Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
IRELAND SLAYED BY THE DRAGON
Wales ............. 4 Rep of Ireland ........... 1
MARTIN O’NEILL watched a horror show unfold in Cardiff but insists he is staying for the long haul.
The Boys in Green made a nightmare start to the Nations League campaign as Gareth Bale ran riot in a 4-1 win.
O‘neill and Roy Keane are under pressure to turn results around when Denmark and Wales come to Dublin next month. Not least with the Euro 2020 qualifying starting in March where Ireland must hit the ground running rather than get left behind.
Last night O’neill said: “My enthusiasm for the job has not diminished one jot. There is a long way to go.
“When you are well beaten in the game, confidence takes a hit but we can fight back. We
might have one or two players back from injury for the games in Dublin but we will have to do better. That was a really tough evening.”
Wales were 3-0 up at half-time and O’neill blasted his players to lacking confidence on the ball.
But he denied the bust-ups Roy Keane had with Harry Arter and Jon Walters had rocked the camp behind the scenes.
Instead he pointed to injuries that denied him the services of James Mcclean, Shane Long and Robbie Brady among others.
“We were well beaten in the game and second best for pretty much all of the evening,” he said. “We were missing key players but we still have to do better.
“We have to look at a number of things and try pick out where we made a few mistakes more than a few.
“We allowed far too much room for world class players, particularly Gareth Bale and 2-0 down is a long way back but we will learn from that.
“Bale is capable of unlocking any defence and scoring the type of goal he did. And Wales also have good players to accompany him.
“But I’ve been saying for some time that we have to be more positive on the ball and to deal with it better.
“Don’t start panicking and play the right ball and deal with it under pressure. That’s the sign of a player.
“I think the players need the confidence to deal with the ball. If they’re dealing with the ball, then you have a chance.”
Ireland’s midfield of Jeff Hendrick and Conor Hourihane was all at sea and overrun by 17-year-old Chelsea starlet Ethan Ampadu who ran the show.
For Ireland, Hendrick looks a shadow of the player he was at Euro 2016 while Hourihane failed to seize his chance in Arter’s absence.
But O’neill claims it will be all systems go for the home double-header next month, adding: “We will definitely get up for the games.”
Skipper Seamus Coleman said: “It was a difficult night. I thought we were poor. You have to be brave on the ball.”