Wales made history by reaching a major women's tournament - Euro 2025 - for the first time as they stunned the Republic of Ireland in Dublin in front of a crowd of 25,832.

After a first half in which Ireland came closest to breaking the deadlock through Denise O’Sullivan’s stunning effort that smashed the upright, Wales took the lead after the break as Hannah Cain converted from the spot after Anna Patten’s handball.

An injury to Jess Fishlock looked like it could derail Wales’ dream, but substitute Carrie Jones scored their second within moments of her introduction after Ireland’s high defensive line was beaten by a brilliant pass by their tormentor-in-chief, Lily Woodham.

Patten’s late header gave Ireland the chance to set-up a grandstand finish and eight minutes of injury time ensured plenty of time for an equaliser.

The hosts pushed and pushed but, after years of misfortune, Wales enjoyed some luck and somehow managed to preserve their advantage.

Rhian Wilkinson’s side can now look forward to taking their place in next summer’s European Championships in Switzerland after securing by far the most significant victory in their history.

Wales captain Angharad James, usually not one for any level of hyperbole, said before the match that this was the biggest game of the Wales players’ lives and with the pressure on, they rode their luck to stun the hosts and secure a win that will live in the all-time annuls of Welsh sporting history.

Wales’ journey from being a nation where women’s football was an afterthrought has been up and down, but belief that they would qualify for a major finals has never diminished and they will now take their place at football’s top table for the first time.

After three near misses in qualification for the past three major tournaments, Wales were bidding to finally get over the line and boss Wilkinson made two changes, including surprisingly leaving out Liverpool’s Ceri Holland, who scored the winning goal in the play-off semi-final.

Both sides were in don’t-lose mode in the first leg of the tie, as a cagey contest drifted to a draw, and it was clear from the early exchanges that a tight and tense affair was an inevitability.

The first effort on goal on 14 minutes saw Fishlock’s volley force Courtney Brosnan into a comfortable save, with Ireland enjoying plenty of possession but struggling to impose themselves in an attacking sense.

However, without striker Elise Hughes Wales were again lacking in an ability to keep the ball in attacking areas and the hosts came within a whisker of leading on 23 minutes as O’Sullivan’s fantastic curling effort hammered against the crossbar with Wales goalkeeper Olivia Clark beaten.

Ireland again came close moments later as Katie McCabe found space to unleash a long-range left-footed effort that fizzed wide of Clark’s far post.

The home side were knocking louder and louder in search of an opener and Julie Russell thought she had found a breakthrough on 30 minutes, but Clark denied her with a brilliant one-handed save.

Brosnan was then called into action at the other end to deny Woodham from a 25-yard free-kick - with Wales also testing Brosnan from the subsequent corner, but she got down brilliantly to turn Rhiannon Roberts’ shot on the turn around the post.

In a contest of small margins Wales were incensed on 38 minutes that referee Marta Huerta de Aza opted not to show a second yellow card to McCabe after she swiped at Rachel Rowe who stayed on her feet.

Ireland came close twice before the interval, but Heather Payne’s effort was saved by Clark and defender Niamh Fahey’s long-range effort was just wide.

There were more good chances created in the opening half than in the opening tie, but Wales had the best opportunity to break the stalemate as Patten handled a Wales set-piece with the penalty awarded after a VAR check.

Cain kept her composure with the spot-kick to send Brosnan the wrong way as Wales regained the lead in the tie.

They might have doubled their advantage on 55 minutes, but Cain was inches away from converting Rowe’s teasing cross.

The Wales goal forced Ireland into a more attacking mode and created spaces for the visitors who broke brilliantly on the hour mark, but James’ shot was saved by Brosnan to keep the hosts in the tie.

Wales’ hopes of maintaining their lead suffered a seismic blow when Fishlock was forced off by injury on 64 minutes, with her emotional walk off the field a huge concern for Wilkinson’s side.

However, within two minutes Wales had doubled their advantage as Ireland got their offside trap all wrong as sub Ffion Morgan nicked the ball and from Woodham’s perfect pass, Fishlock’s replacement Jones kept her composure to find the bottom corner from 20 yards out.

The second goal sucked the life and belief from the hosts for a spell, but just when hope seemed lost they got right back into the contest on 85 minutes when Patten headed home after Roberts blocked her initial effort on the line.

Ireland thought they had levelled when a long throw caused chaos in the Welsh defence, but they scrambled the ball away centimetres from it crossing the line with Clark beaten, before Roberts’ incredible block denied substitute Leanne Kiernan and McCabe’s shot deflected inches over.

Eight minutes of injury time felt like a lifetime for Wales, but they held on to become history-makers and celebrated the win of their lives with their small travelling contingent of supporters in emotional scenes that will live long in the memory.