Jonny Gorman scored the winning goal as Northern Ireland Under-21s defeated their Cypriot counterparts in a 2015 European Championship qualifier at Mourneview Park on Tuesday night.
Leyton Orient midfielder Gorman, a substitute, struck five minutes from time to secure victory.
Gorman's free-kick was helped into his own net by Andreas Christofides.
For Northern Ireland, it was their first victory and first points of the campaign after five successive defeats.
It was the home side's first shot on target of a largely lifeless encounter and they may have even had a second when Gorman drew a good save from Giorgos Loizou in the final stages.
Jim Magilton took charge with Stephen Robinson away with the Under-17s and had reason to be content after his side came back into the dressing-room level.
Ryan Brobbell had an early effort blocked and they were hardly troubled at the other end, with only a wayward effort from Cyprus captain Pieros Sotiriou causing any alarm.
Northern Ireland goalkeeper Conor Brennan kept out the first shot on target on 62 minutes when Kostakis Artymatas finally made him work.
Cyprus, a place above Northern Ireland in Group Nine, with six points, threatened through Sotiriou and Nikos Efthimiou but a draw seemed the most likely result until Gorman's late intervention.
His free-kick was turned in by Christofides to give Northern Ireland just their second goal of the campaign and the three points.
Gorman almost got his name on the scoresheet again soon after, but Loizou made a good save.
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