Good evening and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of the Euro 2012 Group C match between the Republic of Ireland and Croatia.
Today is Ireland's first European Championships appearance since 1988 and their first major international tournament since the 2002 World Cup.
Croatia, meanwhile, are looking to make a good start to their tournament as they hope to take advantage of Spain and Italy's 1-1 draw earlier today.
Note that the game gets underway at 7.45pm.
21.45That's it from me, folks. Tomorrow sees the first games in Group D as France face England and Sweden play Ukraine, both of which will be covered by Sports Mole. Thanks for joining me!
21.43You'd have to think that anyone who harboured hopes for a surprise quarter-final appearance for Ireland will be having a re-think. Anything against Italy or Spain would be a massive surprise.
21.41All over in Poznan. Ireland started both halves slowly, and finished the first in the same way, which really hurt them. Meanwhile, Croatia look very impressive and could be a team to watch throughout the tournament. Dark horses to win it? Perhaps not but I wouldn't bet against them beating Italy or maybe even Spain to the knockout stages.
21.41FULL-TIME: Republic of Ireland 1-3 Croatia
90+5 minOne last effort from Andrews is sliced wide, all over now.
90+4 minThe whistle in the crowd blows for full-time and brings premature cheers from the fans. Then it goes agains and fools the players. Not long now until the real thing.
90+2 minBilic uses another sub to waste a bit more time. Aerial pinball in the Croatia box follows but Ireland can't get hold of it and it is eventually scrambled clear.
90+1 minMassive chance, and once again it falls to Andrews. Completly free header for the midfielder inside the box and all he had to do was steer it into the far post, but it missed by inches. That was the chance that Ireland have been waiting for, and a goal there would have made it very interesting.
90 minPerhaps a last glimmer of hope for Ireland - five minutes of stoppage time to be added on and it's a corner to the men in green.
89 minIreland aren't giving up but it's looking nigh-on impossible for a comeback now. Meanwhile Perisic departs from the field to be replaced by Eduardo.
86 minDangerous ball in by Cox is punched very well by Pletikosa before another cross in is nodded wide by Andrews. Pletikosa is in the wars, he got clattered by Long while punchig away the first cross.
84 minThe Irish fans claim for a penalty once more as Corluka steps across Long. Good defending this time though, not a spot kick.
83 minA free kick by Srna from a long way out hits the wall. A potential counter-attack is halted by Dinamo Kiev's new signing Kranjcar, who enters the book for his cynical tackle.
81 minTwo chances in as many minutes for Andrews as the ball falls to him on the edge of the penalty area, only for him to scuff hs shot wide. Promising stuff for Ireland but you can't help but think that it's too little too late.
80 minHalf chance for Ireland to claw themselves back into this one. Duff again does well to act as the supplier and this time it is Andrews who gets on the end of it, but he can't beat Pletikosa. Tough header but scoreable.
79 minIf they get the expected three points here, Croatia could be a safe bet to make the knockout stages. They may have Italy and Spain to come but the way all three have played today, they can compete with them.
77 minThey almost needed three. A fine, sweeping move by Croatia results in Srna pulling the ball back to Rakitic, whose curling effort flies inches wide of the post. Lovely stuff again by Croatia, they look like a very good side.
77 minJust over ten minutes left for Ireland to make a difference here. They'll need two goals to do so.
74 minThe third and final change for Ireland as skipper and record goalscorer Keane goes off for Shane Long.
73 minIreland still asking questions of Croatia by pushing forward repeatedly, but at the moment the Croats have all the right answers.
71 minOff comes Nikica Jelavic to be replaced by Niko Kranjcar. Defensive(ish) sub to help Bilic's side keep the ball.
70 minPletikosa comes and claims a dangerous cross by Duff with Keane bearing down on the keeper. Good take to take the pressure off his defenders.
69 minMandzukic's second goal was the 100th headed goal in European Championships history, and the third in this game alone.
68 minAnother free kick for Ireland is lofted into the box by Duff, right onto the head of Dunne but the big centre-back's header was too weak to seriously struggle Pletikosa.
67 minIreland urgently pressing now but Croatia are curbing their enthusiasm effectively.
62 minCould be a big moment that. If Keane was unhappy about the potential offside for Jelavic's goal then he will be livid about that one. Big chance for Ireland to get back into the game denied by the ref.
62 minControversial scenes here. Madzukic goes down but Ireland refuse to kick the ball out. They progress forward and the ball is given in to Robbie Keane, who is brought down inside the box by Schildenfeld. The referee waves the penalty claims away, but that should have been given. Clear foul.
60 minPerhaps predictably, Croatia are sitting further back now, asking the question of Ireland - can you break us down? So far, they haven't shown any signs of being able to do so.
58 minIreland look a bit deflated after that goal. The fans are refusing to be silenced, however. They seem determined to enjoy this win, lose or draw.
