Heroes' welcome for Irish despite penalty exit

Updated: Tuesday June 18, 2002 03:46 p.m. ET

DUBLIN, June 18 (Reuters) - Celebrating as if they had won the World Cup, thousands of Irish soccer fans turned out to greet their national team on Tuesday as they arrived home after a gut-wrenching second round penalty shoot-out defeat by Spain.

A huge crowd estimated at around 100,000 people gathered in Dublin's Phoenix Park for a celebratory concert in honour of the "Boys in Green," whose spirited performance throughout the tournament had fans bursting with pride and emotion.

"It's very humbling, it makes you proud to be Irish," said coach Mick McCarthy, appearing on stage with his squad of 22 players.

"Whether you are in Korea, in Japan, or back here, you are the best fans in the world," forward Damien Duff told the cheering crowd.

Ireland were knocked out of the World Cup on Sunday, losing 3-2 on penalties following a 1-1 draw after extra time.

"It's lovely people want to turn out to greet us and celebrate," said McCarthy at Dublin Airport earlier, as he stepped off the chartered airliner from South Korea.

"I wish we were still in the tournament, but now it's over we are glad to be back."

The celebratory mood was in sharp contrast to the gloomy start to the tournament, when McCarthy sent home captain and world class midfielder Roy Keane following a bitter row between the two men over the squad's preparations for the tournament.

The bust-up divided Ireland into pro-Keane and pro-McCarthy camps and had many predicting an ignominious early exit, but the turmoil was quickly forgotten as the team showed their fighting spirit in negotiating the first round undefeated.

"Morale's very good, it always has been," said striker Robbie Keane, whose late equalisers against Germany and Spain gave him the status recently enjoyed by his -- unrelated -- namesake.

Veteran Niall Quinn, who announced his retirement from international soccer after Sunday's defeat, told reporters gathered at Dublin Airport the World Cup experience had been "brilliant."

"We wanted to be there a week or two longer but it's good to be back," said the 35-year-old forward.

Ireland, who reached the quarter-finals in their first World Cup finals appearance in 1990 after a famous penalty shoot-out victory over Romania, felt they were unlucky to be eliminated this time round in soccer's cruellest final act.

"We felt we had done enough in the game to go through," said goalkeeper Shay Given. "When it comes down to penalties in the end it's a lottery."

But despite the disappointment it was all smiles at Phoenix Park, where a noisy, flag-waving crowd enjoyed a free concert headlined by Irish boy band Westlife. Before appearing on stage the players had been welcomed home by Irish President Mary McAleese at her official residence nearby.

Copyright 2002 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.