Given, O'Shea, Dunne, St. Ledger, Kilbane,Lawrence, Andrews, Whelan (Rowlands 70),McGeady (Stephen Hunt 78), Keane, Doyle (Best 66).
Substitute Alberto Gilardino snatched a 2-2 draw with a 90th-minute strike just three minutes after Sean St Ledger thought he had blown the race for automatic qualification from Group Eight wide open.
St Ledger's 87th-minute goal, his first for his country, looked to have closed the gap to the leaders to a single point going into the final round of matches on Wednesday.
However, Gilardino's face-saver booked Italy's ticket to South Africa, and while the draw secured a play-off spot for Trapattoni's men, they came agonisingly close to giving themselves a chance of snatching top spot.
Glenn Whelan had fired the home side ahead after just eight minutes as a bumper crowd at Croke Park dared to believe.
Mauro Camoranesi's 26th-minute equaliser sent the Italians in level at the break, but there were few sings of the drama which was to follow at the death.