Wales won the battle of the home nations on Saturday at Euro 2016 with a 1-0 triumph over Northern Ireland, but only because of a second-half own goal from defender Gareth McAuley.

Chris Coleman's side have made history in France by grabbing a place in the quarter-finals of the European Championships for the first time in the nation's history.

It was a cagey start between the two sides, with neither causing too much of a threat when on the front foot in the first half, but Michael O'Neill would have been the happier manager from a tactical standpoint after the opening exchanges.

In the second minute, Gareth Bale came close to latching on to the end of the ball that was lifted over the top of the defence, but defender Jonny Evans cleared, and that became the theme of the first half.

Northern Ireland forced the first save of the game when Stuart Dallas unleashed a shot from the corner of the box, but Wayne Hennessey managed to get across his goal to prevent it from nestling into the right corner.

Wales, who had nine shots on target in the first half against Russia but none in the first 45 minutes against their British opponents, were not given any time on the ball in the early stages of the game as they were constantly closed down by Northern Ireland.

Aaron Ramsey was involved in a handful of opportunities, one of which ended with him in the box when Bale whipped in a cross, but the Arsenal midfielder's attempt of a flick came to nothing as he failed to connect with the ball.

Wales had the ball in the back of the net in the 19th minute when Neil Taylor's cross from the left found Sam Vokes in the 18-yard box.

The Burnley striker rose above his marker to get a header on, and Ramsey was there to poke the ball into the net from six yards out, but the goal was disallowed on account of the midfielder being offside.

At the other end, Northern Ireland managed to cause Wales some trouble, particularly when Jamie Ward struck from just outside the area, and even though the ball was drifting over the crossbar, Hennessey got fingertips on it to be certain.

O'Neill's side came close to finding the breakthrough when Hughes whipped in the ball from the right, searching for Dallas at the far post, but Chris Gunter spotted the midfielder on his shoulder and managed to head clear.

Bale was kept quiet for the majority of the first half as any time that he got the ball, a swarm of green and white shirts closed him down.

After the break, Northern Ireland raced out of the blocks and Kyle Lafferty showed quick feet by evading two red shirts on his way into the box, but Gunter stopped him in his tracks.

Ireland were on top, but they could have gone a goal down in just two touches of the ball when Ramsey delivered a perfectly-weighted cross to Vokes, who head a clear header from three yards out, but he sent it wide.

The game become much more competitive as the clock ticked down, and Bale came close to scoring from a third free kick when he drew a foul from Oliver Norwood from 25 yards out.

The Real Madrid star only had sights for goal and he managed to get his shot over the wall and on target, but he was denied by the hands of goalkeeper Michael McGovern.

The pace of the game picked up, but both defences frustrated the other, and in one incident James Chester was called on to hold off Lafferty, who tried to swerve into the box from the left-hand side, but the defender managed to nick the ball back.

The cruel moment for Northern Ireland came in the 75th minute when McAuley tapped the ball into his own net to prevent Hal Robson-Kanu from getting a touch.

It was unfortunate for McAuley, but he really had no other option due to Bale's whipped-in ball across the six-yard box.

Ashley Williams suffered a problem with his left arm after colliding with teammate Jonny Williams, but the captain insisted to his manager on the touchline that he was well enough to continue.

The centre-back struggled to move his left arm, so it is not yet known whether his fitness will be in doubt for the final eight.

Northern Ireland pushed forward in a bid to force the contest into extra time, but it was mot to be and their campaign came to an end in Paris.

Wales will face either Belgium or Hungary in the final eight.