Stephen Kenny admitted that his side were hurting after back-to-back defeats, although he added that he was raging that his side have no points from their opening two games of their Nations League campaign.
The Ireland manager lamented his side's misfortunes, once again, coming out the wrong side of a close contest at the Aviva Stadium, losing 1-0 to Ukraine.
Kenny remains convinced that his side should have won the game in Armenia, while he felt that it was an even contest at Lansdowne Road with a fortuitous Viktor Tsygankov's goal proving the difference between the two teams.
Shane Duffy crashed a late header off the crossbar, but Ireland could not salvage anything from the game and suffered consecutive defeats following Saturday’s loss in Armenia.
Twelve Nations League games without a win for Ireland and eight of those games have now come under Kenny’s tenure, the team’s group-winning hopes now needing a rethink with nothing to show from the first two games of just six in total.
And while Ireland did match the stylish Ukraine side for large spells of the game, they lacked real composure and quality in the final third, relying on an old-school penalty area bombardment in an attempt to get a point from the game.
In the end, they ran out of time and now move on to two more games in this four-fixture window looking to restore the momentum that had been building ahead of this campaign, having gone eight games without defeat.
"I’m disappointed to lose the game," said Kenny, speaking at the post match press conference.
"That’s two games that hung in the balance. We didn’t deserve to lose in Armenia and tonight we started really well and finished strong.
"It was a very even game, and we came out the wrong side of it."
The manager said that he asked his side for even more than 100 per cent effort going into the game and he felt that the players left it all out on the pitch, however, he thought that the team played too direct at times, while also suggested that the lack of chances was a result of not picking the right pass at the opportune moment.
"The game was stretched, and there was not many chances for both teams – we consistently didn’t pass the ball well enough," said Kenny.
"Both teams pressed each other high up the pitch and we were both playing same system, however, you have to show that that little bit more composure.
"I said to the players that 100 per cent was not enough, and that you have to extract every ounce of yourself in pursuit of trying to get the result that we needed.
"But the players left everything out there. They just came out the wrong side of a very narrow defeat."
No return in two games from the front three, albeit with one change in the attack from Saturday as Jason Knight replaced Troy Parrott, however, the manager felt that they all played their part.
"Getting that first goal is critical," said Kenny. "All of the front three played well, Jason Knight was exceptional for periods, Cheidozie was a threat all night and Callum linked the play."
If there was a criticism from the manager it was an all-round aspect with a lack of patience and composure forcing the side to try to force the initiative rather that trust the process of building slowly from the back.
"We probably went a bit more direct than I would have liked today. We got the ball forward too quickly at times and we needed to build-up better than we did, and we will have to address that," said Kenny.
The manager was full of praise for the quality of opposition yet he felt that his side restricted the visitors to long shots, and felt that his side maintained their shape in dealing with the Ukraine attack, while he also added that the goal, which came direct from a free on the right touch line took a lucky bounce.
"I’m raging that we didn’t get one win in the two narrow games," said Kenny.
"The goal itself was a fluke, it's just a free-kick that took a massive jump off the ground into the net.
"It was a very tactical battle and there was a lot of energy consumed, but they didn’t cut us open or have a cutting edge, all their chances were from long range or outside the box, except for the one in the 94th minute.
"But I would like us to establish greater control, and we aspire to have greater control. We didn’t sustain our good play for 90 minutes."
A campaign that had started off with visions of victory and plans for promotion, has suddenly turned into an uphill battle with tougher tasks ahead including a double header with Scotland and a tricky away trip to play Ukraine in Poland.
However, the manager does not believe that as a result of the two defeats, it has now turned into a relegation battle.
"It’s premature to suggest that," said Kenny. "There are points to be won and that is certainly our intention. We could easily have four points and we don’t, and we only have ourselves to blame in that regard.
"We don’t want to get into the habit of losing matches like we have in the last couple.
"We’re hurting at the moment and we don’t have time for that such is the quick turnaround and have to get ready for Scotland."
Ukraine coach Oleksandr Petrakov, meanwhile, took a moment to pay tribute to the Irish people for their efforts to take in refugees amidst the ongoing war in their own country.
"Clearly this is a very difficult time when Ukrainians come to see us playing in Ireland, Ukrainians who were accepted by this incredible hospitality by the Irish people," said Petrakov.
"You guys took in our women and children, who were risking their lives back in Ukraine and I want to extend our gratitude to the whole of Ireland.
"I understand those Ukrainians who were in the stands today, all they wanted to see was just a bit of positivity from our team. But at the same time, they’re really longing to go home, go back to Ukraine and we made them a little bit happier tonight. That is the major achievement, in my view."
