Live commentary - email comalley@irishtimes.com

• Last word to our French readers, perhaps: "Hello, i watch the game in french tv and commentators were so sorry about the way the french goal was scored. I'm so sorry too. Yes Duff deserve more that most of french players to be in world cup. Anelka and Lloris played very well, and all irish team too. Hope to see Ireland going well in major events after world cup. Thanks for your comments" - Jerome Plazy (French supporter).
• Bonsoir, I am French and I really think that Ireland had to win 10,000 times more than our pathetic French team. How to conceive sport without value and glory by cheating with this manner? I think it is a disgrace for my country. The French league president Escalettes has said "La qualification a été belle" !!! It means in French "The qualification was great"!!!! I was dreaming. When you love sport, you can not bear cheating. Je suis désolé pour tout le peuple irlandais. You really deserved to be in South Africa. Not my country. Shame on us. Shame on this lawless football team - Jean-Marc de Paris.
• "It is no more a time for sportmen, it is a time for thieves and Henry is one of them. I will watch gaelic football next summer instead of watching the World Cup. Apologies to all Irish sport supporters." - Gilles Saussier
• Hi! Unlike my fellow countrymen whom you quoted on your site, I would rather put things in perspective. No, it doesn't feel great to win thanks to a blatant refereeing mistake. But please don't blame the players, not even Henry. They just want the ball to go in, by any means, they're winners. It's not their fault if the ref's aren't up to it. You wouldn't believe the number of times French clubs or the French team were the victims of poor decisions over the past 40 years. So, yes I do think it's a disgrace to lose this way. But please don't blame the players, blame the refs or the system... Dan.
• Aftermath: It was the last chance for Keane, Duff and Dunne et al to make another World Cup and it was cruelly taken from them. "We were robbed," says Dunphy, before making the case for video refs.
• "Calling someone a cheat and a thief is over the top," says Gilesy, who has Souness in his corner for this one. They have a point, in fairness. It was very cruel but not necessarily premeditated cheating.
• Sure, look it up on De Youtube and make your own minds up. Thanks for joining us this evening and for all the emails. Sorry there were only a few posted but it was one of those games. Good night and good luck.
• 122 min: It's over. France win 2-1 on aggregate. "France have cheated their way to South Africa," says Beglin. Henry hugs Dunne and Duff looks, shall we say, emotional.
• 121 min: Terrible delivery by McGeady but Dunne keeps it alive and, yet again, Lloris gathers.
• 120 min: Two hopeful punts in but nothing, Duff wins a free and Given is up for it.
• 118 min: Lloris gathers as Dunne challenges and wastes a few more seconds. Final minute now and all looks lost.
• 117 min: Given gathers at the second attempt and gets it up the other end.
• 115 min: Govou wins a corner. Given flaps at Malouda's cross and it's hooked clear. Gibson, though, fouls the Chelsea winger and it's a free in for Anelka to line up. It's off the wall and out for another corner.
• 113 min: McGeady running around a lot but not creating that much as usual. Here's hopeing he can exploit tired legs in the next six minutes.
• "That ‘goal’ was more shameful than the one of Maradona in ’86 . . ," says Saimir Sallaku
• 108 min: Gibson has a crack but it's well over. St Ledger fouls that nasty cheater Henry but the free drifts to safety.
• 106 min: Second half. Ireland still need a goal to go through. McGeady's on for Lawrence. Free in from Gibson causes problems and Ireland win a corner. And then another but a it's out for a goalkick.
• 105 min: Ireland aren't happy and neither is George Hamilton, who's calling Henry the "thief of Saint-Denis". Such a wordsmith. Squillaci was offside when that free was taken too. Bad calls all round, really. Referee Martin Hansson and his team will be grilled over this.
• 103 min: GOAL FRANCE!!!! McShane lets Malouda's free kick drop one yard from the byline. Henry handles it, twice, and centres it to Gallas who heads into the open net. Undoubtedly controlled it with his hand but it should never have dropped.
• 101 min: It's really hotting up now and Govou has it in the net but Malouda's ball found him in an offside position and the flag saves Ireland. Great turn and finish by Govou. Ireland breath again.
• 98 min: Evra got in behind McShane but Andrews clears. Anelka then sent through by Sagna and looks to be taken down by Given. No, says the referee, who waves play on. The home fans are furious. There looked to be slight contact but Anelka definitely left his foot in.
• 94 min: A nifty nutmeg from Keane finds Lawrence but his cross is defleted into the hands of Lloris.
• 93 min: Anelka drops the shoulder on Gibson and fires one narrowly past Given's right-hand post. Good efforrt but the Donegal man looked to have it covered.
