On a day where group rivals Germany and Scotland secured comfortable victories, Southampton striker Shane Long scored what could prove to be a crucial injury time goal to reward Ireland's tremendous second half performance with a point against Poland at the Aviva Stadium.
It was the visitors that took a first-half lead as Slawomir Peszko capitalised on a Robbie Brady error to slot past Shay Given. Ireland re-grouped in the second half and hit the woodwork twice during a bombardment of the Poland goal, before Long finally levelled up proceedings in stoppage time.
The fans endured a cagey opening period as both sides struggled to get control of the game. The hosts did create the first chance, however Wes Hoolahan could only drag his shot wide from a free-kick.
Ireland were given a sign of what was to come when Grzegorz Krychowiak's header flashed wide after a good ball in from Tomasz Jodlowiec. Ireland didn't respond to this apparent wake-up call, and were behind soon after.
The game was just 26 minutes old when Martin O'Neill's decision to play winger Robbie Brady at left-back seemed to have backfired. The defender was caught in possesion deep in his own half, and had the ball stolen from him by Maciej Rybus. Allowing Peszko to take charge of the situation, Rybus backed off and watched the midfielder race through to smash the ball into Given's goal.
Ireland struggled to respond to the goal, and it took them until the end of the half to respond. Everton winger Aiden McGeady took the ball past two men on the edge of the area, before his chipped effort bounced just wide.
A tactical change at half-time, moving Jonathan Walters up alongside Robbie Keane in a 4-4-2 formation brought the hosts some early joy in the second period, as Brady's deflected cross bounced off Lukasz Fabianski's post on 52 minutes. Brady was once again at the forefront of the action moments later, as his free-kick sailed high over the bar.
These chances seemed to spark an Irish revival, as Poland retreated into their own half under intense pressure from The Boys in Green. The introduction of quick footed midfielder James McClean helped spur them on, as his cross for Keane saw the captain's header come back off the post.
Keane then set up Seamus Coleman for possibly Ireland's best chance so far as he negated to chase his poor touch from a McClean cross, allowing the on-rushing Coleman to strike from close range. The full-back however, wasn't up to his usual standards in front of goal as he leathered his shot wide into the stands.
As Long came on in a desperate throw of the dice from Ireland, midfielder James McCarthy was lucky to remain on the pitch after raising his hand to the face of Sebastian Mila, with McCarthy's hand and Mila's overreaction leaving both booked.
It was in the end Ireland who went home the happier of the two teams, as Hoolahan's flick on from a stoppage time Brady corner fell to the feet of Long, who span expertly before decisively finishing past Fabianski to give his side a deserved point.
The Boys in Green stay third in Group D, and look forward to facing Scotland in June, which could go a long way to decide the fate of the group.