And with that, I’m off. Bye!
Keith Andrews is really sticking the boot in:
Morale is on the floor. It’s been one of the worst years in living memory. A lot of that is down to Martin.
Martin O’Neill has a chat. He says there were “a lot of positives”, which is looking on the bright side. But the key sentence is in the third paragraph – “We have great spirit, but at the end of the day spirit alone will not take us where we really want to go”.
I felt that we’ve been very, very strong. We want to play with intensity, we want to play high up the field. We robbed Wales early on and probably should have scored. We’re not renowned for scoring an awful lot of goals so we need to take the chances when they come. Grandstand finish at the end, I thought we could have got something. Overall a lot of positives, despite the result.
We’ve given away a free kick and Wales are dangerous. I thought there was a lot of positive play about us tonight. We dealt with the ball better, and some really good performances.
The team have got a great, great spirit. We lack a little bit of technical ability. We have spirit in abundance, but at the end of the day spirit alone will not take us where we really want to go. We need to learn to eke out some chances to score goals. We need to be more creative. I thought Maguire was very mobile, and that augurs well. A couple of lads coming back, serious players for us, and we can go again.
Ryan Giggs talks:
So proud. They dug in, right to the end, and it was a really brilliant second-half performance. First half we were poor, with and without the ball, but second half we made up for that.
[On what most impressed him]
The determination not to give a goal away. Against Spain, we didn’t do the basics. Tonight we did the basics. Determination to win those set-pieces was amazing. And led by the captain. I don’t want to pick out one name, but Ashley Williams was outstanding for 90 minutes. It was a real captain’s performance. He did all the hard stuff, which gave us the platform for those chances at the end.[On Harry Wilson’s free kick]
It’s a special talent to be able to do that. He does it all the time in training. I’ve seen David Beckham over the years. They practice and practice and practice, and Harry Wilson does that. To come here, tough place to come, to perform under pressure they did really well and should be proud of themselves.[On winning without Bale and Ramsey]
It’s not easy when you miss players of that quality, but the players who stepped in did brilliant. Everyone contributed. It’s been a tough week, but this team we showed real character and spirit.
Here’s Paul Doyle’s match report:
With a goal that would have made the absent Gareth Bale proud, Harry Wilson earned Wales a victory that sent them to the top of their Nations League group and condemned the Republic of Ireland to bottom place. Wilson’s beautiful free-kick in the 58th minute lit up an otherwise gruelling spectacle and intensified pressure on the Ireland manager, Martin O’Neill.
More here:
The Irishmen on Sky’s panel are scathing about their team’s performance. They had half-chances, and sent a series of efforts straight at Wayne Hennessey, but other than James McClean’s crosses from the left they have almost no creativity. In central areas there’s nothing there. Keith Andrews is right to point out that their reaction to falling behind was to randomly throw on attackers who proceeded to play as if they had never trained for the possibility of them being on the pitch together.
Ashley Williams say some things:
It feels as good as the 4-1. It was a completely different game. We knew it would be difficult but the boys stood up to it. Great team performance. We could have passed it a little bit better, but we knew it would be more difficult playing away. We knew we would have to stand up to a little bit of physical pressure, and we did that magnificently. We had a young team, but it’s about them getting on the pitch, you never know what they can do until they’re out there and I thought to a man they were brilliant. We knew this was an important fixture if we did want to win the group. It’s what we wanted – a clean sheet, we won the game so we’re happy tonight.
And so does Harry Wilson:
We wanted to come here, pass the ball and try and cause them problems, and second half we did that. It’s always nice to score a free kick but the pleasing thing is it turned out to be the winning goal and we go home with the three points. He’s very confident in all of us. He’s not scarec to put the younger lads out there. I think we deserved the win. We had a fair few chances int he second half. The lads at the back defended well and limited Ireland, and maybe on another day we could have scored a few more.
Wales, by guaranteeing that they won’t finish bottom of group B4, secure a place in Pot 2 for the Euro 2020 draw.
Well that was fun. Eventually.
Updated
Final score: Republic of Ireland 0-1 Wales
90+5 mins: The ball ping-pongs around the area before eventually falling to Arter on its edge, and he hammers a shot wide! And that’s it!
90+5 mins: One last chance. Ireland have a corner. Up comes the keeper …
90+4 mins: Wales should have had a second! They break and have two on one in the Irish half. It’s passes through to Thomas, who never looks confident and produces a tentative finish, saved by Randolph!
90+3 mins: Hendrick takes the corner, which floats into the arms of Hennessey.
90+3 mins: Ireland are playing with a front four now, with more arriving in support when they have the ball. Long’s cross is headed behind for a corner.
90+1 mins: A chance! Long crosses from the right, Duffy flicks on and it falls to McClean, wide of the far post, whose volley flies straight into the arms of Hennessey!
