Trap staying put but Ireland players heartbroken

Asked immediately after the game if he was considering resigning, a bemused Giovanni Trapattoni replied: “Why? We are not Germany, we are not England, we are Ireland.” And he insisted his team were very much in contention for qualification in Group C.

It was in stark contrast with the reaction of the players though. For 92 minutes, Ireland had brightened the nation up with their best performance since 2011 but there was an unmissable expression of disappointment on the players’ faces at the end of it all as they passed through the mixed zone.

Four points was always going to be considered a job well done from this double-header, and to come so desperately close to achieving that aim was a gut-wrenching blow.