Republic of Ireland 2 Poland 3:Giovanni Trapattoni's unbeaten start came to an end in bizarre circumstances at Croke Park as Poland gave their huge support something to celebrate last night. The visitors scored at the beginning of each half to take a 2-0 lead, but the game exploded late on with three goals.

Ireland's Reading connection raised hope of earning a draw in the 88th minute, when Stephen Hunt fired home a penalty after Shane Long was brought down in the box.

Poland regained their two-goal cushion almost immediately from a cracking Robert Lewandowski that gave Shay Given no chance.

There was still time for Keith Andrews to mark his international debut with a fine strike of his own, but time ran out just as a rather dull game sparked to life.

The huge Polish support brought a party atmosphere to Croke Park and they got just what they came for inside three minutes after John O'Shea had been penalised for a foul on Lukasz Gargula.

The midfielder picked himself up to float a free-kick into the box, where skipper Mariusz Lewandowski sneeked in front of John O'Shea and Caleb Folan to glance a header just inside the post and give his side the perfect start.

Ireland might have been level within two minutes after Kevin Doyle and Folan combined to find Damien Duff, but after twisting his way to the edge of the area he lifted his right-footed shot over the bar under pressure.

Trapattoni's side had appeals for a penalty waved away after Doyle went down under Dariusz Dudka's strong challenge, although the Poles continued to look the more cohesive of the two teams.

Folan got his first attempt on target when he met a 16th-minute Duff cross with his head, but Arsenal goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski collected it comfortably.

Andy Keogh almost capitalised on a loose pass from Dudka with 19 minutes gone when he slipped past Jakub Wawrzyniak and fed fullback Paul McShane, but his cross was easily cut out by Fabianski.

The Polish keeper was in action again two minutes later, but again Doyle's shot on the turn did not unduly trouble him.

Poland continued to threaten on the break and McShane was forced to concede a corner after lone striker Pawel Brozek very nearly collected Jakub Blaszczykowski's 25th-minute ball over the top.

Ireland had not learnt their lesson and when Jacek Krzynowek delivered the set-piece to the far post, Lewandowski met it unopposed, although this time, he could not hit the target.

Duff was handed a glorious opportunity to level 16 minutes before the break when, after switching wings with Keogh, he was played in by Doyle only to fire into the side-netting.

Given was grateful to see Brozek scuff his shot after running on to Rafal Boguski's pull-back two minutes later.

Folan was proving a real handful for the Polish defence and Duff was finding plenty of space on the right, although the Newcastle midfielder was repeatedly guilty of failing to make the most of it.

Dunne almost gifted Leo Beenhakker's men a second goal with 40 minutes gone when he served the ball up on a plate for Brozek, but the defender recovered superbly to dispossess the striker as he prepared to shoot.

But Duff perhaps should have scored once again three minutes later when, after collecting Folan's pass, he cut inside Wawrzyniak, but skewed his effort wide as he slipped.

Beenhakker made two changes at the break, replacing Brozek with Robert Lewanowski and Blaszczykowski with Roger Guerreiro.

Brazilian-born midfielder Guerreiro had barely been on the pitch a minute when he extended his side's lead in fine style.

He ran on to Gargula's flick as Icelandic referee Kristinn Jakobsson allowed play to continue despite Dunne's foul, and smashed a left-foot shot across Given and into the far corner.

Ireland's response was lukewarm and Folan's tame header from Kilbane's 52nd-minute cross fell to Fabianski without a green shirt in touching distance.

If anything, the Poles looked more likely to increase their lead as Given's goal came under intense pressure.

Krzynowek hammered a left-foot shot from distance just over the crossbar with the Ireland captain concerned enough to watch it all the way.

But Robert Lewandowski could have made it 3-0 with 59 minutes gone after taking Boguski's pass in his stride, but he fired wide of the post.

Trapattoni immediately made a triple substitution when he replaced McShane, Keogh and Doyle with Alex Bruce and Stephen and Noel Hunt, the latter making his senior international debut.

Folan's persistence earned him a half-chance with 65 minutes gone when he briefly got the better of Dudka, but the defender made amends with an important block.

Long arrived in place of Duff seconds later to make it three Reading players on the pitch as the game becoming increasingly open.

Alex Bruce headed Stephen Hunt's 84th-minute corner just over and Dudka had to clear Long's looping header off the line seconds later.

Ireland finally got their reward with 88 minutes gone when, after Long had been tripped inside the area by substitute Tomasz Jodlowiec, Stephen Hunt converted from the penalty spot.

Robert Lewandowski restored his side's advantage within seconds with a powerful left-foot strike, before Andrews slotted home in a frantic conclusion.