We'd call it brave and spirited but let's be honest, we're absolutely sick after that second half performance. We didn't step up like we could have. We have absolutely every reason to be proud of those players for what they put in over the past couple of weeks but the prevailing sense is disappointment.
In rating the players out there, it's impossible to be overly critical or overly pleased. The first half performance of the likes of McCarthy, Duffy and Long can't simply be thrown away as a result of the fact that we were completely overrun in the second half.
With that, and trying to be as balanced as possible, here's how the players rated.
Darren Randolph - 7
A picture of calm and serenity in the first half. The ball seemed stuck to him at times. Some may say that's as a result of wasteful French finishing but we know better than that. The save from Matuidi after 55 minutes was everything that we needed at that moment.
The floodgates opened however and there was nothing he could do for either goal.
Seamus Coleman - 7
A captain's performance in every sense of the phrase. Can't be faulted. With Robbie Keane and, possibly, John O'Shea set to take their leave from the international stage, we can be thankful that we've found a captain ready to step into the breach.
Shane Duffy - 4
Gets a 10 for the first 55 minutes. The ten minutes after that really decimated that rating though. Whatever about the red card, his decision to follow the ball instead of Griezmann in the build up to the second goal is impossible to understand. There'll be no laying blame at anyone's door but it was a decision that cost Ireland dearly.
Richard Keogh - 5
Like his partner in defence, we were getting ready for a full 10 rating at half time. Has to take some of the slack from Duffy though for the acres of space that was left open through the centre at times in the second half. Should have been 3-1 after he lost Gignac with five minutes still to go.
Stephen Ward - 6
'We'd be better with Brady at left-back'. An opinion that no longer holds sway. He may not be the most fashionable full back but he does a job. It's difficult to say too much. He came in off the back of a injury and proved that it was the right decision to keep Brady in the middle.
James McCarthy - 7
From being a supposed pariah after his first two performances, McCarthy has really stepped up. As a sole deep lying midfielder, he inevitably gives his best in an Irish jersey. It happened against Germany, it happened against Italy and it may have happened here but there was just simply too much work to go through.
Still deserves an immense amount of credit for the amount of work he got through though.
Jeff Hendrick - 6
We were getting ready to name him the player of the tournament at half time regardless of what UEFA had to say about it. The pace, and quite possibly the dead leg that he suffered in that tangle with Pogba really took their toll. He can absolutely hold his head up high though. An immense tournament from the Derby man.
Robbie Brady - 6
Strikingly similar to his central midfield partner. There's absolutely nothing that you can take away from him but the game simply passed us by in the second half and the Irish midfield have to take some of the blame for that. Like Hendrick, there'll be more than a few Premier League clubs looking to take him away from Norwich this summer.
James McClean - 5
Slightly anonymous at times, it was no surprise to see him withdrawn. It could have all been so different had he been able to pick out Daryl Murphy with Ireland's one glorious opportunity in the second half but it just wasn't to be.
Daryl Murphy - 6
He gave us a superb outlet in the first half but faded badly in the second. The vast majority of that comes down to the fact that we simply couldn't find him because we couldn't get our foot on the ball. Rami and Koscielny did find out how to deal with him though.
Deserves some extra love for that touch though.
The touch that summed up that first half. The ball, like glue to Daryl Murphy's boot. #COYBIGhttps://t.co/2XYQJm0VNK
— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) June 26, 2016
Shane Long - 7
Substitutions:
Wes Hoolahan - 5
Didn't quite offer what we needed from him but that's impossible to hold on to the ball at times with very little support.
John O'Shea - 6
Great tackle on Coman in added time. If it is to be his last game for Ireland, he'll be sorely missed.
Jon Walters - 5
Simply didn't look fit.
