FAIL UEFA NATIONS LEAGUE

wicket and the rest of this Nations League should determine that.

Convoluted as it is, this new tournament is important. If Ireland finish first or second in their three-team group, they will be second seeds for the Euros draw which is in Dublin on December 2. Finish bottom, and they will be third seeds.

With ‘home’ games at stake in two years, Ireland need to hit the ground running yet this result suggests they are being held back and a new voice may be needed. Players all week insisted it was a happy camp but this performance screamed the opposite.

All is not right behind the scenes. O’neill is correct; footballers row all the time and bustups are par for the course. But players walking away from international football on the back of rows with coaching staff – Harry Arter this week – aint normal.

Wales executed their master- plan superbly, Ireland’s up-and-at-em approach dissolved within minutes and they were fillited thereafter. Tom Lawrence got the ball rolling in the sixth minute when making a show of Ciaran Clark to beat Darren Randolph.

And Wales were 2-0 up eight minutes later. Bale chested down Ben Davies raking diagonal ball, scampered inside past Clark who had a torrid night and curled a gorgeous ball high into the net.

Callum Robinson on his debut, Cyrus Christie and Callum O’dowda were trying hard for Ireland but with little end product. Wales had it so easy and were out of sight eight minutes before half-time.

Jon Walters dithered in possession when collecting a kick-out and the impressive Ampadu made hay. The 17-year-old bossed midfield until his withdrawal and teed up Aaron Ramsey who made easy work of Stephen Ward to slot home.

Before the hour, Connor Roberts blasted home first time from a Bale ball while Ireland sub Shaun Williams snatched a consolation when dispossessing Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsey outside the box and clipping a finish over Wayne Hennessey.

Wales ought to have bagged a fifth late on but Randolph saved superbly to deny Bale’s replacement Tyler Roberts from 14-yards.

The stats will say this was Ireland’s first competitive away defeat since losing to Poland in 2015, but these are worrying times.

Roberts stunner Ramsey fires in Lawrence hits first goal early

Williams chips a consolation