Rep of Ireland 2-1 Macedonia

 The Republic moved joint top of their Euro 2012 qualifying group after an unconvincing win in Dublin.

Aiden McGeady's low strike gave the Irish a second minute lead before Robbie Keane stabbed in after a blunder from keeper Edin Nuredoniski. The Republic were in control but Ivan Trickovski pulled one back with a classy finish just before the break. Goran Pandev volleyed wide and Keiran Westwood denied Trickovski as the Republic held on for the three points.

Westwood, Kevin Foley and Darren O'Dea made their competitive debuts for the Republic in front of a far from capacity crowd at the Aviva Stadium. Just 84 seconds had elapsed when McGeady cut inside and fired in a low shot which Nuredinoski should have kept out, but instead he merely helped the ball on its way into the net. Nuredoniski was now a nervy keeper and he fumbled a Damien Duff strike before collecting at the second attempt.

Keane just failed to get a touch on a downward header from Kevin Doyle, who was forced off after 16 minutes with a knee injury and replaced by Shane Long. Nuredoniski was at fault again for the second goal after 21 minutes, spilling Darron Gibson's free-kick and Keane reacted quickest to slot in from two yards out. The Republic were dominating affairs Long should have made it three but instead sliced wide with just Nuredoniski to beat.

Trickovski sent a dipping shot just wide with Macedonia's first decent attack on 32 minutes and he made no mistake with a second effort in the final seconds of half. The striker left Richard Dunne in his wake as he cut inside, before sliding the ball beyond Westwood and into the far corner. Macedonia came close to equalising three minutes into the second half with Inter Milan striker Pandev volleying just wide from Goran Popov's cross.

Boban Grncarov was lucky to escape a red card when his raised foot caught Long's head, with referee Istvan Vad brandishing a yellow as Long had his wound bandaged. This was now an even contest and the Republic were no longer the attacking force of the first half. Westwood came to the Republic's rescue with 15 minutes left, rushing out to block Trickovski's shot after the forward's instant control from a long ball gave him a clear strike on goal.

Robbie Keane saw his shot deflected wide with three minutes left before he was replaced by Wigan's James McCarthy, making his competitive debut for the Irish. The Republic are level on 10 points with Slovakia and Russia, who slipped up with a scoreless draw in Armenia.

Republic of Ireland: Westwood, Foley, O'Dea, Dunne, Kilbane, McGeady, Whelan, Gibson, Duff, Doyle, Keane. Subs: Forde, Kelly, McCarthy, Long, Clark, Lawrence, Fahey.

FYR Macedonia: Nuredinovski, Sikov, Noveski, Grncarov, Popov, Sumulikoski, Trickovski, Demiri, Tasevski, Pandev, Naumoski. Subs: Bogatinov, Mitreski, Georgievski, Ristic, Despotovski, Lazevski, Gjurovski.

Referee: Istvan Vad (Hungary)

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Serbia 2-1 N Ireland

Northern Ireland's hopes of qualifying for Euro 2012 from Group C suffered a setback as Serbia came from a goal down to win 2-1 in Belgrade on Friday night.

Gareth McAuley scored with a looping header into the top corner from Chris Brunt's left-foot free-kick in the 15th minute, his second international goal.

Marko Pantelic levelled when he turned and unleashed a low left-foot shot under Lee Camp after 65 minutes. Zoran Tosic scored the winner with a shot from the edge of the area on 74. Worthington's side were trying to extend their unbeaten run in Group C to four matches at the almost deserted Crvena Zvezda Stadium in Belgrade.

Only 240 Northern Ireland supporters and a handful of officials from both countries were in attendance as Serbia were forced to play the game behind closed doors following crowd trouble at their European qualifier against Italy in Genoa last year. Northern Ireland manager Nigel Worthington put his trust in youth as Craig Cathcart, Jonny Gorman and Corry Evans were all named in the starting line-up.

The first chance of the game fell to Brunt but his left-foot effort flew just wide of the post in the 13th minute. Two minutes later McAuley cleared a Branislav Ivanovic shot off the line at the other end of the pitch. Serbia squandered a wonderful chance to break the deadlock in the 22nd minute when Adem Ljajic fired over the bar from close range under pressure from two Northern Ireland defenders.

Soon after, Dejan Stankovic tried a speculative shot from 25 yards but debutant goalkeeper Lee Camp easily gathered the ball. Northern Ireland took the lead in the 40th minute when McAuley scored with a looping header into the top corner from Brunt's inswinging left-foot free-kick from the right.

Kyle Lafferty could have extended the visitors' lead two minutes later when he beat a defender but shot over the bar from 15 yards when well placed to score. Record goalscorer David Healy replaced his Rangers team-mate Lafferty at the start of the second half and almost made an immediate impact.

Gorman floated in a cross from the left wing but Neven Subotic cleared the ball off the foot of Healy as he prepared to shoot. Nottingham Forest goalkeeper Camp made his mark in the 53rd minute, making a spectacular reflex save after Ivanovic met a corner with a strong header. The ball fell loose on the goal-line but Gorman hacked the ball clear.

Healy then received a yellow card for handling the ball, a booking which rules him out of Tuesday night's game against Slovenia in Belfast. Serbia levelled in the 65th minute when the ball broke to Pantelic inside the area and he turned sharphy and unleashed a low left-foot shot under Camp. The home side continued to exert pressure and Aleksandr Kolarov danced his way past two defenders but his shot was deflected wide for a corner.

The pressure eventually paid off when Milos Ninkovic went on a surging run and passed the ball to Tosic, whose shot from the edge of the box flew into the net past Camp, with the aid of a slight deflection off Craig Cathcart. Worthington introduced Warren Feeney and Pat McCourt as substitutes but his side were unable to fashion an opportunity to equalise.

Serbia: Brkic, Ivanovic, Subotic, Bisevac, Kolarov, Tosic, Ljajic, Krasic, Stankovic, Milijas, Pantelic.

Subs: Saranov, Jovanovic, Petrovic, Obradovic, Ninkovic, Trivunovic, Ilic.

Northern Ireland: Camp, Cathcart, McAuley, Hughes, J Evans, C Evans, Baird (capt), Clingan, Gorman, Brunt, Lafferty

Substitutes: Tuffey, Craigan, Thompson, McCann, Healy, Feeney, McCourt

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