Such was the quick turnaround in naming the squad to travel to Euro 2016, after the 2-1 loss to Belarus in Cork, many players will have gone to bed on Tuesday night with a huge sense of relief.
Others will have left the field, hoping they were on the plane to France, but will have left Cork with a massive sense of disappointment and some regrets.
Here are some of the players who were left disappointment, and others who breathed a sigh of relief at the squad news.
David Forde
When the Galway-born goalkeeper took the field with 20 minutes to go, in place of Shay Given, it was assumed the Millwall player has booked the third goalkeeping spot. Instead, those 20 minutes were to be a goodbye to international football.
Forde started the Euro 2016 campaign as the first-choice goalkeeper and ends it by missing out on the squad. He started the first four games of qualifying before being inexplicably dropped for Shay Given before the home game with Poland.
When Given was injured against Germany in Dublin, Forde was leap-frogged by Darren Randolph in the pecking order. His inability to force his way into the Millwall side proved to be the 36-year-old's undoing, especially as Keiren Westwood was performing so strongly in The Championship.
Harry Arter
Despite only playing twice for Ireland, Arter looked a certainty to be on board the plane to France. That is, if he could stay fit.
The Bournemouth star impressed in a man-of-the-match performance against the Netherlands last week, but he pulled up in training on Monday in Cork. It was announced before the Belarus game that he has retuned home, to nurse the injury and his race was sadly run.
Speaking to Off the Ball earlier this month, Arter revealed that while injured earlier this season, he kept in regular contact with Martin O'Neill. Sadly, he could not prove his fitness in time.
Westwood's club form meant it was very difficult to not name him in the squad. Picture by: Steven Paston / EMPICS Sport
Keiren Westwood
The Sheffield Wednesday goalkeeper has not played for Ireland in over a year, but he will go into the tournament as Martin O'Neill's most in-form shot-stopper.
Such has been Westwood's performances for The Championship side this year, the 31-year-old had to be given a place in the squad. It was just a question as to whether he would replace Forde or Shay Given.
The tournament is Westwood's second with Ireland. He was second-choice behind Given at Euro 2012. It looks like he will fulfil the same role at Euro 2016, but this time as Darren Randolph's understudy.
Aiden McGeady
It's clear that Martin O'Neill has a soft spot for Aiden McGeady. The two men have worked together since the winger was an 18-year-old at Celtic.
His two goals against Georgia in Ireland's opening game proved to be instrumental in qualifying, but since then the 30-year-old has failed to set the world alight.
Sheffield Wednesday even allowed McGeady to skip the Play-Off final against Hull City and train with Ireland, such was his position in the squad. Whether or not he plays in France remains to be seen.
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