Will the feel-good factor last for Ireland?

It was well past midnight when Ireland’s team bus pulled out of Lille but songs and stories dominated the three-hour journey down the A1 towards the Versailles.

Such was the level of euphoria created by that win over Italy that even staff members stepped forward to join players in delivering a ditty from their repertoire, aware that rare nights like these are to be cherished.

Four days later and Ireland were out of the European Championships, their physical and mental exertions in Lyon ruthlessly exposed by France during a devastating 25-minute spell after half-time.