SPORTS: Northern Ireland have qualified for the Euro 2016 finals by beating Greece 3-1 on a brilliant night at Windsor Park.

Northern Ireland3

Davis 35′, 58′Magennis 49′

Greece1

Aravidis 86′

FT 90 +4
HT 1-0

Northern Ireland celebrate a goal in their 3-0 win over Greece

By Lyle JacksonBBC Sport

Northern Ireland have qualified for the Euro 2016 finals by beating Greece 3-1 on a brilliant night at Windsor Park.

Two goals by skipper Steven Davis and one by stand-in striker Josh Magennis sent them through to a major tournament for the first time in 30 years.

Davis forced in a first-half goal, and then headers by Magennis and Davis ensured Northern Ireland were going to their first European finals.

Christos Aravidis got a late goal for Greece but it did not spoil the party.

With Romania drawing 1-1 at home to Finland, Northern Ireland will top Group F if they get a point in Finland on Sunday in their final qualifier.

Celebrations at reaching their first continental finals will carry on into the night in Belfast

On new ground

Captain Davis was one year old and Kilmarnock player Magennis not even born the last time Northern Ireland competed at a major finals - the 1986 World Cup when Billy Bingham was manager and the team included Pat Jennings, Mal Donaghy and Norman Whiteside.

Northern Ireland fans had endured 14 unsuccessful qualifying campaigns since then, but those repeated disappointments made Thursday night's celebrations all the sweeter.

Southampton midfielder Davis stretched to score his first goal in 13 games for his country after Stuart Dallas had delivered the ball low from the right.

Magennis netted a looping header from an Oliver Norwood corner on 49 minutes and nine minutes later Davis made it three with a well-placed header.

Magennis - keeper turned striker

It was a first international goal for 25-year-old Magennis, who played for Northern Ireland as a goalkeeper at Under-17 level.

When his club Cardiff City told the teenager from Bangor, County Down, he would not make it as a keeper, he was offered the chance to become a striker.

Goalscorer Josh Magennis was making his first international start

It was an opportunity he grabbed and has gone on to make a career in the Scottish Premiership.

The suspension of Kyle Lafferty, who had scored seven goals in this qualifying campaign, handed Magennis his chance to shine on the international stage and he celebrated his goal at Windsor Park by running into the arms of manager Michael O'Neill on the touchline.

Man of the match - Davis at the double

It was a case of captain fantastic as Steven Davis scored in both halves.

The midfielder netted for the first time in 13 Northern Ireland games when he opened the scoring 10 minutes before half-time. He later made it 3-0 with a well-placed header to cap a memorable night.

Before Thursday, Davis had not scored an international goal since 15 October 2013 against Israel in a World Cup qualifier

Long wait ends

After the final whistle, the supporters known as the Green and White Army refused to leave the ground, singing in celebration as the realisation that so many years of hurt were over, began to sink in.

They were rewarded with an encore as their players came back out for a lap of honour.

Predictably, manager O'Neill got a special ovation as he was joined on the pitch by his two daughters and also lifted up by this players.

O'Neill's side have won six of their nine qualifiers so far

Beating all the odds

Few would have given Northern Ireland much hope of reaching the expanded Euro finals, coming after a dismal qualifying campaign for the 2014 World Cup in which O'Neill's men lost to Luxembourg and could not beat Azerbaijan.

Even going into Thursday's match, there were doubts as Northern Ireland were without four key players in suspended Lafferty, Chris Baird and Conor McLaughlin and injured Jonny Evans.

But it all went right on the night at the partly-rebuilt Windsor Park, and O'Neill's men are top on 20 points and have scored most goals in the group.

Now 12 December has been put in the diary as that is when the draw for next year's finals takes place in Paris.

What the boss said:

Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill: "Tonight we were without four of our top players and yet we can come and win the game and win the game so well in such a tense occasion.

"We look forward to the draw now, it gives everyone something to look forward to. The preparations for France start now.

"We have to enjoy tonight, we have got a three-point gap now. Our objective was to qualify and we've done that. It is a lovely position to be in going into the last game."

How Northern Ireland reached Euro 2016
7 September 2014 - Hungary 1-2 Northern Ireland	McGinn, Lafferty (scorers)
11 October 2014 - Northern Ireland 2-0 Faroe Islands	McAuley, Lafferty
14 October 2014 - Greece 0-2 Northern Ireland	Ward, Lafferty
14 November 2014 - Romania 2-0 Northern Ireland
29 March 2015 - Northern Ireland 2-1 Finland	Lafferty 2
13 June 2015 - Northern Ireland 0-0 Romania
4 September 2015 - Faroe Islands 1-3 Northern Ireland	McAuley 2, Lafferty
7 September 2015 - Northern Ireland 1-1 Hungary	Lafferty
8 October 2015 - Northern Ireland 3-1 Greece	Davis 2, Magennis
11 October 2015 - Finland v Northern Ireland

LINEUP, BOOKINGS (0) & SUBSTITUTIONS (6)

Northern Ireland

01 McGovern
17 McNair (McCullough - 85' )
04 McAuley
20 Cathcart
11 Brunt
08 Davis
19 Ward (McGinn - 81' )
13 Evans
16 Norwood
14 Dallas
21 Magennis (Boyce - 78' )

Substitutes

02 Hodson
03 Ferguson
05 McCullough
06 Reeves
07 McGinn
09 Grigg
10 Mckay
12 Carroll
15 McCourt
18 McArdle
22 Boyce
23 Mannus

Greece

01 Karnezis
15 Torosidis
19 Papastathopoulos
05 Moras
20 Holebas
22 Samaris
06 Tziolis
16 Karelis (Mantalos - 65' )
08 Kone (Pelkas - 71' )
21 Aravidis
09 Mitroglou (Athanasiadis - 76' )

Substitutes

02 Kitsiou
03 Stafylidis
07 Pelkas
10 Fortounis
11 Vyntra
12 Kapino
13 Vellidis
14 Tzanetopoulos
17 Tachtsidis
18 Mantalos
23 Athanasiadis

Ref: Bas Nijhuis

MATCH STATS

Possession67%33%90minsNorthern IrelandGreece

Shots

198

On target

Corners

103

Fouls

911

Live Text Commentary

Full time

Full TimeMatch ends, Northern Ireland 3, Greece 1.

90:00+3:03Full time

Full TimeSecond Half ends, Northern Ireland 3, Greece 1.

90:00+2:15

José Holebas (Greece) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

90:00+2:15

Foul by Steven Davis (Northern Ireland).

90:00+0:01

Christos Aravidis (Greece) wins a free kick in the attacking half.

90:00+0:01

Foul by Niall McGinn (Northern Ireland).

88:14

Foul by Christos Aravidis (Greece).

88:14

Niall McGinn (Northern Ireland) wins a free kick on the right wing.

86:59

Vangelis Moras (Greece) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

86:59

Foul by Liam Boyce (Northern Ireland).

85:55Goal scored

Goal!Goal! Northern Ireland 3, Greece 1. Christos Aravidis (Greece) left footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Vasilis Torosidis.

84:33Substitution

SubstitutionSubstitution, Northern Ireland. Luke McCullough replaces Patrick McNair.

81:34

Attempt missed. Stefanos Athanasiadis (Greece) right footed shot from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by José Holebas with a cross.

80:41Substitution

SubstitutionSubstitution, Northern Ireland. Niall McGinn replaces Jamie Ward.