• Republic of Ireland 1 (Long 78)
Bosnia Herzegovina 0
• Read Ian McCourt's minute-by-minute report
You'll never beat the Irish. The chorus from the Republic of Ireland squad's chart-topping Euro 2012 single has the capacity to grate but their ability to churn out results under Giovanni Trapattoni is a source of pride and encouragement.
They signed off in front of their home supporters for the finals in Poland and Ukraine with a performance that got better as the minutes ticked by and a victory that prolonged their impressive sequence. It is now 13 matches without defeat, with only three goals having been conceded during the run.
Ireland fly to Italy on Sunday morning to continue their preparations at a week-long training camp before they play a final warm-up fixture against Hungary in Budapest on Monday week. They will arrive in Poland with their minds focused and their confidence high.
Who says that Trapattoni's braves cannot upset the odds, despite being pitched into a group with Croatia, Spain and Italy? Certainly, nobody within their ranks. The crowd rose to acclaim them with ten minutes of this game to go, by which time the substitute Shane Long had scored what proved to be the winning goal. The margin of victory would have been greater but for the woodwork and some fine late saves from the Bosnia goalkeeper Asmir Begovic.
Trapattoni and his players completed a lap of the pitch at full-time to thanks the fans for their support. The feel-good factor is unmistakeable.
Opponents dare not underestimate Ireland. Trapattoni's team have a distinctly average record in friendlies and the manager had made it clear that he wanted to give a run-out to as many players as possible here, with fitness and conditioning uppermost in his thoughts. He still wanted a result, as ever, and it was plain that Bosnia represented a test. Edin Dzeko, the Manchester City striker, had been the name on Trapattoni's lips beforehand and the Italian referenced the sporting powerhouse that had been the old Yugoslavia. Bosnia collected 20 points in Euro 2012 qualifying and only missed out on the finals to Portugal in the play-offs.
There were a fluency about the visitor's work on the ball, in the first-half at least, with the captain Zvjezdan Misimovic floating from the left to link up the play. Dzeko flickered, his ability to collect with his back to goal, pivot and unload always a threat. Richard Dunne needed to be touch-tight. Miralem Pjanic threatened from distance while Misimovic watched a first-half shooting opportunity open up but his effort was blocked by Paul McShane, who had been called upon from the stand-by pool.
Bosnia's end product was found wanting.
No player wants to suffer injury on the eve of a major finals but there was no little talk about the Irish players already named in Trappatoni's 23-man squad that were unavailable. Sean St Ledger had been named in the starting XI on Friday, having proved his fitness in training yet Trapattoni evidently had second thoughts overnight and used him only as a 71st minute substitute.
There was no Shay Given and no John O'Shea, who said, in a pre-match on-pitch interview, that he would not return to training until Wednesday.
Trapattoni submits his final 23 to Uefa on Tuesday. It feels a little disconcerting. One of the biggest cheers of the first-half came when Robbie Keane raised himself from treatment after being poleaxed in an aerial challenge by Boris Pandza.
Ireland had the clearest first-half chance, when Keane flicked through for Damien Duff, who was denied at close-quarters by Begovic and the home team boasted the excitement of the left winger James McClean. There were no full debut nerves from the Sunderland man, only pace, tricks and a pleasing directness. He cut past two blue shirts to create a shooting chance for Darron Gibson, which he snatched at and McClean also forced Begovic to turn behind at the near post.
Ireland felt that they should have had a penalty when Glenn Whelan burst into the area in the 13th minute and rounded Begovic only to be taken down by the goalkeeper. Whelan's touch was heavy but Begovic was nowhere near the ball and there was contact with the Ireland midfielder.
The rhythm of the second-half was checked by the substitutions but one of the number almost made a decisive impact with his first touch. Kevin Doyle rose to meet Stephen Ward's free-kick and there was Aiden McGeady stretching when well-placed to volley goalwards. The shot hit the post, with Begovic beaten.
Ireland were superior in the second period and McGeady was the star turn.
It was from his right-wing cross that another substitute, Jon Walters, ought to have scored. Having timed his run, the striker rose unchallenged but he could only head against the crossbar.
It did not matter. McGeady jinked inside Senad Lulic and Long powered home his cross. McGeady fed Walters for another clear chance that Begovic repelled and although the Bosnia substitute Mehmed Alispahic spurned a glorious opportunity to equalise, Ireland finished on the front foot when Begovic brilliantly saved Long's header from McGeady's cross and Keith Andrews nodded the follow-up off target. Read More
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