Did themselves proud. Both the fans off the pitch and the players on it.
Sure, they won just once, but it was enough in this expanded format to send them into the knockout, where they held their own.
And but for the lack of player of the calibre of the world class Bale, they could have gone further.
They learned fast from their opening game against Poland not to be over-awed. They returned to dispatch Ukraine, and then narrowly lost to the World Champions.
Not since World Cup 86 had the Northern Irish graced an international tournament. With their learnings here, let's hope it's not another 30 years until they return.
Sure, they won just once, but it was enough in this expanded format to send them into the knockout, where they held their own.
And but for the lack of player of the calibre of the world class Bale, they could have gone further.
They learned fast from their opening game against Poland not to be over-awed. They returned to dispatch Ukraine, and then narrowly lost to the World Champions.
Not since World Cup 86 had the Northern Irish graced an international tournament. With their learnings here, let's hope it's not another 30 years until they return.
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