Wales show there’s life without Gareth Bale after Harry Wilson clinches victory in Ireland

Harry Wilson illuminated a slow-burning match in Dublin with a delightful free-kick to earn Wales a 1-0 victory over the Republic of Ireland that opens the door to Nations League promotion.

Exactly three weeks on from his sublime free-kick in Derby County’s Carabao Cup success against Manchester United, the 21-year-old winger served up another sumptuous set-piece, curling in from 22 yards to demonstrate that there is life for Wales without Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey.

For the first time since Ramsey made his international debut in 2008, both were absent for a competitive Wales game – Bale due to muscle fatigue, Ramsey after his partner, Colleen, gave birth to twins over the weekend – yet Ryan Giggs’s men found a way to win regardless.

Both should be back in action by the time Wales conclude their Nations League campaign against Denmark in Cardiff on 16 November, when victory will guarantee promotion to the top tier of European teams regardless of what the Danes do against Ireland three days later.

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Giggs will have to do without Ben Davies, who was booked for a crude first-half foul on Harry Arter, but the thought of losing a key player is unlikely to bring him out in a cold sweat on the evidence of the victory over the Irish.

Ireland have now gone 12 months without winning a competitive game since beating Wales in World Cup qualifying a year ago and with three points separating them from second-place Denmark in the group, demotion beckons.

Martin O’Neill, whose side were thrashed 4-1 in Cardiff last month, had to endure chants of “You’re getting sacked in the morning!” from the Welsh fans in what was a tellingly patchy crowd of 38,321 at the Aviva Stadium.

Giggs said he would not be afraid to entrust young fringe players with the job of replacing his two absent stars and he was true to his word, awarding full debuts to 18-year-old midfielder Matt Smith, who is on loan at FC Twente from Manchester City, and 19-year-old Leeds United striker Tyler Roberts.

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The fearlessness of youth almost proved the visitors’ undoing in the ninth minute when a loose touch from Smith allowed Cyrus Christie to pounce, Wayne Hennessey springing to his left to push the Fulham man’s shot away.

Giggs had warned Wales that they would have to “tough it out” at times and he could be seen angrily gesticulating on the edge of his technical area after James McClean, twice, and Kevin Long took nibbles at David Brooks, with Long booked for his indiscretion.

The visitors had 58 percent of possession in the first half, yet mustered only one attempt at goal, a tame clipped effort by Roberts that gave Darren Randolph no trouble.

Ireland, for whom Callum Robinson impressed in a support striker role, looked a threat from set-pieces, but when Shane Duffy got his head to a Jeff Hendrick corner shortly before half-time, he could only put it straight at Hennessey.

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Faced with the torpor before them, the fans amused themselves. “You’re just a small town in England!” taunted the Ireland supporters. “You’re just a shit Northern Ireland!” came the immediate reply.

When the breakthrough arrived, in the 58th minute, its quality was completely at odds with everything that had come before.

Connor Roberts bought a free-kick just outside the box by flopping over the sliding Arter and Liverpool loanee Wilson left Randolph flatfooted with a left-foot shot that glided over the wall and dipped beneath the bar to the goalkeeper’s right.

Hendrick, McClean and substitute Shane Hogan worked Hennessey as Ireland sought an equaliser, but the visitors came through a late barrage with their lead intact.

PA