Gary Connaughton reporting from the Aviva Stadium
At the end of a long club season, it could be expected that the prospect of four UEFA Nations League fixtures may not be the most attractive one for many players. While that may be true in some cases, the Ireland squad seemed enthused by the busy schedule ahead.
They may feel a bit differently now.
Having built plenty of momentum in the nine months or so prior to this international window, it was hoped that the beginning of this tournament would mark the start of a new era for this team. The initial struggles experienced in the Stephen Kenny era had seemingly been left in the past.
Instead, many of the same issues have reared their ugly heads once again.
Ireland are struggling massively in front of goal, while the energy within the side has also been a concern. It would be easy to put this down to the timing of the games at the end of the season, although John Egan believes that is not a factor.
John Egan makes no excuses for Ireland struggles
Speaking to the media after the game, the Sheffield United defender said the team will be looking to bounce back with a better performance against Scotland at the weekend.
It was a disappointing result. I thought we started really well, had them on the back foot, didn’t punish them and I suppose from our point of view it was a sloppy goal to concede.
Overall I thought we played well enough and created a lot of good opportunities. We just couldn’t take them...
Listen it is one game at a time. We have to try and get back into it on Saturday. Obviously it is not the start we wanted but we have to keep going, keep looking at the next game...
That’s football, you get knocked back and it is all about how you respond to it and how you bounce back. We have a changing room in there where everybody wants to bounce back and put it right next Saturday.
Having started the Nations League with the ambition of topping their group, that already looks beyond Ireland.
Despite this, they still have two opportunities in the coming days to reverse this alarming slide. Egan, who said the injury that forced him off in the game will be assessed in the coming days, believes the players in the dressing room are more than up to the task. He feels the last two losses were not down to a lack of effort.
The players always give 100 percent and that’s the least you can expect when you put on an Ireland jersey. I think everybody has given everything, we want to win the game but came out on the wrong end of a tight game...
It’s a lot of games in a short space of time. We want to do well and win games. We have to look at the next game to bounce back.
Ireland will need a much improved performance against Scotland on Saturday if they are to have any chance of getting some points on the board.
If not, the questions that had vanished surrounding Stephen Kenny's suitability for his current role could well pop up again.
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