Wayne Hennessy
Looked ever so-slightly shaky under the high ball from time to time, although given the amount of crosses he had to deal with, precious little came off them.
Rating 6
Chris Gunter
Got forward plenty in the first half and kept probing even when there was no way through. Came under huge pressure from McGeady late on.
Rating 5
Ashley Williams
His kind of game. Ploughed through Walters early on (in fairness, it was Walters’s kind of game too) and let nothing past any time Ireland tried to make inroads through the middle.
Rating 6
James Chester
Quite adventurous bringing the ball out of defence at times and the higher he played, the better Wales were able to make space out wide. A little panicked when Ireland brought late pressure but did well overall.
Rating 6
Ben Davies
Another Welsh defender who was always assured on the ball and generally unhurried in defence.
Rating 5
Neil Taylor
Bought himself a lifetime’s disgrace in these parts with his tackle on Coleman. Was apparently in tears afterwards but it was a shocking tackle and he deserves a long ban.
Rating 1
Joe Allen
The best Welsh performer on show. Always looked for the ball in midfield, almost always did the right thing with it. Got in a scrap with Stoke teammate Glenn Whelan and probably came off the best of it.
Rating 7
Joe Ledley
Shored up the middle and essentially cancelled Hendrick out for most of the game. Did the donkey work that allowed Bale, Ramsey and Allen to try to pick passes. No more, no less.
Rating 6
Aaron Ramsey
Sparkled early in the game but faded the more it became clear that his twinkly elegance wasn’t what the night required. Completely faded from view in the second half.
Rating 4
Gareth Bale
Always the danger man but Ireland were generally able to keep him to potshots. True, a couple of them came damn close - the one late on especially. But equally, he could have been red carded. A mixed night.
Rating 6
Hal Robson-Kanu
Thoroughly ineffectual. Not unlike Long, it was a thankless night with every ball coming down snow-covered on him. But he was gone by half-time.
Rating 3
Sam Vokes (substitute)
Didn’t improve a whole pile on what Robson-Kanu had offered. His runs carried a bit more imagination and so he got more ball to feet. Did precious little with it though.
Rating 4
Chris Coleman (manager)
In games like this, Wales are fairly one-dimensional. True, that one dimension plays for Real Madrid but Coleman rarely shows much interest in a Plan B and it was clear from early on that if Bale didn’t score a long-range shot, Wales wouldn’t score. Coleman will need more than this over the rest of the group or there will be no World Cup.
