Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni hailed the performances of his young guns - and one 'old timer' after a convincing and comfortable win over Wales last night.
Trapattoni's side upped the tempo after a tame and goalless first half to power to a 3-0 victory in the opening Carling Nations Cup fixture at the Aviva Stadium.
Superb strikes from Darron Gibson and substitute Keith Fahey sandwiched another effort from the game's outstanding player, Damien Duff, as Gary Speed suffered defeat in his first game as Wales manager.
The goal from veteran Fulham winger Duff was the 31-year-old's first for his country for five years while debutants Ciaran Clark and Seamus Coleman, 21 and 22 respectively, also caught the eye.
Trapattoni said: 'It was a positive result and we deserved it.
'It was important to achieve this with two or three young or new players.
'They played well and showed good personality and they did what I wanted of them.
'Duff also gives the team personality, this is important.
'Players like him are very important at international level and we can win with players like him.'
Ireland now turn their attention to the visit of Macedonia next month as they look to build on their solid start in Group B of Euro 2012 qualifying.
Trapattoni said: 'Macedonia play different football but we have to believe we have the potential.
'Our team is a good team and we can play good football.'
Ireland -- Given, O'Shea (O'Dea 85), St Ledger, Dunne, Clark; Coleman (Fahey 57), Gibson (Wilson 81), Whelan (Green 76), Duff (Keogh 71); Walters, Doyle (Long 45).
Wales -- Hennessey, Eardley (Gunter 45), D Collins, J Collins, Ricketts; King, Vaughan (Ledley 60), Crofts; Church, Earnshaw (Easter 80), Robson-Kanu (Eastwood 67)
Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni has hailed the great performances of replacements Shane Long and Keith Fahey as Ireland picked up a vital point last night in Slovakia.
Long was given his chance up front because of Kevin Doyle's knee injury, while Birmingham midfielder Fahey came in for his first competitive start after Liam Lawrence failed a late fitness test.
And both played their part in the 1-1 draw, with Fahey sending over the free-kick which resulted in Sean St Ledger giving the visitors the lead, while Reading forward Long was a constant menace to the Slovakia defence.
Trapattoni said: 'I thought Shane Long and Keith Fahey played great games. For the future we can have confidence in them knowing the options we have in the squad.
'We have time in the future, our next game is a friendly. I can maybe play one or two other young players and we can start the qualification again with more confidence.'
Last night's display capped a terrific international break for Long, who scored his first competitive goal in Friday's 3-2 defeat to Russia.
Trapattoni believes there is plenty the 23-year-old still has to learn about the tactical side of the game, but he is confident the raw ingredients are there.
'We thought about it in training because he's young,' Trapattoni added. 'We played a tactical game in training.
'He can show us pace but he is still young to master the tactical side of the game. He has technical quality and in the future he will understand.'
Group B looks set to be one of the tightest groups in the whole competition, with Russia now two points ahead of Ireland, Slovakia and Armenia courtesy of their lucky 1-0 victory in Macedonia.
Defeat to Slovakia would have left The Boys In Green with a major uphill battle but Trapattoni believes the reverse fixtures next year, when they play away in Russia then at home to Slovakia, are likely to prove decisive in sorting the final standings in the group..
'We have again this combination of games,' he said. 'Our group is very balanced. Russia won but only 1-0 and Macedonia missed a penalty.
'There are many situations that can happen. It's not about today or tomorrow, there are many games. It's important we believe in our performance, our attitude and our system.'
Slovakia coach Vladimir Weiss agreed, adding: 'The group is very even and Ireland, Armenia and Russia all have great teams so it all depends on the next games.'
Giovanni Tapattoni has named his Ireland team for the crucial European qualifier against Slovakia in Zilina this evening.
As expected, Shane Long is a straight replacement for the injured striker - Kevin Doyle, and will partner Robbie Keane up front.
The back four remains unchanged from the Russia defeat last week with O'Shea, Dunne, St. Ledger and Kilbane all starting.
The suspect midfield pairing of Paul Green and Glenn Whelan get a chance to redeem themselves for their poor performance last week and Tapattoni will be be expecting a much more commanding shift from the key central midfielders.
The only other change from the starting eleven last Friday is the inclusion of Keith Fahey for the injured Liam Lawrence on the right wing. Aiden McGeady retains his place on the opposite wing and Shay Given starts in goal.
