Republic of Ireland should be proud of Euro 2016 performance, says Clinton Morrison
Monday 27 June 2016 07:25, UK
Republic of Ireland's players and fans should be proud of their performance despite the 2-1 defeat by France in the last 16 of Euro 2016, says Clinton Morrison.
Martin O'Neill's side were 1-0 up half-time, but two goals in four second-half minutes by Antoine Griezmann sent Ireland packing after a tournament to remember.
Morrison, who scored nine goals in 36 appearances for Ireland between 2001 and 2006, says the players should not be devastated with their exit, and insists France played well but were restricted by O'Neill's side.
He told Sky Sports News HQ: "Ireland did ever so well in the first half, and France were pushing and pushing in the second and with the amount of quality they have on the pitch, the goal was coming.
"The Irish players are devastated, but they shouldn't be, every one of them should be proud, they were brilliant.
"It's an unbelievable display to get this far, nobody thought they would get out of the group, so to get this far is an unbelievable achievement. We've done ever so well, to push France this far and push them all the way.
"I think France played well but Ireland worked ever so hard. When you've got players like Griezmann and Payet, who in the second half stepped up and controlled the game, the turning point was the three-minute period in the second half."
Up next for France is a meeting with either England or Iceland in the quarter-final, with the two sides facing off in Nice on Monday evening.
N'Golo Kante and Adil Rami will be suspended for France having picked up bookings in Lyon, and Morrison says both will be missed by Didier Deschamps' side.
He said: "I think it will be England v France. I think it would be a top-quality game, two talented teams going at it. It would be some game, and whoever wins that can go all the way.
"They're already short on centre-halves, and with Rami now suspended I think they go to Eliaquim Mangala, who I don't think had a great season, so I don't know what his confidence is like.
"And obviously Kante, who has been one of the best midfielders around in the last season. They will miss him, and somebody like Yohan Cabaye would have to come in, who doesn't have what Kante has. France will miss them both."