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90+1 mins: There will be at least four minutes of stoppage time. The crowd roars. There’s still hope!
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90 mins: Long’s fantastic chest control allows him to bring down Randolph’s long kick and play the ball through to Hogan, but his cross is comically abysmal. Goal kick.
89 mins: Doherty’s long throw causes a moment of total panic in the Wales defence after Duffy flicks it on, but they eventually hack clear.
87 mins: The night’s final substitution seems Andy King come on for Brooks.
86 mins: Since Gunter’s arrival Wales have gone to a back five, the better to cope with Ireland’s increasingly well-manned attacks.
85 mins: Duffy, facing the wrong way and off balance to boot, thumps a 30-yarder way high of goal.
84 mins: Wales take off their goalscorer, Chris Gunter coming on for Wilson.
83 mins: In an unexpected role reversal, McClean is fouled by Brooks, and Ireland have a decent free kick chance of their own, if a little outside sensible shooting range.
82 mins: McClean’s cross from the left is headed by Maguire to Hogan, finally on in place of Kevin Long, whose own header is straight at Hennessey.
81 mins: Wilson, confidence boosted by his goal, nicely nutmegs a defender on the right, just in front of Wales’s fans, who celebrate the manoeuvre joyfully.
79 mins: Ireland just can’t do anything quite well enough to make a breakthrough. Maguire runs from midfield, ignores a few runs to his left, keeps going until he’s running out of pitch and then throws himself to the floor in the hope of winning a free kick, which he doesn’t get.
78 mins: As Ireland are forced to push forward, Wales make more chances. Roberts thrashes a shot high and wide on the turn from 15 yards.
77 mins: Just before that flurry of excitement Wales brought George Thomas on for Smith.
76 mins: Lawrence runs into the left of the area, cuts across, cuts a bit further across, and then shanks his shot wide.
75 mins: What a miss! Wales cross from the right, a stonking great zinger of a cross, and Chester, three yards out and level with the back post, heads just wide!
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74 mins: Ireland lose the ball with numbers in attack, and Wales suddenly have a three-on-one attack. Lawrence runs into the penalty area and decides to go it alone, but his shot is excellently blocked by Arter, whose error gave Wales the ball in the first place.
73 mins: Ireland are about to make their final roll of the dice, with Scott Hogan coming on. Or at least he will, as soon as he tapes up his socks.
71 mins: McClean’s cross is read by Davies, but his touch is poor. Shane Long comes in to try to snaffle the loose ball, Davies gets a toe to it first, Davies goes down and the referee books him for simulation. I think there was some contact there – certainly not a penalty, but the booking looked a bit harsh.
69 mins: Duffy and Roberts chase a ball bouncing out of play on Wales’s left flank. They go shoulder to shoulder, Roberts throws himself to the ground and Wales have a free kick. Nothing comes of it.
66 mins: Doherty heads the ball back to Hendrick, who takes the ball into the area, jinks past a defender or two and lashes a shot straight at Hennessey.
66 mins: Ireland are committing more numbers to attack. Hendrick has the ball in the area, but his chipped cross is headed clear.
64 mins: The game has settled back into something like its previous pattern. Ireland win a corner, which is cleared. It has at least been blessed with an excellent goal:
💥 PICK THAT ONE OUT! 💥
— Sky Sports Football (@SkyFootball) October 16, 2018
Weeks after his Old Trafford heroics, Harry Wilson has done it again as he hits an absolute rocket for Wales against Ireland! 🤤
Watch @FAIreland v @Cymru live on Sky Sports Football or watch in-game clips here: https://t.co/XsHDz9JoSV pic.twitter.com/SKEDlFLGE2
63 mins: The ball is played through to Shane Long, who runs into the area and chips over Hennessey and the goal. He was about six yards offside, though.
60 mins: Ireland make a second change, taking off Robinson, who was one of their brighter lights in the first half, and bringing on Sean Maguire.
It’s a lovely free-kick from Wilson. Randolph thinks the ball is going to go over the wall and takes a step to his left, only for it to fly high to his right!
GOAL! Republic of Ireland 0-1 Wales (Wilson, 58 mins)
A goal! We’ve had a goal! Someone has scored an actual goal!
Updated
57 mins: Brooks tries to find Roberts but the pass is overhit. Arter slides in to take the ball but unaccountably misses it, and takes out Roberts instead. Wales have a free kick, in a tasty shooting position.
56 mins: Ireland bring on Shane Long, and take off Aiden O’Brien.
55 mins: Long thumps the ball aimlessly long to a Welshman; Davies tries to find Roberts, who is offside.
52 mins: And McClean’s in action again, firing in the cross of the night from the left, hit with pace and dip but too close to Hennessey, who catches.