56 minStrinic brings down Duff, free kick to Ireland. Set pieces may be their best bet of getting back into this one now. The cross comes to nothing as Richard Dunne is harshly punished.
54 minGary Lineker believes that Spain could learn something from Croatia's use of striker here. He tweeted: "Take note Spain; strikers can be worth their weight in gold. Jelavic...the goalhanger's salvation"
53 minDouble change for Ireland here, Jon Walters and Simon Cox replace Doyle and McGeady. Trapattoni hoping that this change of personnel will galvanize his side.
52 minModric goes into the book after an untidy challenge on Whelan.
51 minRealistically, this is Ireland's 'easiest' game so they need to go for it. Spain and Italy await, after all.
50 minCroatia continue to push on, two shots blocked in quick succession immediately after the goal. Ireland are on the ropes, maybe time for a change?
48 minI said they couldn't afford to, but they have. Very early on in the half yet again, Mandzukic heads Croatia further ahead. If there were questions over Given's goalkeeping for his first, this time the header was out of his reach. Unfortunately for the shot-stopper, however, it hit the post and came back off his head. 3-1 Croatia.
48 minGOAL! Republic of Ireland 1-3 Croatia (Mandzukic)
46 minShould be an interesting half ahead. Ireland can't afford to make as bad a start in this half as they did in the first. Croatia, meanwhile, will know that a win could prove priceless after Spain and Italy drew earlier today.
46 minThe players are back out and we're back underway here.
20.46Also the first time Ireland have conceded two goals in a game since their last defeat - to Russia. Ominous signs for Trapattoni's men?
20.45Ireland's passing has been wayward in this half - a completion ratio of just 70%. That's the lowest in the tournament so far.
20.42Croatia, meanwhile, are 2/9 while a draw is available at 4/1.
20.39Lets have a look at the odds after that first 45 then: Ireland are available at 16/1 - maybe not a bad bet considering how open the game is - I think there will still be goals in this one.
20.36Some controversy over that second Croatia goal. Robbie Keane arguing with the ref over a potential offside, but I think he got it right. There seemed to be two men off when Modric's initial shot came in, but Ward's attempted clearance created a new phase of play and, therefore, Jelavic couldn't have been off. Good decision.
20.35HALF-TIME: Republic of Ireland 1-2 Croatia.
45+3 minCroatia almost double their lead just before the break. Perisic's cross is nodded just over from Rakitic.
45+1 minFlares came on to the pitch from the Croatian end after that goal, delaying the restart.
45 minCatalogue of errors there by Ward. Andrews becomes the first man to enter the referee's book after a rash tackle.
42 minTypical! Just as I say Jelavic has been quiet, he pops up and scores! A mistake by Ward looks like letting Croatia in, but Ireland scramble back to concede the corner. From the corner, the ball comes out to Modric, whose low shot hits the Irish defence. Ward then swings wildly in an attempt to clear it, only to play a perfect through ball to Jelavic who dinks the ball over Given. He was never going to miss from there.
42 minGOAL! Jelavic - Republic of Ireland 1-2 Croatia
42 minA bit of the sting has gone out of the game in the last five minutes or so as we edge towards half time.
40 minA good cross by Strinic is met well by Jelavic, but it is a tough header and misses Given's right post. Jelavic struggling to get into this one at the moment.
38 minCorner to Croatia, the Ireland team don't agree with it but clear it without any trouble.
37 minModric is starting to pull the strings here. Looks a class above anyone else on the pitch.
37 minWard's cross is met by Doyle who rises very well, but it's an easy one for Pletikosa.
36 minHalf chance for Croatia, but a volley from the edge of the area is sliced wide of Given's post.
34 minEvery Irish tackle is being greeted with rapturous cheers in the stadium. Croatia's possession is being jeered and booed.
34 minGreat pressure high up the pitch by Croatia, forcing Ireland right back into their own penalty area.
33 minModric sweeps the ball out to Srna, who returns it to the midfielder. The Spurs man hits a long ranger first time but it is straight at Given.
31 minIreland may want to think about pushing for another goal before half time, they've never scored a second-half goal in the European Championships.
30 minIt's ben an enthralling opening half an hour here. The noise from the fans coupled with the open nature of the game is making this a great spectacle.
28 minMcGeady's set piece is marginally overhit, meaning that Ward cannot connect with it at the back post. Looks like a potentially weak spot in the Croatian set-up though.
27 minAnother foul on Kevin Doyle, this time by Corluka who receives a warning from the ref. Free-kick from a similar position to where they scored.
26 minGood run by Luka Modric there as the Tottenham man advances towards the Irish box before playing in Mandzukic. The striker decides to try and thread Modric back in, however, when the best option may have been to go alone.
