustrated Russia as the Republic of Ireland turned in a battling performance to snatch a point in Moscow.
Given produced three fine saves, the last of them a stunning 88th-minute stop from midfielder Konstantin Zyryanov's diving header, to extend his side's record run of clean sheets to seven.
But it took a remarkable goal-line block by Dunne to deny Igor Semshov before the break and another to keep out Roman Shirokov after it as the Russian assault ultimately came up short.
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Game 9: Andorra 0-2 Republic of Ireland, 7 Oct 2011
Kevin Doyle and Aiden McGeady helped to fire the Republic of Ireland into a Euro 2012 shoot-out with Armenia.
Doyle's seventh-minute strike and McGeady's 20th-minute drive, which was deflected home by defender Ildefons Lima, were enough to secure a 2-0 victory in Andorra which was more comfortable than the scoreline suggests.
However, Russia's victory over Slovakia in Zilina means that three points against the Andorrans on Tuesday evening will assure them of top spot in Group B and automatic qualification for next summer's finals.
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Game 10: Republic of Ireland 2-1 Armenia, 11 October 2011
The Republic of Ireland secured a Euro 2012 play-off spot after a dramatic 2-1 win over Armenia, but it came at a price as Kevin Doyle was sent-off in the second half.
Valeri Aleksanyan's hilarious own goal put Ireland in front before the break. Richard Dunne added a second after poor goalkeeping from substitute Arsen Petrosyan.
Henrikh Mkhitaryan's strike ended Ireland's run of eight clean sheets and made for a nervous last 28 minutes.
