SUWON, South Korea -- Spain, who began their World Cup show with the swagger of performers at the top of the bill, had to turn to the youngest man on the stage to stop Ireland from winning a night of penalty drama in the second round on Sunday.

Twenty-one-year-old goalkeeper Iker Casillas, who was expecting to be on the bench at the finals until a freak injury to Santiago Canizares promoted him to the team, saved a penalty in normal time and two in a penalty shootout as Spain reached the quarterfinals by the thickness of his gloves.

Ireland, who made the last eight for the first and only time in 1990 after winning a penalty shootout against Romania, had to taste what it is like to be killed off in football's cruelest final act.

They lost 3-2 on penalties after normal and extra time finished 1-1 in the first shootout of the 2002 tournament.

The Irish, who lost their influential midfielder Roy Keane before the tournament began after he had a bitter row with Coach Mick McCarthy, leave the finals with their heads high after giving the Spanish the fright of their lives.

The plot on a perfect night for soccer in Suwon -- warm and still -- had looked largely uninspired until the 63rd minute.

Then suddenly the emotions of the large Irish contingent in the crowd were stretched by several twists and turns, Reuters reported.

Spain, who had cruised through their first-round matches scoring nine goals, appeared to be heading toward a 1-0 victory thanks to an eighth minute goal from striker Fernando Morientes.

Then Casillas, who made a string of impressive saves to win the European Champions League final last month with Real Madrid, grabbed the limelight, saving a penalty from Ian Harte in the 63rd minute.

Ireland, masters of the last-gasp comeback, drew level in the final minute of normal time when Swedish referee Anders Frisk awarded a penalty after Spanish defender Fernando Hierro pulled the shirt of substitute Niall Quinn in the area.

Striker Robbie Keane, who scored in the dying seconds against Germany in the first round, scored from the spot to send the game into golden-goal extra time.

---------- Spanish Gamble ---------- The Spanish, who had used all their substitutes including a replacement for their striker Raul -- who struck three goals in the first round -- had to play the whole of extra time with 10 men after midfielder David Albelda stayed off after aggravating a groin strain.

The Spanish were clearly playing for penalties.

The gamble just paid off.

Matt Holland, David Connolly and Kevin Kilbane failed with their spot kicks, with Casillas saving two of them, before Gaizka Mendieta stepped up to put Spain into the last eight.

"Saving penalties is all about luck," Casillas said. "We had chances to settle the game in normal time but in the end we had to make it through 30 more minutes with 10 men.

Spain now take on co-hosts South Korea or Italy in the quarterfinals. It was the Italians who put them out of the 1994 finals, the last time they reached the last eight.

McCarthy will leave South Korea proud of his team who have performed magnificently despite the loss of Manchester United's Keane. His namesake Robbie Keane has been Ireland's leading performer here.

"I'm very proud -- we didn't deserve to lose in the end, we deserved to win in normal win. Sickening," McCarthy said. "There are no recriminations, we've had a wonderful, wonderful World Cup."