Super sub Keith Fahey launched 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.
However, there was as much relief as pleasure as he and his team-mates left the pitch having been put to the test by their hosts.
Armenia gave as good as they got and although goalkeeper Shay Given had few saves to make which genuinely taxed him, the home side were quick, direct and technically gifted and were certainly no push-over.
Indeed, in playmaker Henrikh Mkhitaryan, they had arguably the best player on the pitch, and the Republic will hope Armenia can take points from some of their rivals when they visit the Yerevan Republican Stadium.
The win sends Ireland into Tuesday's home clash with Group B minnows Andorra knowing a perfect start would set the up very nicely for what lies ahead.
Manager Giovanni Trapattoni admitted at his pre-match press conference in Yerevan that he would happily settle for a 1-0 win from what he promised would be a tricky fixture, and if anyone doubted his voracity, they were soon disabused of the notion.
Armenia, who have beaten both Poland and Belgium in their capital city in recent years, were far from over-awed by the task with which they were presented, and with the impressive Mkhitaryan, Shakhtar Donetsk's recent #5.8million acquisition, pulling the strings behind lone striker Yura Movsisyan, they made life intensely difficult for the visitors.
Mkhitaryan treated Derby midfielder Paul Green to a torrid welcome to competitive international football, while wide men Edgar Malakyan and Levon Pachajyan kept full-backs John O'Shea and Kevin Kilbane on the toes throughout the opening 45 minutes.
For all that, the Republic could have gone in at the break comfortably in front.
Keane might have put them ahead within eight minutes, but volleyed agonisingly wide from Kevin Doyle's flick-on with just goalkeeper Roman Berezovsky to beat, and he thought he had done so 10 minutes before the break when he shot home from Glenn Whelan's free-kick, only for an offside flag to ruin his celebrations.
However, perhaps the best chance fell to central defender Sean St Ledger, whose powerful 22nd-minute header from an Aiden McGeady corner was palmed away by Berezovsky.
Given had to save from Karlen Mkrtchyan and Pachajyan in quick succession, and he was grateful to see Movsisyan volley over 14 minutes before the break.
Trapattoni sent his side back into battle knowing they were in a game, and they were almost caught out within five minutes when Movsisyan combined well with full-back Artak Erdigaryan, but then overhit his through-ball to the supporting Mkhitaryan.
Mkhitaryan forced another save from Given and Mkrtchyan hooked just wide with Armenia sensing a genuine opportunity, and there was an anxious moment for the Ireland goalkeeper when defender Richard Dunne's headed clearance looped just over his own crossbar.
But as the home side forged forward in search of the opening goal, they left space at the back and Doyle almost exploited that 19 minutes from time with a powerful drive which Berezovsky had to palm away.
In the meantime, Trapattoni had replaced McGeady with Fahey, and it was he who finally put the visitors in front with 14 minutes remaining.
Armenia could not clear their lines as Keane and then Doyle made nuisances of themselves, and when the ball broke to the Birmingham midfielder, he smashed it past Berezovsky to snatch victory.
In a tense finish to the game, the home side penned Ireland back inside their own half, but stout defence won the day as Trapattoni's men once again ensured that one goal was enough.
Irish midfielder Keith Fahey admits that he is stunned with how quickly Birmingham City fans have turned him into a St Andrew’s star.
Despite having only played a handful of games for his new club, Fahey already seems to be held in high regard by Birmingham supporters. Little over two months ago, the Dubliner was unknown to even the most ardent of Blues fans, yet internet groups in his honour have already sprouted up - including one that takes a swipe at local rivals Villa called: ‘Keith Fahey is better than Gareth Barry’.
His first goal in English football, described as ‘Messi-like’ by Blues boss Alex McLeish and ‘a fluke’ by Fahey himself, last weekend further heightened his reputation in the blue half of Birmingham. And having spent several seasons at St Pat’s Athletic and Drogheda United in the League of Ireland, the modest midfielder admits to being taken aback by the early attention.
“I am a bit surprised, I’ve done alright,” said 26-year-old Fahey. “In the games I’ve come on, I’ve made an impact, I’ve done OK in the games I’ve played and the fluke goal did me favours.
“The fans haven’t seen a lot of me, they’ve only seen me play in a few near-full games and a few substitute appearances so it’s nice. They’re probably just looking out for someone new".
