Wales manager Chris Coleman says both Ireland and Wales' players contributed equally to a feisty encounter at the Aviva Stadium.
The issue of physicality during Ireland and Wales' 0-0 World Cup qualifier draw was put to the Welsh boss in the post-match press conference.
The night was marred by a broken leg suffered by Ireland captain Seamus Coleman after a poor challenge from Neil Taylor, which resulted in the Wales defender's sending off in the second half.
In a niggly encounter, there were a few flashpoints during the 90 minutes and Coleman shifted the focus to Ireland when asked whether he felt his star player Gareth Bale should have seen a red card.
"In your view, do you think one or two of yours were lucky to stay on the pitch? Because it was a little bit of both I think. I thought your boys aren't coming off there with halos on their heads," Coleman responded.
"It was going on all through the game. I'm not complaining. It was a typical British game of football," he said, adding that he thought both sides committed one or two late challenges.
"I'm not saying anybody should have been sent off. I'm saying there was needle. We expected that."
The Wales manager extended his best wishes for a speedy recovery to Seamus Coleman and defender Taylor.
"Sadly for Seamus, it looks like it's a bad one. Neil Taylor is not that type of player. He's had a serious injury himself. He's a great boy, he's a cracking lad. I've not seen the challenge but I've seen the outcome and it's a bad one for Seamus and that's a shame because that's someone I respect. He's one of the best full backs in the Premier League," said Coleman, adding that Taylor was "devastated" and re-emphasised that the Aston Villa man "wasn't that type of player".
The manager also revealed that Taylor went to the Ireland dressing room after the game to look for Seamus Coleman in order to see him.
This is for all the morons trying to tell me that Bale went for the ball.Cowardly. O'Shea can count his lucky stars. pic.twitter.com/JtPx83cFAq
— Didi Hamann (@DietmarHamann) March 24, 2017
The Wales manager also responded curtly to ex-Liverpool and Germany midfielder Dietmar Hamann's suggestion on Twitter that Bale should have seen red for a challenge, replying, "That's his opinion".
On the result, Coleman also felt the draw was a "good point" for Wales in the end.
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