Gavin Cooney

IRELAND BOSS HEIMIR Hallgrimsson admitted his comparatively low-key reaction at full-time to Ireland’s 2-2 draw with Hungary was down to the fact he was disappointed with only a point. 

Ireland played most of the second half against 10 men, scoring in stoppage time to rescue a draw and mitigate the damage of handing Hungary a two-goal start in the first 16 minutes. 

“We all knew how important this game was. To not have three points at home, especially in front of this magnificent crowd, but we should not have only one point. I felt we deserved all three points. But given we conceded the two goals in the beginning, especially the manner with sloppy duels lost. In such an important game, you don’t want that. 

“It was psychologically difficult to be 2-0 down after 15 minutes. But I felt as the first-half went on we grew in the game, at half-time we said we had nothing to lose. In the second half we didn’t give them time and space as we had planned to do from the beginning. But that’s football. Goals will change games. 

“Listen, it’s not easy to come back from 2-0 down at this level, especially against a team like Hungary, who are ranked 30 places above us.I give all the credit to the guys for what they showed in the second half. 

“But not happy with one point, that’s why I didn’t celebrate as much as anyone else. I think we had 40 crosses in the game, we should have done better with all those crosses. There were positives and negatives, but more positives than negatives. We respect the point, one point for us but, more important, not three points for Hungary.” 

Asked about the slow start, the Irish manager said, “It would be great if I could answer that question now. Conceding a goal after two minutes would have had a big effect on the players. A little unlucky but still we lost a duel and didn’t clear the ball. 

“I need to look inside and check what I am doing, if there’s something we are doing that’s not good enough. The manner we conceded was sloppy, we lost a duel and we shouldn’t. We need to talk, but I don’t think conceding in the second minute has much to do with preparation. Against Bulgaria we conceded in the second minute as well, some of the players are definitely not switched on. I don’t know why maybe it’s nerves, maybe it’s because of the importance, maybe it’s because of the past, I don’t know. It can be a lack of luck, too.”

Ireland now head to Armenia for the second game of the group on Tuesday. 

“Always if you don’t win, the recovery takes a little bit longer, and we need to recover quickly. Now the game in Armenia has even more importance than before.

“We’ve started now on recovery. The medical team is working really hard on them and will probably be into the night, then we need to fly in the morning and tomorrow will be a travel day at the same time as Armenia are resting at home, so they will have a day advantage on us.

“But yes, it’s more important than it was before. We said before this campaign four points would be okay. Our goal was six points and we are obviously disappointed not to have three in our bag.”