49 mins: McClean earns the booking that has seemed inevitable for a while, for stopping Harry Wilson’s fine surge through the middle.
46 mins: Peeeep! Wales get the second half under way.
The players are back out, and it’s the same lot that played the first half.
This match is bringing out the inner grump in everyone:
Well that’s 45 mins of my life I’m never getting back !!!!
— Jason Mcateer (@MCATEER4) October 16, 2018
This has not been a good game of football for the neutrals, or I imagine for anyone else. With no one apparently capable of, or confident enough to attempt, a defence-splitting pass or an unexpected run, it has been a tale of easy, risk-free passing with little chance of breaking through two organised and well-staffed defences.
Half time: Republic of Ireland 0-0 Wales
45+2 mins: And that’s it, for now. It’s been forgettable.
45+1 mins: There will be one more minute. Roberts gets the ball on the edge of the area, turns, and lifts the ball gently into Randolph’s hands.
45 mins: Into the last moments of the half. I’m not expecting much stoppage time here – it’s been non-stop action. Well, of sorts.
43 mins: It seems the players have worked out that the game is currently so stalemated that set pieces represent the best chance of a breakthrough, and are starting to fling themselves to the ground the moment they get within vague reach of the penalty area. The referee is yet to give any of them any encouragement, though.
41 mins: A nice Irish move! The ball is worked own the left and then inside, inside again, and to the feet of Callum Robinson, 22 yards out. His low drive is blocked, though.
Best Ireland move since 2003
— Dion Fanning (@dionfanning) October 16, 2018
Updated
37 mins: And another! Ireland win a corner, Shane Duffy wins the header and it flies straight at Hennessey, who catches!
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35 mins: A shot on target! It’s a cross from the right that arrives a bit behind Roberts, and he does well to flick it goalwards. It’s an easy save for Randolph, but it’s goalmouth action of sorts.
33 mins: Ben Davies has the ball, takes a heavy touch which sends it towards Arter, and flings himself at the Irishman in a bid to get it back. He mainly gets Arter, and is booked.
31 mins: The game has totally changed in the last few minutes: now it’s Ireland passing the ball about without getting anywhere.
29 mins: Aaron Ramsey tweeted five minutes before kick-off. He didn’t mention the game, but then I suppose he’s got other things on his mind.
The twins have finally arrived! Two beautiful boys 👶🏼👶🏼 Thank you for the kind messages @_C_Ramsey
— Aaron Ramsey (@aaronramsey) October 16, 2018
28 mins: Lawrence chests down the ball inside the centre circle, and for a moment he has two players ahead of him running free of defenders, and could have split Ireland wide open with a fairly simple pass. He doesn’t see it, and the moment passes.
25 mins: Davies and Wilson play a smart one-two on the edge of the area. Matt Doherty tries to pull Davies back, and in hindsight he should have gone down and accepted the free kick, but instead he gets to the byline and pulls the ball back, and it’s cut out and cleared.
23 mins: McClean in particular is doing an excellent job on Brooks. The Bournemouth winger just attempted what I believe was his first forward pass, and McClean cut it out.
21 mins: Ireland’s defensive shape is excellent, and all Wales have been able to do so far is move the ball down one flank, fail to find any kind of space, give up there, play it back, work it to the other side, fail to find any kind of space, give up there and repeat.
18 mins: Wales have had 60% of possession so far, but 0% of the genuine attacking intent.
16 mins: Now the referee does have his card out, and it’s Kevin Long who gets shown it. The referee precedes the card by pointing here and there around the pitch, as if Long is being punished because of all the fouls other people have done.
14 mins: McClean throws out a foot to trip Brooks, but avoids a booking.
Updated
13 mins: And now defensive near-calamity at the other end! Duffy tries to clear but the ball hits Lawrence, who looks set to run into the penalty area only for the referee to spot a handball and blow his whistle.
12 mins: Hendrick fouls Allen in midfield, and then Christie arrives to kick the loose ball into the prone Welshman.
9 mins: What a chance! Wales have the ball for a while but fine pressing from the home side pushes them all the way back to Hennessey. He passes to Chester on the right, who in turn taps inside to Smith – but he slips, Christie nicks the ball and with the goalie out of position he tries to sidefoot it into the far corner! Sadly his effort is slow enough for Hennessey to get across and palm it away.
Updated
8 mins: A decent period of play for Ireland. McClean’s low cross from the left is thumped behind by Allen, for an Ireland corner.
6 mins: McClean tackles Allen and then Brooks on the left touchline, leaving the latter on the floor and the crowd roaring.
4 mins: Wales win an early corner, from which Lawrence curls a cross out of play.
