FT: Republic of Ireland 0 France 1

90+2: The final whistle blows, and that sparks some handbags between Andrews and Gourcuff. Not sure what sparked that, but there's suddenly a crowd of players from both sides involved. But the main thing is that Ireland now face a real uphill battle to reach South Africa after France's much-improved second-half display saw them take a deserved lead back to Paris.

90+2: O'Shea's throw finds Whelan on the edge of the area, and his shot is palmed away by Lloris with Best flagged offside anyway. Time up.

90+2: Ireland win a throw deep in French territory. Surely last chance.

90+1: France running down the clock with a long drawn-out substituion as Florent Malouda replaces Gignac.

90: There will be a minimum of just two added minutes at the end of this match.

90: Best gives away a free-kick as Ireland struggle desperately to find an equaliser in the closing minutes here.

89: No. Henry fails to clear the first man.

88: Lassana Diarra's shot is deflected behind for yet another France corner. Can they do something useful with this one?

87: Great save from Lloris. Abidal gives the ball away to Best, who plays in Keane. He's tackled, but the ball runs to Whelan who looks to have a tap-in. But Lloris spreads himself superbly and makes the save with his left arm.

86: McGeady is given the space to run at the France goal, but his 25-yard effort is sliced well wide of the target.

85: Hunt finds space on the right but plays a pass into an area populated only by blue. Sagna brings the ball away, and a frustrated Keane bundles him to the ground before waving his arms in despair as the decision inevitably goes against him.

84: Keane goes to ground all too easily as he challenges Gallas for Given's long clearance. Keane, isolated, was interested in only one thing there and the officials were having none of it.

83: The corner is headed clear at the near post.

82: Hunt's first involvement is a quick throw to Keane that earns a corner as Abidal turns the ball behind.

Rob's keeping the faith: "There's the Anelka goal, now for the Keane Double! Come on Robbie!"

81: Stephen Hunt replaces Lawrence as Trap makes his third change of the second half.

80: Comical scenes now. Lassana Diarra breaks through two challenges in midfield and tries to play in Anelka. St Ledger gets there first, but his backpass to Given is hopelessly short. Given gets a foot to the ball, but only knocks it into the path of Gourcuff. From 12 yards out, and with the goal at his mercy... he shanks the ball out for a throw. And this time there definitely was not a deflection.

79: And another. Henry takes it again, but once again his delivery is pretty ordinary.

78: Another corner for France. They've wasted all of them so far.

77: Keane tries to break clear of Abidal, but just shows too much of the ball to the defender and loses out.

76: The mercurial Aiden McGeady is thrown into the action for the last 14 minutes, replacing Duff on the left-hand side. Can he be the man to get Ireland a goal?

75: There's a renewed roar from the Croke Park faithful as they try and spur Ireland on to an equaliser.

74: Lawrence's cross from the left is headed clear to Andrews, who fires a shot on goal but straight at the impressive Lloris.

73: There's little doubt France deserve their lead after dominating the second half here.

72: GOAL ANELKA! France's prolonged second-half pressure finally yields results, but there's an element of fortune about it as Anelka's shot from just outside the area deflects off St Ledger and finds the back of the net via the inside of the post. Nothing Given could do, and it was a goal that you felt was coming.

71: A long throw from the right finds the substitute, but he can't bring the ball under control and France clear.

70: First change of the night as Leon Best replaces Doyle, who has worked tirelessly tonight.

69: Big call for the German ref. Gignac's clever reverse ball and Dunne's slip put Evra throuh. Given comes out, Evra knocks the ball past him and tumbles over the keeper. Evra's certainly looking for it, and the ball was overhit - no way Evra was getting to it - and the referee waves away the French appeals for a penalty. You can make a case either way, there.

68: Better from Ireland. Duff, Whelan and Keane link up well on the left, and Duff's right-foot cross from the left picks out Doyle's run across Abidal but his header flies high over the bar.

67: More good possession for France, but it's all in front of the Ireland back four and Henry eventually loses patience and goes for goal from distance. His shot sails high and wide.

