Eoin Sheahan

The first quarter performance from Ireland last night came as a result of maybe the confidence garnered last November.

And from those performances, you'd have to think that there is a bit of momentum gathering with this team now.

Even if Coleman retires, even if John Egan were to depart the international panel, I think the growth in terms of the rest of the players there last night, in terms of the rest of the starting 10 players, for example, I think that's been a net gain since last November.

But that is absolutely zero consolation this morning because that net gain...

I think deserved a place at the 2026 World Cup Finals Owen Shane try to enjoy your day of grief Cheers lads All the best Same to you

Yeah, it's like people put up the today's office on the Monday and they're somewhere unbelievable.

It's like I am literally at the corner.

The player is right beside me.

Today's office and you're sitting on a beach.

So to finish, Republic of Ireland won France 2 in their World Cup qualifier at Thala.

Melvin Millard came off the bench and showed her class.

She scored both goals to win the game for the French.

It was despite a late flurry of opportunities for Ireland, who were desperately in search of an equaliser and probably deserved one.

They were excellent in the first half of each of the halves, I think it's fair to say, particularly in the first half.

Katie McCabe.

was brilliant she scored that opening goal it was an excellent finish there was a flurry of other opportunities for Ireland in those opening 15 minutes and they converted one of them and really once Malara came on in the second half that was only when the French really started to tear Ireland apart so an interesting game and very happy to say that Ciara Grant is with us on the line to discuss Ciara how are you keeping?

Yeah, I really did think the Republic of Ireland deserved a draw from this game.

I don't think it is Irish bias to say that.

I thought they had a decent level of control in the game.

That's not to say they controlled the game, but a decent level of control.