There will be no replay of the controversial World Cup playoff against France, Irish football officials have finally conceded.

After Thierry Henry’s blatant handball helped set up the goal from William Gallas that settled the two-legged tie, the Football Association of Ireland (FAI) appealed to both world governing body FIFA and the French Football Federation (FFF).

The FFF refused to entertain the possibility of a rematch after FIFA ruled out such an outcome even after Henry admitted that a replay would be the fairest option.

In a statement on Saturday, FAI chief executive 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 worldwide audience.”

(article source: CNN, image source: Roscommon to Imogene)