The Football Association of Ireland (FAI) issued a statement this afternoon pointing out their disappointment at their French counterparts in refusing to accede to a replay of last Wednesday’s controversial World Cup play-off in Paris.

After yesterday’s barrage of statements from all sides, today’s release from the FAI seems to draw a line under the association’s attempts to persuade the French Football Federation to reconsider their initial decision, one which they took after Fifa ruled out a replay option.

French captain Thierry Henry, whose double handball led to William Gallas’s deciding goal at the Stade de France, said that a replay would be “ the fairest option”, a comment that Ireland skipper Robbie Keane called courageous, before calling on the FFF to grant the “wishes of both captains” and sanction a replay.

Following a board of management meeting the FAI joined Keane in calling on the FFF to join them in urging Fifa to replay the match, to “protect the integrity of the game worldwide and the pride of the French national team”. The association also replied to Fifa’s earlier refusal of a replay.

Soon afterwards the FFF rejected the request, saying “The decision by Fifa is final and should be respected by both federations”.

The federation added it understood the “disappointment and bitterness of the Irish players, officials and fans”.

This afternoon’s statement from the FAI reads: “The Football Association of Ireland today (November 21) confirmed its disappointment that the FFF has refused to accede to its request for a replay, against the wishes of both captains, Thierry Henry and Robbie Keane, the vast majority of both the French and Irish people, and numerous highly respected figures of world football.

Chief Executive of the Football Association of Ireland, John Delaney said: “We regret that despite our best efforts for a replay, which would have restored the integrity of the game in front of a world-wide audience, our calls appear to have fallen on deaf ears at the French Football Federation.

“Without doubt, the credibility of fair-play has been damaged by this incident in front of a world-wide audience. Despite our deep disappointment, we thank our players ,the wonderful Irish fans and the Irish public at large for their support as well as the solidarity of the French people.

“We will continue to call on FIFA to take action to ensure that such damaging examples of cheating are not allowed to recur.”