Gavin Cooney reports from Estadio Jose Alvalde, Lisbon

HEIMIR HALLGRIMSSON COULD not hide his pain after his Ireland side fell to a last-gasp 1-0 defeat to Portugal in Lisbon tonight, though said the referee gave Portugal too much respect. 

Caoimhín Kelleher kindled hope of a famous Irish draw by saving Cristiano Ronaldo’s second-half penalty, but Ruben Neves’ header in the first minute of seven minutes stoppage time broke Irish hearts.

“It’s just painful”, sighed Hallgrimsson. “Really painful and heartbreaking result. We coaches try to look at performance, our game plan worked, Team effort, team work was excellent, a lot of energy put into this match. Just being so close and ending up with nothing going back to Ireland is painful.” 

He admitted fatigue played a role in Portugal’s winner, along with Ireland’s limited attacking output.

“Definitely. It was in the end of the first half we saw a similar situation ,once you get tired you give a little more time for the player on the ball and there is so much quality in this Portugal team, they will find the perfect pass and the perfect run. That is what happened. 

“I think the game plan worked, I knew we would get spaces behind them if we did our defensive job properly, and we did. We closed them to the outside, dealt with the crosses, and when we won the ball both Festy and Chieo were explosive on the flanks. But it takes a lot of energy, defending like this for a long time. Sometimes in possession we were too tired to find the best pass, and that’s what we need to improve. That’s the area we should have done better, in possession, we sometimes lost the ball too quickly.” 

While frustrated with the penalty call against Dara O’Shea for handball, Hallgrimsson admitted that the rules precluded the VAR overturning the initial call. 

“I wouldn’t have given it, but the rules are like this, If the referee gives a penalty the VAR has to say it’s the wrong decision. We cannot argue that the ball went to the hand, but the hand was close to the chest. That’s how the rules are, can’t complain about that.

“He gave them too much respect in my opinion: yellow cards, seven minutes extra time. I don’t know why then there wasn’t seven minutes extra time in the first half. I don’t want to find excuses. I am not used to talking about the referee and I am not going to start now.”

Ireland now face Armenia in Dublin on Tuesday in a must-win game.

“We need to leave this game here, all the frustration and pain, we have to leave that in Portugal and focus on recovery for Armenia. 

“Three points at home and we are back in the mix.” 

Portugal boss Roberto Martinez meanwhile praised the Irish performance. 

“First and foremost we expected that performance from Ireland, we realised the game against Armenia wasn’t of the level we expected. We knew it was a game of reaction, of all or nothing, a game to played as a final.

“We were not surprised with the tactical aspect, but we were surprised by the aggression, winning the duels, defending so well, having incredible solidarity for each other. 

“Ferguson showed again he can be a very important striker.

“For us we deserved to win, I am sure it’s frustrating for Ireland to concede so late.

“Kelleher had an amazing game. 

“It made sense for them keeping the clean sheet to play as they did until the end.”