Republic of Ireland striker Troy Parrott thanked the country’s supporters and implored them to stick with the team after a night when their World Cup dreams ended with a penalty shootout in Prague.
Jan Kliment scored the decisive spot-kick at the Fortuna Arena after Finn Azaz and Alan Browne had seen their efforts saved by Matej Kovar to book a clash with the Denmark on Tuesday, with a World Cup place up for grabs.
Ireland were just four minutes away from a famous victory when Ladislav Krejci headed the hosts level on 86 minutes, on a night when the visitors had led 2-0 after just 23 minutes.
Troy Parrott put Ireland in front when he converted a 19th-minute penalty before Kovar’s own goal, before a sloppily conceded 27th-minute spot-kick from Patrik Schick dragged the hosts back into the game.
Parrott, who also scored in the penalty shootout, was downcast after the final whistle, but was still able to take positives from the campaign.
The AZ Alkmaar striker absolved Azaz and Browne of any blame for failing to convert from the spot and hailed them for putting themselves forward to take one.
‘I’m really gutted we couldn’t do it for everyone’
Troy Parrott speaks about the pride he has in his team mates and the fans after defeat to Czechia
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“It’s never nice,” he said. “It really takes a lot of nerve to step up there and take a peno so there’ll be no blame from me or my team-mates.
“I respect them even more for stepping up in that situation and taking a penalty. They didn’t have to, they could have said no, they could have said they didn’t want to.
“I’m proud of the team that I’m a part of and I’m proud of every Irish person that supported us as well.”
Parrott also paid tribute to the Irish supporters after a campaign in which they have reconnected with the Boys in Green.
“We felt the support all week,” he said. “We knew how much it meant to everyone. I’m just really, really gutted that we couldn’t do it for everyone who was supporting us.
“All of the Irish that were here, all of the Irish that were supporting us back home, thank you, stick with us.
“It’s times like this where I’m so, so happy where I come from.
“We just said in the changing room that now is the time to stick together as a group because we have some really good players.
“We’ll be back for sure.”