Euro 2016

[monks data]

European Championship | Round of 16

Jun 25, 2016 at 5pm UK

Wales
1-0
N. Ireland Northern Ireland

McAuley (75' og.)

FT(HT: 0-0)

Conor Washington laments Northern Ireland's "harsh" Euro 2016 exit

By Daniel Lewis, Senior Reporter | 26 June 2016

Conor Washington fails to hide his disappointment at Northern Ireland's knockout-stage loss to Wales in Paris, claiming that he is "devastated" by the manner of defeat.

Northern Ireland striker Conor Washington has admitted that he is "devastated" to have seen his side's European Championship dreams come to an end.

The Green and White Army slipped to a 1-0 defeat to Wales in the last-16 stage on Saturday evening, despite enjoying the game's best moments in front of goal.

Wales boss Chris Coleman confessed that Ireland produced the better performance on the day, which Washington says makes the narrow loss in Paris all the more difficult to take.

"It's devastating when the final whistle goes and you realise you're out," he is quoted as saying by the Belfast Telegraph. "It's been an unbelievable journey and none of us wanted it to end. It's such a harsh way to go out as well.

"We're just devastated to go out at this point but we've given everything and I don't think we can have any regrets looking back. They had one shot on target other than the goal which is an absolute killer really.

"It probably would have been better if we had met France and they had have outclassed us; it just makes it even more disappointing. We've got to pick ourselves up from this and take the experience we've had here into the next qualification campaign."

Northern Ireland now turn their attention towards their World Cup 2018 qualification campaign, where they will face Germany, Czech Republic, Norway, Azerbaijan and San Marino.