British Isles at Euro 2016 report: Republic of Ireland

Star player: Robbie Brady

Norwich City wideman Brady entered the tournament with plenty of hopes and expectations resting on his shoulders, and the set-piece specialist truly delivered as he enjoyed a sublime campaign on French soil.

The Canaries winger was crucial in the opening draw with Sweden, then popped up in the dying minutes against Italy with a thumping headed winner, before that well-taken spot-kick over the French.

Brady’s stock has definitely risen since his solid showings, with talk of a big-money move away from Carrow Road being heavily reported, and top-flight champions Leicester City being one potential destination.

Biggest revelation: Jeff Hendrick

Derby County midfielder Jeff Hendrick starred in qualifying for Ireland, helping them overcome many tough obstacles to successfully book a spot in France, but he continued his rise to prominence at the actual finals.

The Rams star was never afraid to get on the ball and came close to firing in himself on several occasions, with the Dubliner’s eye-catching performances proving he has a bright future in green and will be pivotal to any hopes of qualifying for the 2018 World Cup (3/1 with Coral to reach Russia).

Flop: Ciaran Clark

It’s hard to determine a genuine flop within the Irish side after an overall gallant campaign from each player, but Aston Villa defender Ciaran Clark could be a possible underperformer with his unfortunate own-goal against Sweden having cost his team two points.

They did manage a 1-1 draw, but Clark, who was also present in the 3-0 thrashing by Belgium, was subsequently dropped for the win over Italy and last 16 clash with France.

Managerial performance: Martin O’Neill

Derry-born boss O’Neill took charge of the Irish set-up following Giovanni Trapattoni’s departure and he made the job his own, instilling a great sense of pride, passion and drive within his inherited squad.

Alongside assistant coach Roy Keane, O’Neill has already enjoyed plenty of exciting moments during his reign, with the victory over Italy being the highlight of Euro 2016, and his new deal in the aftermath was fully deserved.

Final grade: B

It looked as if Ireland were about to exit at the group stage until Wes Hoolahan perfectly picked out clubmate Brady for the winner over Italy, a moment which helped lift the spirits of an entire nation and made sure of another outing in France.

Although it didn’t fully go to plan in the meeting with Les Bleus, exiting at the hands of the eventual runners-up brings no shame and Ireland’s performances overall, as well as the fans’ behaviour on their travels, were something to be proud of.

Related

Read our extensive Euro 2016 archive following the tournament’s conclusion.

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