• 91 min: Sheesh! That was quick. Barely got the valium in. It's extra-time. It's been pulsating so far and, to be fair, whatever happens now, the team will be walking tall in 30 minutes time.
• 90+4 min: Malouda and Henry bamboozle McShane and co and the Barca man gets a low cross in. Given parries and St Ledger hooks away the clearance. The whistle goes. Finally. Extra time!!
• 90 min: Malouda booked for a foul on Lawrence. The Stoke man is slow to get to his feet but is up eventually and thankfully.
• 89 min: Great possession play from Duff and Lawrence to win a throw high up the pitch. Kilbane's throw finds Keane but the Spurs man handles. He gets another chance when L Diarra misplaces a pass but shoots well over from 22 yards.
• 87 min: Gourcuff off for Florent Malouda. That means no Benzema but they have enough strikers on the pitch one suspects and need some pace outside for extra time - if it comes.
• 86 min: L Diarra tries to pick a pass through the middle but it rolls to safety. A bit of a breather for Ireland.
• 84 min: Duff concedes a free against Govou and France come again. But McShane hoofs one clear. Evra fouls Lawrence. Free to Ireland on the halfway. Squillaci clears easily.
• 81 min: Anelka elbows St Ledger in the mush and earns a free out. Doyle sets Lawrence in behind the defence but the high cross is easily fielded by Lloris.
• 78 min: Govou fouled by Andrews. Gourcuff free on the right but not until Squillaci is carded for messing in the box. The cross is headed clear and then back in by Evra but Gibson hooks it clear.
• 77 min: Duff wins another free off L Diarra. Ball wide to Kilbane but it's intercepted and a ball over the top seeks Anelka. Dunne shows great pace to clear the danger.
• 75 min: Beautiful control by Lawrence from a punted Dunne clearance. The Stoke man has been outstanding.
• 73 min: Again Lawrence brilliantly finds Keane who takes it in his stride and rounds Lloris, only to run out of pitch and see another on go abegging.
• 71 min: Gourcuff's dangerous free gathereed by Given and Sagna finds Anelka, who should have done better with the header. Pressure on now.
• 70 min: A Paul McGrath-like block from McShane on Gourcuff shot from the edge of the box. Good head down from Henry there but great block from McShane! Henry's moved up alongside Anelka now.
• 69 min: Cheeky ball over the top for Keane by Gibson but Lloris alive to it again.
• 66 min: O'Shea's hobbling off now. This time it's Paul McShane who is introduced. Big night for the Wicklowman. O'Shea's gutted. So might we be.
• 63 min: Darron Gibson on for Whelan, whose struggling. Keane taken down by L Diarra. The captain calls for a card. Nothing forthcoming.
• 61 min: Ye Gods!! Great move by Ireland and Lawrence sends Duff scampering through the middle but Lloris denies the Dubliner whose shot was too tame. France break and the ball over the top is let go by Dunne, only for Henry to take it in and be denied at close by a combination of O'Shea and Given.
• 58 min: Govou's added a spark and Kilbane is booked for taking down Gourcuff. Henry free on the right-hand side. Lawrence's heads clear but Gourcuff's cross is headed skywards by Dunne before Given takes control.
• 54 min: Anelka has France's, and his, second shot on target. Well struck but straight at Given. Gignac shot is then blocked by St Ledger and it's his last involvement as Sidney Govou is brought on. Anelka moves up front.
• 52 min: Great battle between Doyle and Sagna and the Irishman comes out on top, briefly, before Kilbane's pass back to Doyle is misread and rolls to safety.
• 50 min: Ireland claim a foul on Doyle but it looked like the Wolves striker slipped before contact with Gallas after Keane's cross. Lawrence can't quite get there and France break. Gignac has a shot but pulls it wide.
• 46 min: Back on and Keane wins a free off L Diarra. O'Shea is found criminally unmarked at the backpost. He chests it down but blazes it over the bar. Trap recoils in horror! Chance missed.
• "Is it possible? Could we really do this?", asks Bob Doyle in Chicago. There's along way to go, Bob, but I think we can. Dey don't like ir up'em, deese ladz!
• “Absolutely magnificent,” says Dunphy. Gilesy’s not sure who’s responsible. Who cares, John? Who cares?
• "I can go one better than Muireann - actually in Paris, but at work, so not at game and not even watching it. Following your commentary as I work, many thanks. Who says the life of the lawyer is glamorous?!! Allez les verts!" - Get yerself to a pub John. Quick!
• Halftime: There's little to fault in that half. Tight at the back , more adventure going forward, especially by Andrews and his midfield team-mates. The French look rattled too. Game on!
• 45+2 min: Whelan strikes it sweetly but Evra sticks his head in the way. Corner taken by Duff, headed clear but Whelan volleys it back out to Duff. Lovely ball, but Duff's effort is too close to Lloris.
