Ireland secured the victory that was required to allow them to hold onto their World Cup hopes, beating Armenia 1-0 at Aviva Stadium.
Not much between the sides in a first half lacking both chances and creativity, however, the game would burst into life shortly after the break as Armenia were reduced to ten men.
Ireland dominated after Tigran Barseghyan received his marching orders for a straight red card and the deadlock was eventually broken as Evan Ferguson's 70th-minute goal sealed the win and the vital three points.
Two crunching Seamus Coleman challenges set the tone in the opening couple of minutes, followed by a very brave header that earned the former captain a boot in the face and a bloody nose.
And Ireland created their first chance on goal in the fifth minute from a corner out on the left as Jake O’Brien was picked out attacking the front post. The defender climbed well and made good contact but could not direct it on target.
It looked like Ireland were attempting to really increase the tempo, doing everything quickly, and while there were a fair share of misplaced passes, there was real urgency about their approach.
But by the 15th minute, Armenia had begun to grow into the game, and their high press was causing problems for the home side finding it difficult to play out from the back.
Sure enough, a chance would follow soon after as Ireland tormentor Eduard Spertsyan picked up the ball just inside the half and worked a couple of passes before receiving it in space to shoot. It was lacking power, however, and Caoimhín Kelleher gathered.

The half-chance sparked Ireland back into life as Festy Ebosele, who had been quiet to that point out on the right, arrived down the left, linking well with Ryan Manning and Finn Azaz as the ball pinged about the penalty area. Coleman and Evan Ferguson got in good positions but neither could get a shot away.
In the 21st minute, Ebosele was back out on the right looking to make something happen, and a deep ball across the box finally arriving to Manning, arriving in off the left. The Southampton man hit it well across the face, but it continued past the far post and wide.
A scrappy period would follow as both sides cancelled each other out, with Ireland just about the better of the two.
A moment of uncertainty between Nathan Collins and Kelleher suggested that Ireland’s confidence and communication was still lacking, and then two minutes later, Armenia should have taken the lead.
Spertsyan with the best chance of the half, as Aremnia attacked down the right and the midfielder found himself unmarked at the back post as Kamo Hovhannisyan delivered a great ball.
The midfielder somehow volleyed wide, and really should have hit the target from about eight yards out.
Ireland 0-0 Armenia: Ireland look like a group of 11 players who have just met each other for the first time and they're holding on against a more dominant Armenia as Spersyan goes close. This is poor stuff.
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) October 14, 2025
📺 Watch: https://t.co/XnOP6grnB7
📱 Follow: https://t.co/obmskbM9RR pic.twitter.com/4IgybEEH0r
Armenia then almost gifted Ireland a chance just before the break as a wayward back-pass was seized upon by Azaz, who tried to rifle it quickly into the path of Ferguson but it was just intercepted.
Five minutes added for several stoppages, but neither side could create and they went in level at the break.
Ireland started the second half on the front foot and worked a chance from the right with Will Smallbone clipping it into Azaz, however, the resulting header was easy for the keeper, who was almost bundled across the line by the momentum of the arriving Coleman. The Everton man picked up a yellow card for his over-enthusiasm.
Then in the 51st minute, Armenia were reduced to ten.
Azaz hit the deck following a bizarre moment of madness from TBarseghyan who stuck his head into the face of the Irish midfielder, and the referee had no option but to brandish a red card.
Ireland 0-0 Armenia: A gift for Ireland as Barseghyan loses his head and sticks it on Finn Azaz, giving the referee no choice but to produce a straight red card. Can Ireland now take control against 10 men?
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) October 14, 2025
📺 Watch: https://t.co/XnOP6grnB7
📱 Follow: https://t.co/obmskbM9RR pic.twitter.com/LQM3d2sgwJ
That proved the catalyst for Hallgrimsson’s side to move into attack mode, and within two minutes, Collins almost scored from a ball into the box, as his fine header was just touched onto the crossbar by Henri Avagyan. Dara O’Shea unable to turn the rebound home.
More heroics from the keeper in the 56th minute as O’Shea connected with a well-hit corner. Avagyan somehow scooped it off the turf and worked it past the post with Collins arriving just a split second too late.
The keeper proceeded to summon the medical staff onto the pitch and the crowd were already unhappy with the visitors attempting to run down the clock from the moment they were reduced to ten men.
Ireland went on the rampage for a few minutes, but without working the keeper; Jayson Molumby’s snap-shot just flying wide the best chance they could muster.
Two substitutions followed as Chiedozie Ogbene and Troy Parrott were sent into the attack, and it almost paid dividends straight away as the ball was worked to the edge of the box before some Azaz magic sent Ferguson in on goal.

One on one, the striker looked to slap it past the keeper, but again Avagyan was up to the task and it remained scoreless.
But the breakthrough would come two minutes later as another attack led to a corner, which was taken quickly out on the left, catching Armenia napping.
Smallbone collected short and proceeded to whip a perfect ball into the six-yard box for Ferguson to attack, and this time the centre-forward did not miss, heading down and into the back of the net.
Ireland 1-0 Armenia: The breakthrough against the 10 men of Armenia comes through the head of Evan Ferguson, who nods home from Will Smallbone's cross.
— RTÉ Sport (@RTEsport) October 14, 2025
📺 Watch: https://t.co/XnOP6grnB7
📱 Follow: https://t.co/obmskbM9RR pic.twitter.com/ouF5QLiaky
Then Adam Idah almost scored within two minutes of replacing Ferguson in the 81st minute, as Manning was sent racing down the left flank. The Galway man hit a great ball into the box for the arriving striker, but somehow Avagyan clawed it away from point-blank range.
Inside the last few minutes as Ireland looked to finish on the front foot, and Idah was almost in once more as Ogbene pushed the ball into his path, but it was just deflected beyond his stride.
A minute later, however, Idah believed he had secured the result by hammering home from the edge of the box after Azaz set up the shot – the flag came late, but it was the right decision.
Six minutes of injury time were added as Ireland kept the foot on the pedal, looking to add another and improve their goal difference, however, despite Armenia waving the white flag, unable to push for an equaliser, the second did not arrive and they had to settle for the one-goal margin with two tough November games on the horizon for Hallgrimsson’s side.
Republic of Ireland: Caoimhín Kelleher; Nathan Collins (captain), Jake O'Brien, Dara O'Shea; Seamus Coleman (Chiedozie Ogbene 65), Ryan Manning, Jayson Molumby, Will Smallbone (Jack Taylor 81), Finn Azaz, Festy Ebosele (Festy Ebosele 65); Evan Ferguson (Adam Idah 81)
Armenia: Henri Avagyan; Sergei Muradian, Erik Piloyan (Vahan Bichakhchyan 81), Styopa Mkrtchyan, Kamo Hovhannisyan; Ugochukwu Iwu, Nayair Tiknizyan, Eduard Spertsyan; Tigran Barseghyan, Zhirayr Shaghoyan (Lucas Zelarayán HT), Grant-Leon Ranos
Referee: Benoît Bastien (FRA)
Listen to the RTÉ Soccer podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.