65: France have had 74 per cent of the possession in the last 10 minutes. For the first time tonight, Trap looks a slightly worried man.

64: Henry's corner is well defended by Ireland, a combination of Dunne and Duff getting the ball clear of danger.

64: France attack Ireland again, but St Ledger diverts Anelka's cross behind for a corner.

63: Duff puts in a decent cross from the right but, not for the first time, Lloris is in commanding form as he bursts through a crowd of players to gather the ball. Top goalkeeping.

62: Lovely build-up play from France, who are slowly turning the screw here. Anelka dinks the ball through for Gignac, whose looping header is deftly tipped over the bar by Given. The offside flag is up (incorrectly as it turns out) in any case.

61: Good defending from Lawrence, staying on his feet and getting a tackle in as Evra tries to get to the byline.

60: Henry aims the corner at Lassana Diarra 25 yards from goal. It doesn't work.

59: France win a corner on the right.

58: Just a couple of warnings for Ireland in the last couple of minutes.

56: Stunning strike from Lassana Diarra, who brings the ball down on his chest before flashing a 30-yarder just wide of the upright as Given dives desperately across goal.

55: Henry clips in a cross from the left but St Ledger makes the clearance.

53: Gourcuff once again has time and space to line up a shot from outside the area, but once again he doesn't make the best of contacts. Easy save for Given.

52: Chaos from the corner. The ball finds its way to O'Shea, whose shot on the turn is completely miscued and Keane is flagged offside as he tries a spectacular overhead kick.

51: Brilliant stuff from Duff, flicking the ball through Sagna's legs and breaking down the left. But the right-back gets back to divert the cross behind for a corner. From trickster to cheerleader as Duff then encourages the Croke Park crowd to get even louder. They oblige.

50: Duff swings in a cross from the left, but Lloris jumps high to make a good catch under pressure from Lawrence.

49: Andrews dinks the ball down the left for Doyle, who harries Gallas into putting the ball out for a throw.

48: Whelan steers the ball through for Keane, but Ireland's record goalscorer isflagged offside as he latches on to the ball. Abidal stepped out just in time, but it was tight.

47: Evra crosses from the left, but once again there are no blue shirts in the penalty area and Kilbane is able to calmly nod the ball back to his keeper.

46: Good start to the second half from France, with Sagna's fizzing cross from the right just diverted away from Gourcuff by the slightest deflection off an Ireland sock.

46: The French are here now. Well, 10 of them. Still waiting for Abidal. Here he comes, and the visitors get the second half under way.

Waiting: France are keeping Ireland waiting here. The home side are all back out ready for the second half, but no sign of their opponents yet.

Scott's back, and once again he's straight to the point: "Need to bring McGeady on if Ireland are to get anything out of this."

Cathal Donnelly very happy with Ireland's first 45 minutes here: "Ireland playing brilliant football, by far the better team, will finish 1-0 to Ireland." Let us know what you think - mails to Dave.Tickner@bskyb.com

45+1: The half-time whistle blows at Croke Park. It's been tight and tense, but the clearest chance has fallen to the Republic of Ireland as Keane was denied by Lloris and Lawrence by Evra's vital deflection. France have had plenty of possession but their front four have been far too narrow and Gignac too often isolated as they struggle to stretch and break through a well-drilled Irish backline.

45: Lawrence heads for the byline on the right, but can't dig out the cross before the ball runs out of play.

44: O'Shea crosses from deep on the right looking for Keane, but he's completely outnumbered in the France penalty area and easily outjumped.

43: The long throw is headed clear to Alou Diarra, who tries to play in Anelka. Dunne gets there first, though, and makes the clearance.

43: Henry's attempted throughball for Gignac is cut out out by St Ledger. Throw to France.

42: Lawrence's corner is overhit and comes through to Duff on the left. His first cross is blocked and his second is headed clear by Gallas.

41: Keane beats Abidal to a long clearance and feeds Lawrence on the right. His attempted cross hits Evra and rolls behind for a corner.

