Republic of Ireland Timeline

November 18th:France captain Thierry Henry handles the ball twice in the Republic of Ireland's penalty area before crossing for William Gallas to head home the extra-time equaliser, securing a 1-1 second-leg draw and a 2-1 aggregate win for Les Bleus in their World Cup play-off.

Republic boss Giovanni Trapattoni said his team would rather have exited on penalties, while Kevin Doyle blamed the linesman.

Henry, speaking after the game, said: “It was a handball, but I’m not the ref.”

November 19th

Republic captain Robbie Keane says the heads of Fifa and Uefa, Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini, would be “clapping hands...probably texting each other, delighted with the result”.

Assistant boss Liam Brady says his side would be happy to contest a replay in Paris, with left-back Kevin Kilbane also calling for a third match between the sides.

Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet apologise to the Republic, calling on Swedish referee Martin Hansson and his officials to miss the World Cup.

Trapattoni concedes a replay is “impossible” but asks Fifa to explain how they come to their decisions of match officials.

The FAI apparently contradict Trapattoni and ask Fifa to arrange a replay via a media conference with chief executive John Delaney. Delaney also suggests the French Football Federation request a replay.

The controversy reaches political level with Republic of Ireland justice minister Dermot Ahern joining calls for a replay and Taoiseach Brian Cowen says he will raise the issue with French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

November 20th

David Beckham defends Henry, describing the incident as an accident, but Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn describes it as “the biggest injustice I have ever seen in sport”.

French sports teachers’ union SNEP-FSU publicly condemn Henry’s handball as an act of “indisputable cheating”.

Fifa rule that the World Cup play-off between the Republic of Ireland and France cannot be replayed.

Henry says a replay “would be the fairest solution”, leading the FAI to further canvass Fifa for a new fixture.

Former Republic captain Roy Keane derides the FAI’s attempts to secure a replay as “the same old story”.

November 21st

Delaney reluctantly accepts the new attempt to have Henry’s comments taken into account has failed, seemingly blaming the FFF for not echoing their captain’s comments.

November 23rd

Fifa president Sepp Blatter calls an extraordinary meeting of the world governing body’s executive committee, partly in response to the incident.

November 30th

Sepp Blatter claims the FAI requested Fifa to allow them to be the 33rd team as an extra to the qualified teams at the World Cup.

The FAI confirm they attended a meeting with Blatter where the possibility of being the 33rd team was discussed.

December 1st

Liam Brady branded Fifa president Sepp Blatter a “loose cannon” over his handling of the Republic of Ireland’s bid to become the 33rd team at the World Cup finals

Fifa secretary general Jerome Valcke confirms the Republic of Ireland will not be given a place at next year’s World Cup

December 2nd

The FAI withdraw their request to be included as a 33rd team in South Africa, which was to be considered by an emergency meeting of the Fifa executive committee in Cape Town

Blatter apologised to the Republic for earlier comments which dismissed their hopes of being granted an additional place at the World Cup finals. He said: “I would like to express my regrets to a wrong interpretation of what I said and to the FAI I’m sorry about the headlines going around the world. I have nothing against the Irish, they were very sporting when they came to Fifa.”