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O'Neill: Ireland must improve to 'give ourselves any sort of chance'

O'Neill: Ireland must improve to 'give ourselves any sort of chance'

Martin O'Neill is vowing that his Republic of Ireland side will take the game to Wales tonight.

The sides meet in the return fixture in the Nations League, after Ireland were thrashed 4-1 in Cardiff last month.

Ciaran Clark will miss tonight's game through injury, he has been replaced by Blackburn defender Derrick Williams.

Wales arrive in Dublin shorn of the talents of Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey, but O'Neill says regardless of absentees, Ireland will have to improve.

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"We would have to do better all round, deal with players of that calibre better than we did do to give ourselves any sort of chance of getting anything from the game," O'Neill said.

Richard Keogh thinks his team are building a solid base to work from.

The Republic of Ireland defender says their goalless draw with Denmark on Saturday has given them new confidence.

"As a player, as a professional, you don't want to lose any game so if you can't win the game then don't lose it," said Keogh.

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"So from our point of view that's a point on the board now. We know what we have to do in the group. I'm more than confident in this group that we can go out there and put on a good performance and get a positive result."

Meanwhile, Wales manager Ryan Giggs says he is expecting a difficult game.

Giggs says there are no easy games in international football.

"Teams aren't going to just lie down and let you play football so you have to win your individual battles, you have to win your battles as a team," said Giggs.

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"Then you might be able to get out and play and pass the ball around and take players on and excite me, excite the fans."

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