40: Anelka breaks down the right and digs out a cross, but there's only one blue shirt in the area and Ireland deal with the threat easily as Lawrence nods the ball back to Given.

39: Andrews nicks the ball away from Henry on the edge of the area, but then gives it straight back to the Barcelona striker who drags his shot well wide of the target. You'd expect better from the Frenchman there. Let off.

38: Andrews tries to find Lawrence on the right, but Evra gets a foot in and sends the ball 45 yards back to his keeper.

37: Klibane overhits an easy 15-yard pass for Whelan on the left, and France have a goal-kick.

36: Keane dispossesses Anelka in midfield and sets Ireland on another attack. Whelan finds Lawrence on the right, and he gets away from Evra before trying to pick out a cross for Duff, but it just fails to clear Gallas.

35: Brilliant defending from Dunne. Gignac latches on to a long ball clear from Lassana Diarra and appears to be clear of the defender. But Dunne gets back to get a tackle in and win a free-kick as he's shoved by the frontman.

34: Duff is put under pressure inside his own half with no outlet, but does well to knock the ball past Sagna and draw a foul.

33: The latest spell of Ireland pressure comes to an end as Whelan is penalised for a shove on Gourcuff.

32: Lawrence wins a throw on the right as Ireland contine to attack.

31: Another chance for Ireland, enjoying easily their best spell of the match, as Andrews curls an effort wide of the upright from 20 yards. France look a little rattled.

29: Doyle gets his head to a long Kilbane throw, but Henry is back defending to hack the ball clear. And we've just seen another replay of that earlier chance, and apologies are due to Lawrence. Evra got the slightest of touches to the ball, and that was enough to divert it round the post. Should've been a corner.

28: What a miss from Lawrence! The France defence makes a complete mess of a bouncing ball into their area, and Keane nips in. Lloris is out smartly to block his shot, but the ball rebounds to Lawrence who somehow shoots wide of the target from eight yards out with the goal at his mercy.

27: Anelka is flagged as he trots back from an offside position.

26: France on top sofar, but no real alarms for Given thus far. The French attacking players are playing too narrow at the moment, and the Ireland defence just isn't being stretched.

25: Gourcuff is given time to line up a shot from 20 yards, but hammers the ball straight at Given. Not great defending from Ireland, though.

24: Ireland get the free-kick clear, but they can't keep giving away set-pieces in dangerous positions.

24: Anelka cuts inside Andrews with ease, and the Ireland midfielder can do nothing but trip the striker. Free-kick slightly closer to the Ireland goal this time. Andrews is one booking away from missing the return leg, but escapes a caution on this occasion. Plenty of refs would not have been so kind.

23: Sagna is fine, and France return the ball to Given from the throw.

22: Henry whips the ball in, but Dunne is well placed to make the clearance. Sagna stays down after a challenge from Duff, and Doyle puts the ball out of play to allow the France right-back to get treatment.

21: Whelan clumsily bundles Lassana Diarra to the ground wide on the right. Chance for France to put the Ireland defence under pressure.

20: Kilbane's ball over the top is headed clear by Sagna and Alou Diarra clears the ball upfield.

19: Good little spell for France. Anelka finds Sagna on the right, and his cross bounces kindly for Given off Kilbane's head. Easy claim for the Man City keeper.

18: Henry's corner is headed clear from a crowded penalty area, and Duff completes the clearance.

17: Gignac can't quite get the ball out of his feet on the right edge of the penalty area, but he still manages to dig out a cross and win a corner.

16: More cheers from the home fans as France are forced to go all the way back from Anelka to Lloris thanks to concerted Irish pressure.

15: Lawrence's persistence on the right gives him a crossing chance, but Keane is the only Ireland player in the penalty area and Lawrence can't pick him out. Lloris gathers comfortably enough once more.

14: Keane finds Doyle wide on the left. His cross takes a deflection that could have caught Lloris out, but he watches the ball all the way and gathers safely.

