Robbie Brady: Winning goal was an out-of-body experience

In Group E, only a win against Italy in Lille would book the Republic of Ireland a place in the last 16.

As the final whistle rang out in Lille, less than ten minutes after Robbie Brady’s heart-stopping victor, O’Neill and assistant manager Roy Keane embraced in a way that highlighted the emotional rollercoaster of the previous ninety minutes.

The Republic of Ireland will now face hosts France on Sunday in Lyon as one of the four best third-placed finishers.

Two second-place teams from Groups A and C will meet in the first round-of-16 match of Euro 2016 on Saturday when Switzerland takes on Poland in Saint-Etienne, France.

“It was something that we deserved”.

“We have to recover for Spain”, Conte said.

“To have come out of the group we had is quite something”.

Ireland have not played France since the 2010 World Cup play-off which they lost after Thierry Henry handled the ball in the build-up to the decisive goal.

“It was such a blur, I’m trying to even remember it was that much of a blur but I don’t know how I managed”.

“France will be strong favourites and we will need to play as strongly we did tonight on Sunday”. “This is why we play the game”.

One a personal level, Duffy was thrilled to make his first competitive start on what he described as a “special night”.

“After the drubbing we got from Belgium, we responded.it’s going to be party time”.

“There is a insane imbalance in the draw for the second round, but those are the rules and we have to respect them”, Conte said.

“We are capable of raising our game when it matters”.

From the famous singing of the national anthem, to Marco Materazzi’s headed goal from a corner, they filmed themselves acting out the historic moments in an effort to show support for the players hoping to bring another trophy home this summer.

Hoolahan said: “I was thinking when it happened ‘Oh no, what’s going to happen at the end?’ but luckily enough Robbie got the goal”.

“I don’t think we have anything to fear and I think we can go as far as we allow ourselves in this tournament”. But there’s a long way to go before then.

Ireland are unlucky not to be awarded a penalty when James McClean is bundled over by Federico Bernardeschi just before the break.

“We’re playing a very good French team on French soil”.

Ireland’s win in front of a sea of green in the Lille stands came after they were held to a 1-1 draw by Sweden in their opening game and then suffered a comprehensive 3-0 defeat to Belgium.