Republic of Ireland fans came to this match armed with tennis balls and hope. They threw the former on to the pitch as part of a planned protest but they did not let go of the latter, rather their hope was inflated by their team’s performance. Mick McCarthy’s first match since returning for a second spell in charge of his country yielded three points thanks to a wonderful goal by Conor Hourihane and an uplifting collective display.

True, Darren Randolph had to make two exceptional saves in the second half to preserve Ireland’s lead but the home team’s performance was brighter than any in the recent past. Suddenly the future does not look so bleak.

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In these “good new days”, as McCarthy called them, Ireland are even top of their Euro 2020 qualifying group after two matches. “I’m delighted,” he said. “I thought [the performance] was excellent. We stopped [Georgia] doing what they wanted to do and I thought we played some really good football.” The cheers at the end confirmed that the crowd in Dublin agreed.

The buildup had been dominated by threats of sabotage through tennis balls and promises of a fresh style of football inspired by McCarthy. Both materialised. The protest was in reaction to recent revelations about financial dealings of the Football Association of Ireland and its controversial executive vice-president, John Delaney. Fans made their move in the 33rd minute – the timing chosen in memory of one of Delaney’s more outlandish wheezes, when he tried, in 2010, to persuade Fifa to allow Ireland into the World Cup as a 33rd participant after the country had been eliminated by Thierry Henry’s infamous handball. That brought ridicule on the country, with the whole football world in effect hollering “you cannot be serious”.

And so, right on cue, dozens of tennis balls rained down from the stands. As soon as they were cleared off the pitch, Hourihane served up an ace, albeit in the form of a shot into the net. Advantage Ireland, thanks to the Aston Villa midfielder’s splendid free-kick from 20 yards.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Conor Hourihane (17) curls his free-kick around the Georgia wall to give Ireland the lead. Photograph: Harry Murphy/Sportsfile via Getty Images

The breakthrough brought vindication for McCarthy as well as relief to supporters who had feared the worst when they saw the team sheet. The manager made two alterations to the lineup that began Saturday’s grim victory in Gibraltar, replacing the striker Sean Maguire with Glenn Whelan, a 35-year-old holding midfielder making his first competitive start in two years. In the other change, Robbie Brady replaced Matt Doherty.

Whelan played well in front of the defence – “he was remarkable,” said McCarthy – while David McGoldrick was not marooned as the lone striker but instead supported by a fleet of bold midfielders. McCarthy’s team showed ambition and aggression, plus true cohesion. They were good to watch and effective, to boot.

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Georgia, regular opponents of Ireland in recent years, might not have recognised the men in green. It has been a long time since any opposing manager has praised Ireland’s “extremely high tempo” and “unbelievable football”, as Georgia’s Vladimir Weiss did after this, referencing in particular Ireland’s barnstorming start. Within the first 15 minutes Ireland had shown more zest and thrust than in their previous five matches combined.

Brady went close with a drilled shot from 20 yards. There was some zippy interplay, with McGoldrick’s touch and intelligence bringing a welcome new dimension to Ireland’s attack. You had to wonder why the 31-year-old was winning only his eighth cap.

Ireland seemed infused with new energy. Jeff Hendrick made that point well in the 11th minute when he robustly dispossessed Jaba Kankava in midfield, creating a chance for Hourihane to scamper through on goal. The midfielder let fly from the edge of the area but Giorgi Loria tipped the shot wide. By the 15th minute, when a befuddled Kankava chopped down James McClean, Ireland could almost be described as rampant. But they needed a goal. Hourihane stepped up.

Georgia, technically adroit, threatened sporadically. Randolph had to make a reflex save in the second half to deny Valerian Gvilia.

Despite that reminder of the visitors’ menace, Ireland did not succumb to jitters. They continued to attack with confidence. McGoldrick came close to claiming the goal his performance deserved but was unable to find the net from an acute angle. Kankava tried to darken Ireland’s mood from long range in the closing minutes but Randolph came to the rescue again.