13: Doyle tries to get on the end of Duff's throughball, but he quickly finds himself surrounded by three blue shirts and with no-one in green offering any support.

12: Rarely will Dunne have been as relieved to see a linesman's flag. Dunne lets the ball bounce and completely misjudges it. The ball loops over the defender and into the path of Gignac who lobs the ball over Given and into the back of the net. But the offside flag was correctly raised against the France striker and the scoreline remains goalless.

11: Doyle flagged offside as he contests a high ball from Given with Lassana Diarra.

10: Aimless long clearance from Dunne gives Keane and Doyle nothing to work with. Throw-in to France.

9: Anelka drives in a shot from the right-hand corner of the penalty area, but St Ledger blocks and Lawrence completes the clearance.

8: Andrews plays the ball in to space behind the France back four, but it asks too much of Doyle. He does manage to keep the pressure on France, though, by getting the ball out of play for a throw rather than goal-kick.

7: Keane is flagged offside to end a spell of midfield head tennis.

6: Keane's flick almost plays in Doyle, but a full-stretch Gallas gets a foot in. The ball breaks to Andrews, whose 25-yard strike is blocked.

5: Henry swings the ball into the danger area. The ball goes up in the air off an Irish head and Given jumps highest to claim. More roars of approval from the home fans.

4: France win a corner on the left. Henry to take it.

3: Duff's neat flick on the left finds Doyle, but he's bundled over by Alou Diarra. Ireland want afree-kick, but don't even get the throw-in.

2: Henry's heavy first touch sends the ball out of play after a spell of possession for the visitors. He then urges his team-mates to remain calm, even though the only player in blue looking even remotely panicked was the man himself.

1: Henry is tackled, prompting huge roars from the Croke Park crowd.

1: Ireland get the game under way.

Ready to go: Rousing renditions of both anthems crank up the volume levels and tension inside Croke Park. Both are now definitely up to 11.

Atmosphere: It's electric inside Croke Park. Great noise around the ground as we ready ourselves for the anthems. Say what you like about the French, they know a thing or two about a stirring national anthem.

Sky Bet report money for the visitors, who have been backed in from 13/8 and go off at 5/4. An Ireland win and the draw are both 2/1 chances.

Precise prediction from Rob in Derby. Anelka to score first before a Keane double turns things round and sends the Irish fans home happy and the French left crying into their Guinness.

Nice banner from the France fans. My French isn't what it might be, but I'm reliably informed it translates as "Win or lose, we will drink Guinness." The Guinness bit is definitely right.

Matthew from Malta reckons Ireland can stun the French and book their place in South Africa. "I am looking forward to a nice win from Ireland - I think 2-1 will be the final score."

Short and sweet from Scott: "Ireland to win 3-2. McGeady to score winner."

Teams: The teams are in...

Ireland: Given, O'Shea, Dunne, St Ledger, Kilbane, Duff, Andrews, Whelan, Lawrence, Keane, Doyle. Subs: J, Murphy, McGeady, McShane, Kelly, Gibson, Hunt, Best

France: Lloris, Sagna, Gallas, Abidal, Evra, L Diarra, A Diarra, Anelka, Gourcuff, Henry, Gignac. Subs: Mandanda, Escude, Govou, Benzema, Sissoko, Malouda, Squillaci

As always, we want your views on the game. Who's going to win? Can the Republic send the 1998 winners packing? Get your mails in to Dave.Tickner@bskyb.com

Pre-match: We're less than an hour away from the big game of the day at Croke Park as the Republic of Ireland look to overcome France and move a step closer to World Cup qualification. We'll have team news for you shortly.

Pre-match: Just a reminder as well, that we'll also bring you similar coverage of Wednesday night's second leg in Paris - coverage then starts from 1930 GMT.

Pre-match: Welcome to our live coverage of the Republic of Ireland's World Cup play-off first leg against France at Croke Park. We'll bring you all the excitement and buzz from Dublin as Trap's men bid to take the final step to South Africa next summer. We'll have team news from 30 minutes before kick-off, and you'll be able to mail us your pre-match thoughts.