O'Brien and Hunt quick to refocus on Premiership

What can be said to explain such a performance? It turns out very little. Several players stopped to give sheepish reactions to what had just transpired.

Certain questions were ready for them. Like, why they failed to produce anything resembling a performance that befits a team full of highly-paid English Premiership players? Or maybe they could explain why they can hold their own, at home at least, against top nations like the Germans or Czechs, but struggle to put weaker teams, such as Cyprus, away?

Team captain Robbie Keane declined to comment after the match, leaving Andy Keogh first up.

Reasons for this display? "I don't know. I can't say. It was just one of those nights. We didn't perform like we did Saturday and to be fair to Cyprus they did better than what we were doing. They created chances, we did too, but they took the one to take the lead and we were lucky to claw one back for the draw."

Then he made a bizarre statement that seemed to implicate the Irish public as a reason behind the poor display. "I think everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but it doesn't help when the fans are getting on the team's back. We need the country behind us and trying to be that extra man as the Irish are renowned for, the great support they give."

What about Steve Staunton? "He's disappointed too. He wants to win as much as we want to win. It's a team thing and we are all in it together."

Joey O'Brien seemed to be defending the recent accusations that players don't hurt as much as the regular supporter. "What? So the players have no pride? All footballers are fans. We've pride in our country too. It's an awful feeling. We'll just have to fly back to England and try and do well for our clubs. There is a big match on Saturday so we will have to focus on the Premiership now."

Stephen Hunt was the most forthcoming when it came to accepting personal responsibility for what can be described as the lowest point Irish football has reached in over a generation.

"We haven't done ourselves justice. Individually, I didn't play well. That's the first time I haven't been able to bring my best form to this level. I'm more disappointed for my friends and family. Gutted. For the whole country too.

"I can only speak for myself. It wasn't good but I can't let it get my head down. I've got to get on with it. I've a big game for my club at the weekend and I've got to get things right there."

Reasons? "I don't know. It was a combination of things. Sometimes it just doesn't work out. That's football, isn't it? You don't know but you're honest enough to put your hands up and say could do better. I'll take it on the chin and try to learn from it. It's the only thing you can do, but for me it was disappointing definitely.

"If I don't get my head up quick I'll let my club down at the weekend so I've got to get my head up. I'm strong enough mentally to deal with it, but it's frustrating for the Irish public."

And then they were gone. Back to England. To their Premiership clubs and, as Brian Kerr described recently, the sanctuary of isolation.