SHAY GIVEN 7

Confined to mundane housekeeping duties until he was required to make a brave, feetfirst block from Craig Bellamy on the half-hour. Zilch to worry about thereafter aside from Ryan Giggs's late free.

JOHN O'SHEA 6

Nothing to complain about, little to get excited about.

RICHARD DUNNE 6

Best moment in the first half was his recovery to get his body in the way of Giggs's shot in the 16th minute. Worst by a distance was his mugging under the Hogan Stand by Bellamy, a lapse that could well have led to Wales taking the lead.

PAUL McSHANE 6

Junior partner to Dunne in central defence. Lacks the big man's presence. Also lacks his capacity for causing those occasional heart-in-mouth moments. And he didn't have to mark Jan Koller here.

STEVE FINNAN 6

See John O'Shea.

STEPHEN IRELAND 7

A central midfielder initially and confusingly deployed on the right, where he unfurled one cunning cross that led to an opportunity for Robbie Keane, the saviour of San Marino subsequently moved into the middle and soon made his presence felt.

Stayed calm for his goal, rounding Danny Coyne and steering the ball home from a tight angle in a situation where another young player might have rushed his shot or blazed it wide.

JONATHAN DOUGLAS 6

Wouldn't have been everyone's choice but plugged away manfully in midfield. If that was about the height of it, what more did you expect? Andrea Pirlo?

LEE CARSLEY 7

If he doesn't possess a tattoo proclaiming that its wearer does exactly what it says on the tin, he ought to acquire one pronto.

Carried out his usual tidying up of the bits and bobs to quietly important and predictably unshowy effect.

Still, one would love to see him charge forward and have a pop at goal every now and then . . . as he did early in the second half, drawing a save from Coyne.

KEVIN KILBANE 6

Failed to provide anything of note or purpose from the left, though did sneak into the box and get on the end of two crosses to head wide.

ROBBIE KEANE 7

No tiresome pouting or haranguing of the referee, which was refreshing to see, but a Premiership striker is to be expected to at least get his attempts on target; Keane was badly wide with shots in the 13th and 20th minutes.

Atoned handsomely, however, with neatly calibrated assists for Damien Duff's chance in the 36th minute . . . the hosts' first shot on target . . . and Ireland's goal two minutes later. A shame that his second-half yellow card will rule him out of the Slovakia match.

DAMIEN DUFF 8

As ever, Ireland's main if not indeed sole source of inspiration.

Came much more into things as the first half wore on by floating wide and trying to unpick Wales on the flanks. Sharp, hungry, constructive, commanding.

SUBS

KEVIN DOYLE (for Ireland) 7

A surprise omission from the starting line-up, but introduced after 58 minutes to partner Keane in a two-pronged attack, a sensible move by the manager as his team needed to put more pressure on the ball in the Welsh half. Unlucky to hit the woodwork 10 minutes from time.

STEPHEN HUNT (for Douglas) 7

Brought about an instant buzz with his penchant for taking on opponents.

AIDEN McGEADY (for Keane) 7

Not long enough on to be rated

WALES

DANNY COYNE 7
SAMUEL RICKETTS 6
JAMES COLLINS 6
STEVEN EVANS 5
LEWIS NYATANGA 5
GARETH BALE 5
JOSEPH LEDLEY 5
CARL ROBINSON 6
SIMON DAVIES 7
CRAIG BELLAMY 6
RYAN GIGGS 6

SUBS

CARL FLETCHER (for Ledley) 6
DANNY COLLINS (for Bale) 6
JERMAINE EASTER (for Robinson) Not long enough on to be rated