Republic of Ireland vs Sweden: Martin O'Neill's side create a carnival, though they may not see it that way

The atmosphere created by the Irish supporters was a reminder that an international tournament can be a carnvial

Ireland's colourful support at the Stade de France (Getty)

The pain behind Martin O’Neill’s eyes was there for all to see. The Republic of Ireland had quelled the threat of Zlatan Ibrahimovich so utterly that Sweden did not muster a shot of their own on goal, had needed Ciaran Clark to find the net for them, and his players still did not win the match which has always looked like the ticket out of a formidable group.

Yet for those who were looking for evidence that there is a world beyond the cold horrors of what has unfolded on France's Mediterranean coast with England in the past three days, this was a rich and beautiful late afternoon’s salvation: a carnival, no less. The stands were bathed in green and yellow, with the Swedes such fastidious keepers of their colour that anyone without replica kit must be considered very unusual indeed. There has been an air of mutual respect and humour kept between these such wholly different peoples in the past 48 hours which has served a reminder that this tournament can call itself a festival.

There had been tens of thousands of both nations’ supporters out in Paris on Sunday night. The Irish gave as good as they got with their Abba references for the Scandinavians, who in turn were less than flattering about their opponents’ supporters’ wives. “You’re shit, but your wives are fit,” the Irish gave back, very rarely struggling for an answer.

That there should have been a brand of Irish football to match this air of bonhomie was beyond the hopes of many of those who had arrived from Ireland. They remembered the desultory weeks following Giovanni Trapattoni’s dour side around Poland and Ukraine. Examining the players who warmed up did not help. The Swedes were giants among small men. Wes Hoolahan of Norwich City reached Ibrahimovich’s shoulder when they stood together in the penalty area, after a challenge which the Irishman had won.

Clark and Robbie Brady scrapped around Sweden’s tower of strength from a substantially lower level, too. It was generally not a fine sight for those of a Manchester United disposition, who want to see Ibrahimovic at Old Trafford next season. A shot on the turn with Hoolahan at his shoulder with seven minutes of the first half to run was his best. It spooled away wide.

Since Ibrahimovic towers above his teammates, too, there was no field of Swedish gold to match the terraces and as Ireland began to realise it, they discovered themselves and their rhythm. James McCarthy and Glenn Whelan were kings among men, with their breaking down and pressing, but there was a creative intuition, too. Robbie Brady and Jeff Hendrick have played football together since they were six-year-olds at the St Kevin’s Boys club in Dublin. Perhaps it was not surprising that they found each other down Ireland’s left.

The opening goal – struck by Hoolahan after Seamus Coleman had worked a path to the by-line – was the sweetest half volley and by the time it was despatched the Irish might have had three. Time will tell if John O’Shea’s struggle for balance as he reached for a first half tap-in which seemed within his grasp will cost Ireland dear. Hendrick, a revelation for those less accustomed to players beyond the Premier League, struck the bar. Andreas Isaksson saved smartly. Robbie Brady struck the ball onto the roof of the net from distance

Fatigue told more than all of that. The Irish distance run was vast, James McCarthy and Glenn Whelan integral to the effort. But in Clark’s desperate leap to intercept a cross from the left there was a measure of the strain which was setting in. The deliverer of that cross? Ibrahimovic - doing what was professionally necessary, fastening onto a clever flick with the instep by the former Manchester City fringe player John Guidetti and delivering with pace. It was a glancing blow from which Ireland never looked like recovering to win.

Hoolahan celebrates scoring Ireland's opener (Getty)

The sight of the players down on their haunches at the end revealed that this team knew that an opportunity had been allowed to pass. It is seven years since another such twist of fortune in this stadium – the hand of Thierry Henry, which prevented Ireland reaching the finals of the 2010 World Cup and sent France there in their place. The Belgians await them next, in Toulouse on Sunday, where nothing less than a point will do. The anticipated narrative of this group is that Belgium and Italy will beat both of these sides, leaving them with the solitary point which would not be enough to progress.

“I don’t think they should be downhearted by their performance. They should be absolutely thrilled,” O’Neill said, confecting a positive answer in the teeth of his disappointment. The carnival belonged to others, not him.