IN MAY 2011 there were just 529 fans in Dublin to watch Wales beat Northern Ireland 2-0 in the ill-fated Nations Cup wooden spoon match.

That was Gary Speed’s first win as Wales manager and a little over five years later Welsh football has been through so much that it seems to belong to a far more distant time.

Today, as the sides prepare to do battle for a place in the Euro 2016 quarter-finals, there will be 45,000 fans clad in red and green packed into the Parc des Princes in Paris.

But Chris Coleman and his players would certainly settle for the same result as that Aviva Stadium match and I expect them to go through.

The nation expects after Monday’s magical mauling of Russia to qualify for the knockout stages as Group B winners.

The players showed no nerves and no fear in Toulouse but the key factor today will be how they cope with the different pressure of being favourites.

Coleman’s men have often thrived in the underdog role but they are expected to have too much for a spirited but technically limited Northern Ireland side.

No real conclusions could be drawn from the friendly between the sides in Cardiff in March – a drab affair that ended in a 1-1 draw as Simon Church tucked away a late penalty.

That night the visitors were the better side but Wales were without Gareth Bale and Aaron Ramsey.

And with those two on top form and Joe Allen, Ben Davies and James Chester also excelling there should be only one winner in Paris – as long Wales don’t let the occasion get to them like they did against England.

“We weren't nervous [against Russia],” said Coleman.

“We've not been nervous in any game but the bigger the game, the worse it is if you don't perform.

“That was the message before the last one – don't miss it. Don't miss this occasion, decide how you want it to play out.

“You're not guaranteed to get a result. It's only when we decide what we can do as a team, what we are good at, that can affect the result in a positive way.”

Northern Ireland won’t allow the time and space for Wales’ stars to run at them and pick passes like the Russians did.

They will be defensively organised and look to hit Wales on the counter. It’s unlikely to make for fantastic viewing.

But all Coleman cares about is experiencing that winning feeling again in France.

"I'm never content,” he said. “I don't know if it's a curse or a good thing.

“When a special moment happens I really enjoy it but I'm over it quite quickly.

“I remember it, yes, but I want to chase the next one.

“I'm the same as everyone after what happened [against Russia], brilliant. But I think we need a little bit more of that – and I think we can have a bit more of that.

"I don't think this tournament, wherever we fall, this is not it for this team,” he added.

“They are on their way and they will be here long after I've gone. This is a good bunch and they are capable of achieving things.

“This is the biggest thing they've ever been part of but by no means is it 'Wow, we got there, that was fantastic'. It's going to be 'what do we do after this'.

“Are we going to rest or are we going to go again?

"It's the same with Russia, yes we did that – brilliant. But now what?

“If we get knocked out in the next round, remembering the Russia game won't make them feel any better. It's the next one now and that's what we've got to do."

South Wales Argus: