It's not the end of the world, but it'll feel like it a bit this morning. There was really nothing between the two sides on the night, Ireland tigerish and strong in the first half but without managing to create any clear-cut chances - a handicap that ultimately made France's night a little more comfortable.

A moment of real quality separated the sides at the end, Thierry Henry's strike, beautifully executed, but France will know that they were slightly fortunate to get more than the draw. Brian Kerr will have to pick his team up now and try to secure second place. That's got to be the focus as there's no point dwelling on the past.

It was a rip-roaring contest from the start; the passion and intensity that we expected was very much evident on both sides. Neither side shirked in the tackle, especially the Irish players, who made it uncomfortable for any French player that dwelled on the ball.

In the first half there was a ferociously high tempo that seemed impossible to sustain, but for those 45 minutes there was plenty of punch and counter-punch. Clinton Morrison epitomised Ireland's determination. He gave Jean Alain Boumsong a very tough time, purely by being physical.

The Newcastle defender didn't know when to drop off Morrison and when to pick him up and conceded several needless fouls because of that uncertainty. The only disappointing aspect of that half was our inability to create any clear-cut chance - Andy Reid's free-kick notwithstanding. And those who questioned Reid's defensive qualities received their answer.

Ireland's front two, Morrison and Robbie Keane, set the defensive tone by mixing up closing the French defenders down and dropping off and letting Wily Sagnol and William Gallas have possession but no outlets, except the sideways pass.

The French midfield were operating within a narrow, confined structure and that meant when they did get on the ball there was no real outlet and they were more often going from touchline to touchline rather than managing to penetrate what must have looked like a green wall before them.

Zinedine Zidane and Henry couldn't get on the ball for much of the half, with the obvious exception of the former's superb free-kick and Henry's couple of early runs. Shay Given made a super save that was a little more comfortable than it looked.

Brian Kerr would have told the team at half-time to keep playing the same way while demanding a little more from Kevin Kilbane in terms of getting forward. He would also have wanted to see Reid and Damien Duff get on the ball a little more going forward.

Roy Keane was an authoritative presence in the first half, breaking up French attacks and, despite mistiming a couple of tackles, making it uncomfortable for the visitors in that sector. His performance over the 90 minutes was immense.

The real danger for Ireland was that they'd drop off their men and allow the French to weave neat patterns facing the Irish goal.

They were given a couple of early reminders of the visitors' class soon after the interval when Ireland were guilty of sloppy passing and diving in recklessly. One upshot of the latter was the three yellow cards Ireland picked up that ensured the players concerned - Morrison, Roy Keane and Reid - will miss the game against Cyprus; the Tottenham man's caution as needless as it was disappointing.

The problem for Ireland after the interval was that, though they continued to close down the French, they were creating very little and that meant the French were getting more possession. In fairness to France, they were as comfortable in the second half as we had been in the first.

We weren't being outplayed in any way, but on a night like this you need your best players to be exactly on top of their game - and Damien Duff and Robbie Keane struggled to get on the ball. As a result it was always going to be difficult for Ireland.

The goal came out of nothing. You could be a little critical about not pressing the ball quickly, but it was a really classy effort by Henry.

If you needed a final reminder of the difference in the depth of the respective squads all you had to do is look at the substitutes that were available to the respective managers.

It was a good hard-working performance from Ireland that was imbued with many qualities, but, on the night, Ireland didn't get that little slice of luck.

It's not the end of the world, but it just makes the next two matches must-win games. It's not beyond them, but it will define this Irish team.