The contrast could scarcely have been more stark as Miroslav Blazevic and Mick McCarthy made their separate ways to an ante room to deliver their judgement on the drama that had just been produced in the stadium outside.

Blazevic, who at 63 gives lie to the theory that chain smokers don't normally get to an age of maturity, smiled and winked at some of his friends seated in front of him, like a man who had just backed a 33/1 winner at Fairyhouse.

"I congratulate Croatia on their tremendous faith which held them together even during stoppage time," he said. "It was so rare. Any other team would have become demoralised after missing so many chances".

Then, with the ease which comes easily to most winners, he added - "Ireland fought in their tradition, they had the stronger team. And it's not an accident that the Irish team was first in the group before the game.

"When they play in Dublin they are very strong in their attack. And they can also defend themselves as they did today. But I hope no one will hold it against me when I say that Croatia deserved to win."

Inevitably, the question of those five extra minutes tagged on at the end of the normal period surfaced, with Irish questioners wanting to ascertain his reaction to the referee's decision.

"People ask where the five minutes come from. But I respect the judgement of the referee - I don't even know his name. But I hope my Irish friends will understand me when I say that for us, there wasn't enough time."

Then, in a statement which hinted at the steel behind the avuncular figure, he said - "It didn't matter whether the referee played two minutes extra or five minutes extra, we were always going to win the game."

Predictably, McCarthy saw things in a markedly different way. "I can't remember either physio being on the pitch and when I asked the referee to explain his decision, he told me that three minutes was for time wasting and two for the time involved in making substitutions."

"Whatever, the reasoning, it had a huge influence on the scoreline. When the Croatians saw the guy holding up the notice that five extra minutes would be played, it was like an injection of adrenalin to them - you could almost hear the yahoo shouts. It possibly had an adverse effect on my players."

On the justice of the scoreline, McCarthy said - "I have to admit that we were under pressure from a very good Croatian team but we defended well for 93 or 94 minutes, whatever it was."

"We certainly didn't deserve to get three points out of the game and if there was a deserved winner, it was Croatia. But I still don't think my players deserved to lose a game in those circumstances."

Those seeking a line on the logic which influenced his team selection, were told - "I didn't want to play Yugoslavia and Croatia back to back and I don't believe its possible to play three games in eight days with the intensity and pace of the match against Yugoslavia at Lansdowne Road. And that influenced my thinking.

"When we started out on this programme I would have been happy if someone told me we'd draw with Yugoslavia and Croatia, beat Malta and come out with five points. Now we'll bank six if we beat Malta on Wednesday.

"It's important we have fresh legs and pace in Malta. And I'm asking my players to reproduce their performance against Yugoslavia, all over again on Wednesday."

A Croatian journalist attempted to put McCarthy under pressure about the corner count of 23-3 but the Ireland manager was having none of it."

"Croatia are a good team, and playing at home, of course, they're going to have the bulk of the play. They may have forced 23 corners but tell me, did they score off any of them? As I remember, most of them were good corners but my team defended them magnificently." Referring to the mood in the dressing-room immediately after the game, he said - "We've had a long spiel, talked things out."