HEIMIR: WE'VE GOT HEART FOR IT

HEIMIR HALLGRIMSSON is eager to avoid putting additional strain on Ireland's creaking health system when his players take to the pitch in Yerevan tomorrow.

- BY MARK McCADDEN

He admitted that Saturday night's 2-2 draw with Hungary might have led to a spike in cardiac related complaints among the Irish fanbase.

The Boys in Green conceded twice inside a shockingly poor opening 15 minutes, but mounted a second-half come back that was sparked first by an Evan Ferguson goal in the 49th minute.

Four minutes later, Hungary were down to 10 men when one of their goalscorers Roland Sallai saw red for a foul on Dara O'Shea.

Despite wave after wave of Irish attack, it wasn't until the third minute of injury-time that substitute Adam Idah rescued a crucial point.

Defeat would have all but spelled the end for Ireland's World Cup dream — but now it remains well and truly alive.

However, Hallgrimsson acknowledged that it may have come at a cost, saying: “There were a lot of emotions and probably some heart problems as well.

“But, yeah, it’s painful not to have three points after this one, but we'll take it, we respect the point, because every point counts”

Ireland got off to the worst possible start. Barnabas Vargas opener after just one minute and 55 seconds was the earliest goal conceded by an Irish team since a February 2009 game against Georgia at Croke Park.

On that occasion, Aleksandr Tashvili scored after just 50 seconds. Ireland came back to win 2-1 on that occasion.