Thursday 23 March 2017 15:58, UK
Stephen Ward says injury-ravaged Republic of Ireland will not be short of confidence in their Sky Live World Cup Qualifying match against Wales on Friday.
A depleted Ireland host the Euro 2016 semi-finalists in Dublin sitting at the top of Group D with 10 points from four games - four more than the visitors from the same number of matches.
Ward is fully aware of the threat posed by Gareth Bale and company after their heroics in France, but says Ireland have their own self-belief, despite the absence of key players through injury.
The Burnley full-back said: "From our point of view, we have taken a lot of confidence. Especially the younger lads and even the experienced lads have grown as players and that has shown in how we have started this campaign.
"Wales obviously finished on a high having got to the semi-finals and sometimes it can be difficult to keep those standards so high because that was an unbelievable achievement from them.
"We can only concentrate on ourselves and how we feel after the Euros. We feel we can go into any game now with the confidence to win."
Injuries to Shane Duffy, Ciaran Clark, Harry Arter, Wes Hoolahan and Daryl Murphy, coupled with a lingering concern over James McCarthy and Robbie Brady's absence through suspension have disrupted Martin O'Neill's plans, although there is no sense of defeatism.
Ward said: "Things can change very quickly in these groups. I think most importantly, we need to approach the game and try to get the three points because it would be massive for us. It would be a nice cushion to have over a good side like them at the halfway point in the group.
"But I don't think that we really concentrate on other teams. We know the rewards if we can win the game and if we do get the three points - which we're going out there to do - we'll put ourselves in a really strong position for the second half of the group.
"I think they [Wales] will probably be disappointed with a couple of the points that they've dropped, but we've got to concentrate on ourselves.
"Gareth Bale is at one of the biggest clubs in the world and is playing well. As a team, we are going to try and nullify him, but it's not going to be easy.
"But he is not the only Welsh player that can hurt us, so we will have to be on our game all around the pitch."
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