Kevin Doyle and Liam Lawrence teamed up to send Paraguay packing as Ireland claimed a World Cup scalp with a 2-1 triumph.
Doyle capitalised on a seventh-minute error by Manchester City striker Roque Santa Cruz to head the home side ahead at the RDS on Tuesday, and Lawrence added a second six minutes before the break in front of a delighted crowd of 16,722, the Press Association reports.
The South Americans, who beat Brazil and drew with Argentina in Buenos Aires during their qualifying campaign, flattered to deceive before the break, but were more of a threat after it and reduced the deficit through Lucas Barrios' fine 58th-minute strike.
However, despite a late flurry, they were unable to claw their way back as Giovanni Trapattoni's men claimed a creditable victory.
Ireland were indebted to Santa Cruz for their opening goal, which arrived with just seven minutes gone.
Damien Duff and Lawrence worked a free-kick move before the Fulham man delivered the ball into the box, where defender Paul McShane attempted and failed to execute and hugely ambitious overhead effort.
But the ball reared up off the turf and Santa Cruz instinctively headed it on to his own crossbar, allowing Doyle to pounce on the rebound and score.
The home side extended their lead seven minutes later when Doyle chested down Stephen Kelly's cross to Lawrence, who thumped it past goalkeeper Aldo Bobadilla with the help of a deflection off defender Denis Caniza.
However, Paraguay reduced the deficit with 58 minutes gone when Rodolfo Gamarra and Claudio Morel played their way around McShane for the former to slide a pass to Barrios, who dispatched it right-footed past Keiren Westwood.
Man of the match Doyle made way for Shane Long to rapturous applause with three minutes remaining on another good night for Trapattoni and his players.
