Aiden McGeady netted a last-minute stunner to help Republic of Ireland beat Georgia 2-1 tonight and get their Euro 2016 qualifying campaign off to a winning start.

The winger had initially sent Ireland into a one-goal lead, slotting home a James McCarthy pass, while Tornike Okriashvili equalised in superb fashion.

However, McGeady kept the best until last, curling home from the edge of the area in the dying stages to give the Boys in Green a crucial, yet slightly fortuitous victory.

Below, Sports Mole looks at who excelled and who should have stayed in the changing rooms.

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Goal

George Loria: Blameless for the goal but a hand injury after a collision with Stephen Quinn cut short his evening just before the half-time whistle. (6/10)

Defence

Ucha Lobjanidze: Contributed little going forward in the right-back position and struggled to contain Aiden McGeady throughout the 90 minutes. (5/10)

Saba Kvirkvelia: Together with centre-back partner Akaki Khubutia did not allow Robbie Keane to be the 62-goal international striker that he is. Also produced a crucial header to cut out a Seamus Coleman cross. (8/10)

Akaki Khubutia: Forged an impressive partnership with Kvirkvelia to shackle Keane throughout the night. (7/10)

Dato Kvirkvelia: Endured a torrid first half trying to cope with the advancing Coleman. Booked for a brief coming together with Jonathan Walters. (5/10)

Midfield

Guram Kashia: Sat in front of Georgia's back four, did an adequate job for 89 minutes but switched off for McGeady's late winner. (6/10)

Jaba Kankava: Nobody in the Georgia starting lineup had scored more international goals, yet nobody in the side looked less like scoring tonight. Quiet day at the office. (5/10)

Murtaz Daushvili: Never imposed himself on the game from midfield, giving Glenn Whelan and Stephen Quinn a relatively easy evening in his company. (5/10)

Jano Ananidze: Tipped as one of Georgia's danger men pre match but never showed up. Subbed on 62 minutes for David Targamadze. (5/10)

Attack

Tornike Okriashvili: Got Georgia back into the contest with a stunning equaliser, but failed to build on his first-half showing and dipped during the second 45 minutes. (7/10)

Nikoloz Gelashvili: Totally isolated as Georgia's focal point and missed the chance of the game at 0-0, before McGeady opened the scoring minutes later. (4/10)

Substitutes

Roin Kvaskhvadze: Replaced Loria at half time but Ireland never tested the substitute keeper until McGeady's late winner, for which he was blameless. (5/10)

David Targamadze: Stung the hands of David Forde midway through the second half, but did not quite have the impact that Temuri Ketsbaia would have wanted. (5/10)

Levan Mchedlidze: Had little impact on proceedings after coming on in the 89th minute, before McGeady's heroics. (4/10)

Goal

David Forde Had very little to do all game and could do nothing about the goal after being unsighted by Gelashvili. His gloves are safe for now, but Shay Given waits in the wings. (6/10)

Defence

Stephen Ward: Partially at fault for Georgia's equaliser, allowing Okriashvili far too much time to pick his spot. Other than that did little wrong. (6/10)

Marc Wilson: Almost cost Ireland a goal at 0-0, but grew far more assured in the second half as the minutes ticked on, putting out a number of fires in the Irish defence. (7/10)

John O'Shea: Like Stephen Ward, was a little suspect for the equaliser by failing to close down Okriashvili before it was too late. (6/10)

Seamus Coleman: Suffered in the conditions as the game grew older. Strong first-half showing, in which he dominated his opposite number, but left his delivery back on Merseyside. (6/10)

Midfield

James McCarthy: Showed superb awareness and composure to set up McGeady for the opener, but his influence was limited aside from that. Did not dovetail well with Keane. (6/10)

Jonathan Walters: Did the donkey work well, gave Coleman plenty of protection on the right-hand flank, but offered little to nothing going forward. (5/10)

Glenn Whelan: Stifled Georgia's midfield, forcing them to target the wide areas as the Stoke man proved an adequate sentry in the defensive midfield. (7/10)

Stephen Quinn: Ireland's sole survivor from Wednesday's win over Oman, and impressed again. Some nice touches but all of them came in his own half. (6/10)

Attack

Aiden McGeady: Scored both goals, including a last-minute belter which was good enough to win any game. Could have a big say in Ireland's qualification hopes. (9/10)

Robbie Keane: Was not given a sniff by virtue of Georgia's defending. Produced a clever dummy in the build-up to McGeady's first, but influential moments were few and far between for Ireland's record goalscorer. (5/10)

Substitutes

Shane Long: Suffered from the same problem as Keane, who he replaced. Eventually moved out wide to get away from the Georgian centre-halves but he was needed in the box. (4/10)

Robbie Brady: Came on at the same time as Long and had about the same impact. (5/10)

Written by
Shane Callaghan