IT TOOK JUST a few moments for Jason Knight’s slip of the tongue to do the rounds on social media.

The Ireland midfielder had been a sporadic bright spot on a disappointing night as Ukraine’s second string secured a 1-0 win to leave Stephen Kenny’s side rooted to the bottom of Group 1 in League B.

The young midfielder was awarded the player of the match award and as he carried out his post-match duties with broadcaster RTÉ on the side of the pitch, he turned the air the lightest shade of blue.

“But fuck it,” he said, in response to the assertion that a strong start to the second half would have been the message during the break.

Instead, Ireland conceded in the 47th minute and were unable to muster a reaction to salvage a point.

“Just the lights in my face. I don’t know what I was thinking. I was still in the game,” Knight explained of the slip as he finished his media duties for the night just before 11pm.

Perhaps he felt, understandably, that his obligations had been fulfilled, but instead the 21-year-old was summoned back from an area upstairs among friends and family and asked to pore over the remnants of the previous 90 minutes of action, as well as look ahead to tomorrow’s visit of Scotland.

He will likely earn just his 13th senior cap in that fixture but the Derby County academy graduate is already prepared to shoulder the kind of responsibility usually reserved for those more experienced.

Knight hits a shot over the bar in injury time on Wednesday. Bryan Keane / INPHO Bryan Keane / INPHO / INPHO

“I’ve seen highs and lows of international football now. It’s something I need to step up to and demand more from myself as well and try to drag us out of this, as everyone else is trying to do as well,” he began.

“There are a lot of young players but we are in this squad and we need to stand up now as men as well. We can’t be leaning on the older lads. We need to stand up and expect more from ourselves and deliver on the big stage.

“The senior lads have been great with us. It’s a very honest group and we need to come together and put in performances individually first and foremost, that includes the young lads as well.

We have a big game on Saturday and that’s the only way we can put it right… That’s everyone. Everyone wants to put this to bed and get going again.

“It’s a disappointing result, we know that. We’ve got a couple of days to go until we play Scotland and everyone wants to be in that squad and in that team to get a result.

“We have to finish this window as strong as possible.”

Physical and mental fatigue were suggested as possible reasons for Ireland’s lacklustre start to this campaign, excuses quickly shot down by Knight.

“That’s the same for every team. We have a big squad. Everyone is really performing well in training and champing at the bit to be playing. We will have a fit and fresh squad for Saturday, whatever the manager decides to do.

“Look, everyone will be ready to go and give a good performance to get a result.

I can’t really put a finger on it but we have to do better as a collective as well,” he continued.

“I think everyone gave their all. There were some good moments in the game, good periods we had. But in those moments we have to capitalise and get the first goal because as you’ve seen the last two games, the first goal is vital.”

Given Knight’s willingness to take responsibility both on and off the pitch, the question of whether the players backed the manager was an obvious one.

“Yeah, definitely. There is no talk of that. The manager has been great with us. We’ve had two disappointing results and we need to go again on Saturday and put it right. That is all that matters.”