NOT TO BLAME; Captain's mates

Byline: PHILIP QUINN reports from Zilina

ROBBIE Keane snubbed the media after the Republic of Ireland captain endured a night of torment in front of goal.

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Keane's missed penalty just before half-time was the low point of a subdued display by the nation's record goalscorer, one he declined to discuss afterwards.

Keane skipped his RTE television interview and didn't show in the mixed zone where radio and newspaper journalists jostled for space in a cramped corridor.

Many senior players also elected not to stop, among them goalscorer Sean St Ledger, John O'Shea and Darron Gibson, while Richard Dunne said pointedly: 'I gave you enough over the weekend.' Midfielder Glenn Whelan, never afraid to speak his mind, offered solace for his skipper.

'How many times has Robbie done it for Ireland over the years? He's allowed to have an off night every now and again,' he said.

'You have to give the keeper credit; I don't think it was a bad penalty.

'Obviously, strikers want to score goals. We had a great chance but he'll pick himself up, dust himself down as he always has done and he will be great for Ireland again.'

Kevin Kilbane, a veteran of 108 caps, also consoled his fellow centurion. 'Robbie's ed hardy shirts been a matchwinner for us so often before.

'He'll be disappointed with the penalty miss, of course he will, but I think he's proved over the years what a great player he is for us,' said Kilbane.

Whelan felt Ireland recovered some lost ground in Group B with a gritty display that was probably worth more than a point and helped erase the pain of last Friday's Russian reverse.

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'I hope that's a good response. We've taken a bit of a pasting over the last few days and rightly so.

'I don't think it was a missed opportunity. We wanted the three points. We had a lot of doubters after the performance last Friday and that result,' said Whelan.

'Hopefully we changed a few people's minds tonight but we want to keep that up for every game.

'We know it's a tough place to come. We took an early lead and we wanted to hang on. We knew they'd have time on the ball and r4 card come back at us in the second half. But I think we stood up well.

'Friday was a kick up the backside but we need another kick up the backside for the next one. We need those types of performances in every game.'

Whelan acknowledged Ireland moved the ball better than they did against Russia.

'Passing the ball was something we said amongst ourselves, that we want to do it a lot more. But at the right times and in the right areas we have to do it.'

Whelan is not ruling the Irish out of the Group B equation even though one point out of six in games against the two top seeds has left them with much to do.

'It's going to be tough to qualify. Russia still have to come here and go to Armenia, which won't be easy. We still have to go to Moscow. It's going to be close. Hopefully we can do enough to qualify,' he said.

Kilbane felt Ireland left a win behind them in the chill Zilina air because they were unable to protect a lead away from home, as proved the case against Bulgar