DAVID FORDE’S NET was still rippling when the final whistle sounded and the boos started to ring out around the Aviva Stadium last night. The intent behind them was unmistakable.

Reeling from the sucker-punch which saw David Alaba spirit two precious points away from Ireland at the death, the Dublin crowd found its voice one last time. Giovanni Trapattoni could hardly ignore them.

But as he faced the music on this latest night of bitter disappointment, the Italian made himself perfectly clear. A home draw against Austria, despite its circumstances, does not signal the end of Ireland’s World Cup dream.

Grasping at the last of the optimism which spilled over from Friday’s draw in Stockholm, he insisted that a point shared with the side who now occupy second place in Group C on goal difference changes little. This campaign has a long way to run and Trap intends to see it out to the end.

Whatever early initiative Ireland hoped to show was snuffed out when Ciaran Clark dithered, Zlatko Junozovic robbed him and then squared for Martin Harnik to give Austria the lead just after the 10-minute mark.

The visitors’ early goal changed the game, Trapattoni explained, and though Jonathan Walters’ first-half double had Ireland in front at the break the damage had already been done.

“In this situation, when you must achieve the draw, all teams spend a lot of energy,” he said.

Shane Long and Sammon went back to win the ball. In this moment, they were superb in midfield but they spent a lot of energy.

In the second half, we went a little bit down. I thought about pushing on but we could have conceded another goal. I changed the situation.

The goal is a deflection. I think I can say now: we were a little bit unlucky this evening. A little bit, not too much.

Afterwards much of the post-mortem centred on the introduction of Paul Green and the decision to take off Long while leaving Sammon on, despite the fact the West Brom striker was one of Ireland’s liveliest threats going forward.

But when it came to the crunch all that stood between Ireland and a morale-boosting win was experience, Trapattoni argued, particularly in the dying moments when Austria regained possession all too easily.

“We needed a little bit of experience with the corner and free kicks. It’s not fair play to use a little bit of time but we needed experience in this moment.

“After 90 minutes we lost two balls with the free kicks and corners, and in midfield, and we had also the deflection.”

Bad luck it may have been but there was no hiding from the fact that this was two points lost rather than one gained. Still Trapattoni soldiers on with the belief that there is plenty still to play for.

“Think about how disappointed the players are. We must give them morale and support.

People say what can you do to keep the players’ morale up? We must be positive. We must choose the positive situation and teach them that if this situation happens in the next game, they can do this or this.

It is always the way with young players and experience. We had three or four players on the pitch and it is their second game or first game.

We must believe. I believe in this team. I believe in this new strength, in this new evolution.

And if his critics hoped this might be the final act as general, Trapattoni was quick to nip that in the bud.

“We have five or six more games. We have to play Austria, play Sweden, Kazakhstan, the Faroes, Germany.

“It starts now. Qualification starts now.”

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