3 mins: After al the pre-match hype David Brooks’ first touch inevitably ends with a horrible pass straight to an opponent.
2 mins: The referee, by the way, is the ultra-experienced Dutchman Björn Kuipers, who has blown his whistle at the last two World Cups.
1 min: Peeeeeeep! The home side get the game started.
The anthems have been sung, hands have been shaken, and the players are currently engaged in morale-boosting pre-match huddles. Moments to go now …
And out they come!
The players are in the tunnel! Well, the Welsh ones are.
Ryan Giggs talks!
I’ve told them to go out first and foremost to enjoy themselves. I’ve picked them for a reason. It’ll be a big test for us. We’d always wanted just to try a back three or a five against Spain for future reference. It was a friendly so we were able to do that. We were always going to play with a four tonight.
And so does Martin O’Neill!
Callum Robinson will play off Aiden O’Brien, and O’Brien did well in the friendly against Poland. Shane Long’s just not completely right at the moment, but he may play off the bench. I want them to be positive, to be confident on the ball. Show the crowd you can play, take the game by the scruff of the neck. Go, in possession of the ball, go and be comfortable. Actually go and enjoy it.
On Sky they’re talking up David Brooks. I’ve seen his last two games, for Bournemouth against Watford and as a substitute for Wales against Scotland, and he’s looked extremely tasty.
There are touts trying to sell tickets outside the Aviva which is a whole new level of optimism
— Dion Fanning (@dionfanning) October 16, 2018
This is not an encouraging statistic:
Wales' record without either Gareth Bale or Aaron Ramsey starting since Ramsey's debut in 2008:
— Sky Sports Statto (@SkySportsStatto) October 16, 2018
Games 11
Wins 1*
Draws 3
Defeats 7
*only win against Luxembourg in Aug 2010#ROIWAL @FAWales pic.twitter.com/DypgCmffXK
The atmosphere is building in Dublin. These three are all on the bench for Ireland, but you can just see the excitement in their faces. Er, you might have to look quite closely.
The teams are in! And here they are:
BREAKING: Two changes for Ireland as Callum Robinson and Aiden O'Brien replace Shane Long and Callum O'Dowda! #COYBIG #IRLWAL pic.twitter.com/KcCYic9w2d
— FAIreland ⚽️🇮🇪 (@FAIreland) October 16, 2018
🏴🏟🇮🇪 #IRLWAL
— Wales 🏴 (@Cymru) October 16, 2018
What do you think of the #Wales line-up?
Send us your messages of support ahead of the game! #TogetherStronger #TheRedWall pic.twitter.com/viMIg5ejGJ
Republic of Ireland made two changes for the Nations League tie against Wales in Dublin. Callum Robinson and Aiden O’Brien replaced Callum O’Dowda and Shane Long from the goalless draw with Denmark, while Ryan Giggs also named a much-changed after the 4-1 friendly defeat to Spain.
Wales were without Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey for the first time in a competitive fixture since the latter made his debut in 2008, and James Chester, Matthew Smith, David Brooks, Tom Lawrence and Tyler Roberts all came in to a side showing five changes.
Hello world!
It’s very close to crunch time in Nations League Group B4. The Republic of Ireland are bottom with one point from two games and if they lose today will be in a very troubling pickle, needing Denmark (who have four points) to lose in Wales (who have three) next month and then to beat them themselves in Denmark three days later. Of course a win would change the picture completely, but anything but victory will leave them in considerable trouble. Wales, meanwhile, know a win would guarantee that they are not relegated, with the opportunity against the Danes to seal promotion and simultaneously maximise their chances of snaffling a slot, should they need one, in the four-team Euro 2020 bonus qualifying play-off round.
In Cardiff last month Wales cantered to a 4-1 win, with both Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey on the scoresheet. Neither is available tonight, with Bale suffering from “a bit of fatigue” and Ramsey at home with his wife, Colleen, who gave birth to twins at the weekend. Ethan Ampadu, who was man of the match that day, is also injured. “It’s happened in the past and it’s going to happen in the future, when we have to cope without our best players,” says Ryan Giggs. “I’m looking forward to seeing how the young players cope because it will be a challenge.”
In the last 12 months Ireland have beaten just one team, the USA (thanks to a stoppage-time winner), drawn their last two matches against Poland and Denmark and another one against Denmark last November, and lost to Denmark (they do play Denmark a lot), Turkey, France and Wales by an aggregate score of 12-2. After their stalemate against the Danes on Saturday the Danish midfielder Thomas Delaney described Ireland’s tactics as “primitive”. The Aviva Stadium had – even if you believe the widely-disputed official attendance – 10,000 empty seats for that game, and it seems that many are sick of it. So here’s a pertinent song:
And here’s Paul Doyle’s match preview:
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