• 45+1 min: Gallas fouls Doyle. Free to Ireland in a central position and 30 metres out from Lloris's goal.
• 44 min: Beglin's just asked: "Has Given had a shot to save?" He didn't get an answer but he's got a point.
• 43 min: Kilbane launches a free straight into the arms of Lloris. Needed more of an angle on that. Andrews and Lawrence getting stuck in again. Both are having big games. The two Diarras in the middle are getting no time on the ball. This time Keane gets stuck in and forces them back. Can they keep up this pace though?
• 39 min: It's a little ragged now and Ireland need to get their feet on the ball again. Mind you, France haven't been great since the goal and their fans are letting them know it.
• 39 min: A couple of efforts from Gourcuff but Ireland have deflected the inevitable backlash so far. Good work form Sagna thougg and Henry wins the corner. Headed clear by St Ledger.
• A brilliantly worked goal by Ireland. Simple but effective. Sagna left for dead and in the centre the French centre backs caught ball watching. "Que Sera, Sera" revs up again. *shudders*
• 33 min: GOAL!!! Duff gets to the byline after a one-two with Kilbane, perfect pass. He pulls it back to Keane, who keeps his head and fires low into the far corner past Lloris. Game on. 1-1 on aggregate and George tells us that Ireland have never lost after Robbie Keane has scored. Really?
• 30 min: Ireland are getting the crosses in and getting them in early. And it's good to see Andrews bombing into the box again.
• "Hello from York, UK, again," says Muireann. "No X factor tonight so I'll be tuning in and keeping an eye on your updates. Allez les verts!" - That's definitely not that attitude, Muireann.
• 26 min: Lawrence again the provider and Doyle, this time, should have done better with the header at the near post but he was under pressure from Gallas and the cross travels to safety. The French are not comfortable at the back at the moment and Lawrence is one of the main reasons why.
• 24 min: Lawrence does very well to head down to Keane after Doyle heads it into the box. The captain takes aim and swings a leg at it only to see Lloris get his hand to it. The French look suspect at the back.
• 22 min: Better than Beglin expected, ye know. Doyle breaks down the right and feeds Lawrence inside him. But again the cross is too high, this time for the onrushing Andrews. Good to see him gettting in the box. Decent move there.
• 20 min: Henry wins another free of O'Shea and stands over the free. Squillaci heads harmlessly over, when he needed the slightest of touches. "Que Sera, Sera" being drowned out by dismissive French whistles.
• 17 min: Bacary Sagna got a smsack in the gob from someone/something. Duff gets on the ball and puts in a good cross to Lawrence, but again it's a fraction too high.
• 15 min: Henry cons the referee into a free against John O'Shea 30 metres out. It's shifted to Anelka, whose shot is blocked into the path of Gignac. The corner is again floated to L Diarra, who shifts it wide to Gourcuff but the youngster's ball in doesn't beat the first man. Ireland need to get out of their own half for a bit.
• 12 min: Andrews concedes a corner, which breaks to L Diarra, who freshies/dummies his first attempt at a volley under pressure from and skies his second from 22 yards.
• 9 min: Squilacci's on for Escude, so not a great start for France. Ireland win a corner but Gignac breaks quickly, evades the tackle of Lawrence and finds Gourcuff. The playmaker feeds Henry but St Ledger intervenes to block the cross from the Frenchman. Ample warning, were it needed, that France can break very, very quickly indeed.
• 6 min: Escude has taken a bang to the nose and it's not pretty. France have 10 on the pitch. Escude could yet be replaced by Squilacci.
• 5 min: Doyle breaks through the middle and feeds Duff, whose cross is just over Keane's head. There was room for Duff to run at the French there. Back on the ball he wins a free from L. Diarra but Dunne heads it the wrong direction and France clear the danger.
• 3 min: Good position on the right for Lawrence but the delivery needs to be better.
• 1 min: Three mounumental hoofs from Ireland and Andrews concedes a free when challenging Lassana Diarra in midfield. Reunited after their little spat at the weekend. That'll be an interesting scrap.
• 20:00: Jim Beglin reckons Ireland's full-backs should make themselves seen and hopes Captain Robbie and Kevin Doyle stay close and link up well. I hope they score.
• 19:58:Pretty impressive stuff from the hosts and La Marseillaise but no doubt the Irish fans joined in.
• 19:55: The teams are out and it looks fairly lively under the lights of Stade de France. First chant to be heard? "Ireland, Ireland".
• 19:53: "They could be very nervy tonight," warns Dunphy. "Bring back Houllier," Gilesy wades in. "They're between two stools," exlaims Souness. And it's down to the tunnel.
