Rep of Ireland keep World Cup qualifying hopes alive with win over Moldova

Daryl Murphy struck twice in the first-half Credit: PA

Martin O'Neill insists the Republic of Ireland will miss Seamus Coleman just as much as Wales will Gareth Bale as the two nations go head-to-head in the hunt for World Cup qualification.

Ireland skipper Coleman has been out of action since suffering a horrendous double leg fracture in a challenge by Neil Taylor when the sides met in Dublin back in March.

In his absence, his team-mates have given themselves a chance of securing one of the top two spots in Group D when the campaign draws to a close in Cardiff on Monday evening with Chris Coleman's side a point better off and the same distance behind leaders Serbia.

However, asked how much of an impact being without Bale through injury could have, O'Neill said: "Wales would naturally miss a player of that calibre, but we've got a world-class player missing ourselves in Seamus Coleman.

"He's been missing and in my mind, he's as big a loss to us as Gareth Bale is to Wales.

"But Gareth Bale is a world-class player and of course, he's a major threat. Him not playing I think helps, but Wales have been able to win matches without him, so I think their mindset is still pretty strong, but so is ours."

Ireland went into Friday night's clash with Moldova at the Aviva Stadium knowing Wales had won 1-0 in Georgia, meaning victory was the only option.

In the event, two first-half goals from Daryl Murphy were enough to secure a 2-0 win with Serbia's 3-2 defeat in Austria throwing the group wide open once again.

O'Neill said: "We are in with a fighting chance. We had to win tonight, we did that, so we go to Cardiff. We go and apply ourselves, really play very strongly and resolutely, and I think we can win the match.

"I felt it was always going to be like this. When we get off to a decent start, the mindset changes a little bit in terms of points.

"But if you had said to me right at the beginning when the group was drawn that we would have to go to Wales and win - and we were down as fourth seeds - I would have taken it, so let's go for it."

O'Neill will be able to call upon Robbie Brady and James McClean in Cardiff after both sat out against the Moldovans through suspension.