Given: Late goal felt like knockout blow

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The Irish were within three minutes of a win which would have kept their hopes of automatic qualification alive at Croke Park on Saturday night when substitute Alberto Gilardino snatched a point for the Italians.

Given, who is in line to win his 100th cap against Montenegro on Wednesday, said: "For them to score so near the end was a real kick in the teeth."

He added: "I know in all likelihood they probably would have beaten Cyprus on Wednesday night, but it would have just put them under pressure and given us a real lift."

"To be honest, we all felt really low and it actually felt like we had been knocked out of the World Cup. I know we haven't, but that's how it felt.

"But time is a great healer. We will kick on on Wednesday night and hopefully seal the campaign with a win and then see who we get in the play-offs."

Ireland got off to the perfect start when Glenn Whelan fired them in front with just eight minutes gone, although Mauro Camoranesi equalised within 18 minutes.

However, the home side thought they had won it with just three minutes remaining when Sean St Ledger headed home Stephen Hunt's free-kick.

Given found himself at odds with manager Giovanni Trapattoni as he urged St Ledger forward.

He said: "We had a bit of a row, but it is about opinions, I suppose, football. He wanted to see the game out at 1-1, but I felt we could maybe nick it with three minutes to go."