• Reasons to be cheerful: "There's no reason to be scared. We're better than them and we'll show that again on Wednesday. My prediction? 2-0" - former France international and Bolton legend Youri Djorkaeff
• "There's no comparison between the teams. In terms of technique and possession, Les Bleus were superior. They'll finish the job off quickly on Wednesday." - Villarreal midfielder and former international Robert Pires.
• "Will France score several goals against Ireland?" – France’s footballing bible L’Equipe.
• Reasons to be tearful: No doubt many of you will by now be well versed on the history that suggests RTE should have stuck with the documentary on pygmy elephants, but for those who haven't, here's a brief glimpse at the cold, hard facts. Read them quickly and move on, it's like pulling off a plaster (and revealing a horrible, discoloured, jelly-like mess, similar to a JR pop mashed together with Wibbly-Wobbly-Wonder).
• France have lost just one competitive match at the Stade, in 1999 to Russia; every side that has won the first play-off leg in Europe has qualified; Ireland have never won a competitive game in France; only Argentina have scored twice against France this year (ignore that, Argentina are worse than us).
• There are more, but you get the picture. We're up against it.
• The straw-clutching: An historic result remains highly unlikely, of course, but if superstition is your bag, HERE'S another team in green and white denying the French a place in the 1994 World Cup.
• The look on Gerard Houllier's face is priceless in that one. After that, you may remember, he accused David Ginola of something akin to treason and effectively ended his international career.
• Despite oozing with talent that French side was quite inexperienced. Indeed, some of them were incredibly nervous. "In 1993, we didn't know whether to go for a win or a draw," reflects goalkeeper Bernard Lama. "We were caught between two stools." Enduring image.
• As Lama and our first emailer Ross Geraghty quite rightly point out, however, Emil Kostadinov and co were light years ahead of this Irish team and went on to reach the semi-finals of the Soccer Ball World Series in the US of A. Still, Ross is an optimist, of sorts, and predicts Duff to level the score in the second half before a penalty shootout, which he fears. Most of us would take that now I'm sure.
• Certainly French goalkeeper Hugo Lloris proved in Croke Park that he has the ability to break Irish hearts in play or from 12 yards, but I think we'd all agree there are few we'd have between the sticks in that situation ahead of our Shay.
• A word for the national broadcaster: We should go no further before thanking RTE for putting their hand in their pocket and bringing this game to the nation. It denied me a trip to the French capital but the needs of the many are greater than those of the few - so kudos to those in Montrose who, along with Sky, paid a combined fee of Pat Kenny’s annual salary for what could turn out to be one of the greatest games in Irish history.
• Bill is joined by the usual suspects tonight - Gilesy, Dunphy and the voice of reason Graeme Souness . More from them at halftime.
• Team News: Julien Escude starts instead of the injured Eric Abidal in centre back and it's worth remembering that the Sevilla defender scored into his own net in the 1-1 draw against Romania in September. That's Raymond Domenech's first surprise of the evening, most people expected his club mate Squillaci to start instead. It's the only change in the side. Ireland are unchanged, as announced by Trap yesterday.
• Welcome: It's been four days now since Seán St Ledger's derriere handed the advantage to Ireland's hosts this evening and made what was a tough task, much more difficult. However, Giovanni Trapattoni and his merry men have talked a good game in that time and there appears to be plenty of hope in the camp that the 1-0 deficit can be overhauled and safe passage to South Africa secured in Paris tonight.
• Whispers from Saint-Denis suggest, however, the optimism is not shared by much of the green army, who have discovered their hammers are not only inflatable, but deflatable too, and stayed at home. That’s not to suggest the away section will be sparsely populated, just that there may not be as many clandestine entrants as were expected. Not quite the numbers that invaded Saint-Denis in 2004, then, but sure, fat lot of good that did us at the time. A heroic 0-0 won't be enough tonight. We'll be confirming the French team presently.
• RTE's Tony O'Donoghue says those whispers are rubbish and there is around 12,000 - 15,0000 Irish in Paris heading to the game. Happy daze.
• France: Lloris (Lyon); Sagna (Arsenal), Escude (Seville), Gallas (Arsenal), Evra (Manchester United); L Diarra (Real Madrid), A Diarra (Bordeaux); Anelka (Chelsea), Gourcuff (Bordeaux) (Malouda 88'), Henry (Barcelona); Gignac (Toulouse) Govou 56' (Lyon).
• Republic of Ireland: Given (Manchester City); O'Shea (Manchester United) (McShane 66'), St Ledger (Middlesbrough), Dunne (Aston Villa), Kilbane (Hull City); Lawrence (Stoke City) (McGeady 106'), Whelan (Stoke City) (Gibson 63'), Andrews (Blackburn Rovers), Duff (Fulham); Doyle (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Keane (Tottenham Hotspur).