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Duffy's goal was his third for the Republic of Ireland

A powerful Shane Duffy header five minutes from time grabbed a crucial point for a dogged Republic of Ireland against Denmark in Copenhagen.

The Brighton defender planted a header home from an Alan Judge cross to earn Mick McCarthy's Euro 2020 Group D leaders a 1-1 draw.

Danish substitute Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg gave the superior hosts a 76th-minute lead soon after coming off the bench.

The Republic have seven points from their opening three qualifying games.

James McClean came close to winning it for Ireland in the final seconds, but his effort was repelled by home keeper Kasper Schmeichel.

After beating Gibraltar and Georgia in the first two matches of McCarthy's second spell in charge in March, they go into Monday evening's game against Gibraltar in Dublin four points clear of Switzerland at the top of the group table.

The Danes were dominant throughout the second half in particular and always looked likely to score, with Hojbjerg's header from a Stryger Larsen cross looking like it was going to give them a win that they would have deserved.

However, Duffy's equaliser for the battling visitors meant Age Hareide's side have two points from their opening two games after drawing 3-3 with Switzerland in March.

Republic defiant in response to Danish criticism

Duffy almost scored with an acrobatic effort in the first half

The pre-match headlines had been dominated by disparaging comments from a number of Denmark players about the level of entertainment provided by the Republic's style of play.

It would be unfair to say McCarthy's men lived up to their opposition's billing, but their performance certainly had more grit than guile as they worked extremely hard against a Danish side that created a host of chances.

While the visitors enjoyed decent possession in the first half and showed a desire to press forward when they could, their passing was not as quick or as penetrative as their hosts.

McCarthy had said before the trip that he would have been happy with a point and that would have been even more the case after Hojbjerg made the most of tired defensive legs to get across Richard Keogh and glance a header into the bottom corner.

Duffy had been an imposing figure at the heart of the Republic's defence and he came close to opening the scoring in the 21st minute, but his scrappy overhead kick from close range came back off his own chest as he got just too far ahead of a fine Conor Hourihane free-kick.

However, the Brighton defender timed his run to perfection in the 85th minute to power home a bullet header from a pinpoint free-kick by substitute Judge, who suffered a suspected broken arm in a challenge on the final whistle.

Denmark wide men pick the pockets

Enda Stevens had a busy night as Yussuf Poulsen threatened from the right flank

Denmark looked threatening throughout, with the willingness of their two wide men to cleverly come inside off their flanks causing the biggest problems for the visitors.

The ever-willing RB Leipzig winger Yussuf Poulsen regularly gave Ireland left-back Enda Stevens a decision to make by stepping in from the right to occupy the pockets of space behind the Ireland midfield and in front of their back four.

The 24-year-old was denied by a superb Darren Randolph save in the 53rd minute. Nicolai Jorgensen threaded a beautiful pass through, Poulsen danced inside Duffy and was through on goal only for Randolph to come off his line and make an excellent save to divert the ball wide.

Martin Braithwaite was also threatening from the left and eight minutes later a clever Poulsen lay-off set him up for a great chance but he blazed over - something striker Jorgensen also did from close range as a Danish goal looked increasingly likely.

The wide men also came close with two efforts inside three minutes halfway through the first period, with Poulsen just failing to connect with a Christian Eriksen cross before a good passing move played Braithwaite in but his shot was well blocked by Duffy.

Spurs star Eriksen on the fringes

Eriksen has been linked with a move to Real Madrid

This was the fifth time these nations have met in the last 19 months, with Friday's Euro 2020 qualifier being the fourth draw during that period.

The only game that didn't end level was the 2018 World Cup playoff in Dublin in November 2017, when Eriksen scored a marvellous hat-trick to send his country through to the finals in Russia.

The Tottenham man suffered Champions League heartbreak last Saturday and was quoted ahead of this match as saying it may be time for a move away from the north London club.

His influence in the Talia Parken Stadium was greater than what he contributed to Tottenham's Champions League defeat, but he was far from his instrumental best.

Randolph had to be alert to get down to save his dipping free-kick in the 11th minute, but the former Ajax midfielder's impact was limited to set-pieces as Poulsen and Braithwaite came inside to threaten from the areas in which Eriksen usually does most of his damage.

In Friday's other Group D match, Georgia defeated Gibraltar 3-0 at home to move above Denmark into third in the table.