Northern Ireland produced a solid performance against Wales in a friendly in Cardiff tonight.
The international challenge match at Cardiff City Stadium finished one apiece.
Wales had the first clearcut chance of the game when attacker Lewis Koumas pounced on a loose pass and got a shot off. His deflected strike was pushed away by Northern Ireland keeper Conor Hazard.
A dangerous Isaac Price cross almost found Paddy Kelly and Terry Devlin as they raced towards the back post.
Northern Ireland took the lead on 22 minutes. A Justin Devenny cross found Jamie Donley free inside the area. His initial header hit the post but he was on hand to trap the rebound on his chest and coolly half-volley the ball home.
Four minutes later Trai Hume made a fantastic run towards goal and slipped the ball to Kelly whose low cross was met by Donley, however his flicked shot was comfortably saved by Welsh keeper Karl Darlow.
Then Wales turned the screw. Eoin Toal was in the right place to clear when Joel Colwill’s powerful header was goal-bound. And Devlin had to clear a dangerous Harry Wilson cross at the back post.
Price had an audacious effort on 35 minutes. He was 45 yards out when he spotted Darlow well off his line. He fired in a low shot which the keeper had to push out for a corner.
From the resultant corner Shea Charles almost guided the ball home at the back post.
Just before half-time Wilson scooped a free-kick wide from 30 yards as the Welsh went in search of an equaliser.
Wales equalised a minute after the interval. David Brooks raced forward and fired the ball towards Sorba Thomas, who controlled it with his knee before tuckingit past substitute goalkeeper Pierce Charles.
Charles dived full length to superbly push away a Neco Williams free-kick as Wales upped the tempo.
Just before the hour mark Devlin found Toal inside the area and the defender’s powerful header was superbly pushed out by Darlow.
The game became a bit scrappy as a series of substitutions were made.
On 78 minutes Welsh playmaker Wilson got on the end of a clearance and steered a shot inches past the upright.
A minute later central defender Tom Atcheson was introduced from the bench to make his senior debut for Northern Ireland. And he was soon in the thick of it making a clearance.
Another sub, George Saville, blocked a drive from Brooks as Wales looked for a winner.
Paul Smyth, who entered the fray alongside Atcheson, produced a fine cross in added time which another sub, Callum Marshall, headed over the bar.
It was a solid performance from Michael O’Neill’s side against a team currently 37th in the FIFA Coca-Cola Men’s World Ranking compared to Northern Ireland in 71st.
Wales: Karl Darlow, Jay Dasilva, Neco Williams, Joe Rodon, Ben Cabango, Josh Sheehan, David Brooks, Harry Wilson, Lewis Koumas, Joel Colwill, Sorba Thomas.
Substitutes: (used) Daniel James, Dylan Lawlor, Nathan Broadhead, Ethan Ampadu, Brennan Johnson, Rhys Norrington-Davies; (unused) Danny Ward (GK), Tom King (GK), Liam Cullen, Ronan Kpakio, Rabbi Matondo, Mark Harris, Kai Andrews.
Northern Ireland: Conor Hazard, Terry Devlin, Justin Devenny, Eoin Toal, Trai Hume (captain), Ciaron Brown, Ethan Galbraith, Shea Charles, Jamie Donley, Isaac Price, Patrick Kelly.
Substitutes: (used) Pierce Charles, George Saville, Callum Marshall, Brad Lyons, Jamie Reid, Brodie Spencer, Tom Atcheson, Paul Smyth; (unused) Josh Clarke, Dion Charles, Kieran Morrison, Josh Magennis, Jamie McDonnell.
Action from Cardiff