24 minBig tackle by Vedran Corluka which the referee sees as too heavy. He got the ball cleanly but any tackle like that nowadays will be pulled up unfortunately. Nothing wrong with a good crunching tackle in my eyes.
22 minGreat effort from range by Perisic, but matched by a fine stop by Given. Croatia have done very well since conceding.
21 minGreat atmosphere still here. The Irish finds did 'The Poznan' while celebrating that goal!
20 minFantastic ball in by Srna towards Jelavic but great defending by Dunne. Rakitic picks it up but fires his shot wide. This game is shaping up very nicely!
18 minThere's the equaliser! The ball was whipped in from the left side from a free-kick and Sean St. Ledger nips in behind the defence to nod home. All square here!
18 minGOAL! St. Ledger - Republic of Ireland 1-1 Croatia.
17 minThere's a very prominent whistle coming from the crowd, which is confusing many of the players, and myself!
17 minGreat delivery from Rakitic is flicked behind by John O'Shea, good defending.
16 minRichard Dunne is caught in possession by Jelavic, sloppy and clumsy play from the defender. Free kick to Croatia.
14 minKevin Doyle has started well for Ireland here, acting as a good target man.
13 minIreland are looking the more dangerous side at the moment.
12 minThe rain is starting to get heavier in Poznan. Could suit the Irish more than their opponents?
11 minHe lays it off to Andrews, but his low and hard shot is well blocked by the wall, and his rebound goes tamely wide.
11 minDuff looks the most likely...
10 minDoyle is fouled on the edge of the penalty area here. Great position for Ireland here, what can they do from it?
9 minThey have responded well, exactly what Trapattoni would've wanted. Duff drifts a ball into the box but it is cleared after just evading Doyle.
8 minDoyle wins a throw in deep in the Croatia half. Ireland desperately looking to bounce back immediately here.
7 minIreland have their first shot, but Damien Duff drags it wide of Pletikosa's post.
6 minIt's all a bit chaotic at the moment, a far cry from the stale start in the Spain vs Italy tie earlier!
5 minIreland have responded quite well to that early setback, but Croatia are still looking dangerous whenever they get the ball.
3 minAwful, awful start for Ireland there. The initial corner was cleared away but it came back in to Mario Mandzukic whose header didn't look strong enough to beat Given, but the keeper must've been wrong footed as he fails to get to it in time.
3 minGOAL! Mandzukic - Republic of Ireland 0-1 Croatia
2 minCroatia attack down the left and Andrews puts it out for a corner.
1 minEarly free-kick for Ireland, Given sends it upfield to Aiden McGeady whose cross is headed over by Keith Andrews.
0 minsAnd we're off! Croatia start us off and look to go forward straight away.
19.46We're all set for kick-off here in Poznan!
19.43Interesting stat for the football traditionalists - Ireland are the first team to start a Euro match with shirt numbers 1-11 since England vs. Portugal way back in 2004.
19.42Great atmosphere in Poznan. The Croats belt out their national anthem, and then the Irish outdo them. Great noise from the two sets of fans.
19.41Trapattoni is also the oldest coach in European Championships history at the tender age of 73.
19.40This is a match between the two smallest nations at this summer's championships. Talk about a pair of underdogs alongside the footballing giants Spain and Italy!
19.38Just over five minutes until kick-off in Poznan. No doubt Irish fans will be thinking back to their underdogs status of 1988, can Trapattoni's men replicate Jack Charlton's side?
19.37You can get Robbie Keane to score first at 7/1, while Modric opening the scoring could be the best shout. He's available at 18/1.
19.34Personally, I'm leaning more towards a win for Croatia, but Trapattoni's Ireland are notoriously difficult to beat so it won't be easy!
19.33Sports Mole's very own Jack Prescott has predicted a 1-1 draw in this game today. You can see his full preview here.
19.31Nikica Jelavic will be looking to carry on his good form from Goodison Park and, being supplied by Tottenham's Luka Modric, you've got to think that he will get a few chances to do just that.
19.29Croatia, meanwhile, have two starters with over 90 caps in Stipe Pletikosa and captain Dario Srna, both of whom have 91. Plenty of experience on show today then.
19.24Ireland have a couple of centurions appearing today, including their highest ever appearance maker Shay Given (123 caps), and their highest ever goalscorer in Robbie Keane (53 goals in 117 games).
19.20If you fancy a draw, incidentally, you can get that at 9/4.
19.19Croatia are the favourites going into this one. You can get them on 11/10 while Ireland are 11/4.
19.12The team news is in! Of course, the Irish team news has been in for a week, and Trapattoni has sprung no surprises. See full details of both teams here.
19.08Good evening everyone! The two heavyweights of Group C, Spain and Italy, fought to a 1-1 draw earlier, so a chance for either of these two teams to take an early lead in the group awaits.
Written by
Barney Corkhill
Barney Corkhill
