Given the quality of the performance against Italy - albeit against a team already qualified for the knockout stages who were fielding their second string side - the hope was heading into today's lat-16 game with France was that Martin O'Neill would stick with the same starting XI.
Keep faith with those 11 is exactly what the Ireland manager did, deciding that despite his experience, John O'Shea - the Irish captain throughout qualification and for the opening two games of the finals - would maintain his place on the bench.
In particular, France's second goal exposed a lack of nous in the Irish defence. Shane Duffy was drawn unnecessarily towards Olivier Giroud who already covered by Richard Keogh. Once the Arsenal forward knocked down the ball, with Duffy out of position, a bountiful quantity of space and time opened up for Antoine Griezmann in front of goal. He made no mistake to give France the lead.
Post-match, Eamon Dunphy lamented the lack of experience in the Irish defence. Had John O'Shea been in situ rather than Duffy or Keogh, the second goal would not have been scored.
They were always going to respond in the first 15 minutes of the second half. It's the basic thing you learn - at any level of the game - if you're one-up, except them to come at you in the second half. You've got to repel the first wave of aggression from the team chasing the game. We didn't do that, unfortunately. They the goal in that period.
You have to give everyone involved credit for moments of magic - against Italy and in the first half today I thought we played superbly.
In the end - a colder analysis - I think John O'Shea should never have been left out of the team. He marshals our defence, he has massive experience. He's a great pro. I think the winning goal - when we analyse it - will show in the inexperience of Duffy and Keogh, it was a horrendous goal to give away - at that time, at any time.
On Twitter, many fans felt it necessary to point out that O'Shea was one of those who started Ireland's hammering against Belgium.
#RTEsoccer Mr Dunphy seems to forget that John O'Shea was marshalling our defending against Belgium
— Alan J Cooke (@AlanJCooke1) June 26, 2016
Dunphy talking up O Shea like he would have single handedly kept a clean sheet. His experience didn't count for much vs Belgium? #IREvFRA
— Stephen Brosnan (@s_brosnan88) June 26, 2016
Dunphy had something of a point about O'Shea, but he's killed it himself by speaking of him as though he's Giorgio Chiellini.
— Conor Clancy (@ConJClancy) June 26, 2016
