Davis provided some breathing space with substitute Niall McGinn speeding down the right flank before cutting back for the Rangers midfielder who struck the ball sweetly from 25 yards, leaving Mikkelsen to pick it out of the net.

By now, and in no small part down to McGinn's injection of energy, Northern Ireland were playing with some swagger.

No one more so than McCourt, who added a wonderful third five minutes later.

Once again he ghosted into the box from the left wing before Evans' deft back-heel allowed him to curl home from close-range.

By now McCourt was tormenting the away defence, beating men at ease and teeing up Healy with a thrilling run only for the striker to mis-kick with the goal at his mercy.

There was expectation in the air every time McCourt picked up the ball now and he had one more glorious trick up his sleeve in the 88th minute.

Once more he turned his marker inside and out before bearing down on goal and producing the most sublime of chips that left Mikkelsen clawing at the air and Windsor Park hailing a new hero.