Robbie Keane scores hat-trick on record cap appearance
The result kept alive Ireland's hopes of going to Brazil next year as they remained level on points with second placed Austria in Group C, although both sides still trail runaway leaders Germany by five points.
Veteran Robbie Keane celebrated a record 126th Ireland cap by scoring a hat-trick in the 3-0 win over Faroe Islands on Friday.
The Los Angeles Galaxy forward needed just five minutes to get his special day off the mark, firing home an Aiden McGeady's cross.
He wasted a clear chance to grab his second but that came 10 minutes after the break as Seamus Coleman provided the cross this time.
Keane, 32, then slotted home from close range to notch his 59th goal in 126 appearances for his country.
That cap took him past goalkeeper Shay Given's previous record of 125.
The result kept alive Ireland's hopes of going to Brazil next year as they remained level on points with second placed Austria in Group C, although both sides still trail runaway leaders Germany by five points.