The cross-Border Belfast-Dublin rail line is likely to remain closed for several days as a security operation aimed at investigating a series of explosions near the Border continues.
The operation started after an RUC patrol heard three blasts in the vicinity of the track outside Newry, Co Down, early on Saturday.
About 40 miles of track between Portadown, Co Armagh, and Dundalk, Co Louth, were subsequently closed causing misery for over 2,000 Northern rugby fans who were set to travel to Lansdowne Road for the Ireland-France Six Nations match on Saturday.
Some fans were taken by train as far as Portadown. They were then bussed to Dundalk where they rejoined waiting trains. Others were bussed from Belfast's Central Station directly to Lansdowne Road.
Similar arrangements applied to the return journey. Many supporters opted to drive instead.
An Alliance Party MLA, Ms Eileen Bell, condemned the disruption caused to travellers, saying those responsible for the explosions had "nothing positive" to offer.
"Let's foul things up for as many people as possible, and to hell with the consequences. Do these mindless morons not realise that their actions will simply attract the absolute disgust of all the fair-minded people throughout the island of Ireland, North and South?" she asked.
A spokesman for Translink, Mr Ken McKnight, said his company had done its best to guarantee services on one of the busiest days of the year.
While passengers had on the whole been very understanding, many were obviously extremely angry, he added.
Military helicopters and spotter aircraft have carried out aerial surveillance and pinpointed a number of possible sites for further examination.
The RUC confirmed that the operation was likely to last several more days.
Such was the terrain and threat from dissident republicans that they could not rush in, a spokesman added. Security officials are concerned that booby-trap bombs might have been left for police or troops carrying out track-side searches.
Dissident republicans have recently mounted a renewed campaign against the rail line.
It only reopened fully a few days ago after a five-day security operation on the tracks outside Newry found a bomb crater beside the line caused by a device containing an estimated 100lb of home-made explosives.