Republic of Ireland: Randolph 5, Coleman 6, O’Shea 6, Keogh 6, Ward 7, Whelan 7, Hendrick 8, Walters 6, Brady 7, McClean 6, Long 6.
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Northern Ireland boss Michael O’Neill praised Fleetwood full-back Conor McLaughlin for his performance in the goalless World Cup qualifier in the Czech Republic.
Serbia turned the game around thanks to goals from Filip Kostic (62nd min) and Dusan Tadic (68th min pen), but Daryl Murphy scored in the 81st minute to make it 2-2.
Tadic drove the spot-kick down the middle into the roof of the net in the 69th minute and Pavlovic could have netted a third, blasting his shot against the bar after Ireland keeper Darren Randolph spilled a tame Tadic effort.
Elsewhere in Group D on Monday night, Wales take on Moldova in Cardiff and Georgia are at home to Austria.
“We would have taken a point at the start of the game and we could have taken all three”.
They got their reward in the 62nd minute, as the ball fell to an unmarked Kostic eight yards from goal after decent work in the box from Tadic, and the Hamburg winger made no mistake in slamming the ball home.
The match between Serbia and Republic of Ireland has passed a late pitch inspection after persistent rain put the match in doubt.
Kostic was at the centre of the 68th-minute penalty award as he burst into the area and went down as if he’d been clipped by Jon Walters.
He then underlined his commitment to the Republic, though his new contract has yet to be signed nearly three months after an agreement was announced.
Yet it was the rumours linking O’Neill with the vacant job at Premier League side Hull that was the focus of attention after the game, as he was quizzed by Sky Sports. “In fact, we have shaken hands on the deal quite some time ago”.
After the break, it took some time for either side to threaten again in front of goal, but Serbia remained the more unsafe outfit going forward.
“They had a couple of chances in the second half which they would definitely have expected to score from – maybe we were let off the hook”, Davis said. “And in a month’s time, if they are fit for global matches, having played some club games, I think that maybe could be of benefit to us”.
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City’s Wes Hoolahan was an unused substitute for the visitors.
