Jamie Donley scores his first Northern Ireland goal to seal win over Luxembourg

Jamie Donley’s first international goal saw Northern Ireland end their World Cup qualifying Group A campaign with a drab 1-0 win over Luxembourg at a subdued Windsor Park.

Donley, making his first competitive Northern Ireland start, sent Anthony Moris the wrong way from the penalty spot in the 44th minute after Christopher Martins fouled Ciaron Brown in the box, and that was all it took to settle a disappointing game.

Northern Ireland had hoped this would be the night they secured second place in the group, but Friday’s stoppage-time 1-0 defeat to Slovakia left this as a dead-rubber – albeit with a play-off place in March to look forward to anyway thanks to their Nations League group win last year.

Michael O’Neill made six changes, handing Jamie McDonnell his first start, replacing the injured Bailey Peacock-Farrell with Conor Hazard and also bringing in Donley, Brown, Jamal Lewis and Ethan Galbraith, back from suspension.

The manager left out Trai Hume completely and kept Justin Devenny and Josh Magennis on the bench, citing the risk of suspension for the play-off semi-final amid uncertainty over the regulations for those already on a yellow card.

On Sunday the Northern Ireland manager said his request for clarification on the rules had gone unanswered, but the official team-sheet showed there were no players, including those on a yellow, at risk of a ban.

After a minute’s applause in memory of George Best, who died 20 years ago this month, the match kicked off in an atmosphere becoming of a game with nothing riding on it.

Isaac Price hit a volley straight at Moris in the ninth minute before a neat move started by Donley and involving Galbraith and Price ended with Lewis, making his first international appearance in 13