James McClean after tough week: 'It hurts us more than it hurts anyone. We have to live with that'

'We’re the ones responsible and Saturday night, it was a real low, there’s no getting away from that'

Ireland's James McClean after being substituted against Qatar. Picture: INPHO/Laszlo Geczo

James McClean is convinced there are better times ahead for the Republic of Ireland after expressing his hurt over their World Cup misery at the hands of Luxembourg.

Boss Stephen Kenny and his players have found themselves under intense scrutiny since Saturday evening’s shock 1-0 home defeat by Luc Holtz’s men, which ensured their Group A qualifying campaign started with back-to-back defeats following a 3-2 reverse in Serbia three days earlier.