Stephen Bradley was left on Thursday night to lament “basic errors” as he conceded that Shamrock Rovers’ bid to qualify for the Europa League group stages was over.
The Hoops were beaten 4-0 by Ferencvaros and it could have been more, as the Hungarian champions attacked with menace throughout in stifling 36-degree heat.
Bradley admitted that the third goal moments after half-time was a devastating blow - and that the fourth in injury-time effectively killed off the tie.
READ MORE: Shamrock Rovers endure a chastening night in Budapest
“I think that’s why the third goal is so frustrating. We know we can cost them problems. You can see that,” he said.
Bradley added: “We were beaten by the better team and I think that was evident.
“They had real quality in the attacking part of the pitch and they deserved to win the game.
“We conceded goals at crucial times in the game and you can’t do that when you come to places like this.
“You are talking at half-time about keeping the game tight and could we get a chance in the game.
“Then two minutes into the second-half we give away a terrible goal.
“We made individual mistakes for the goals, but as a team you win and you lose together.
“We need to learn from it and understand that we are against a very good team tonight.
“They were very good in the attacking part of the pitch and they punished us when they got their chances.”
While the result is a bitterly disappointing one, Bradley reckons some good can come from Rovers' experience in Budapest.
“At this level when you play against a team like this, if you are not at your absolute maximum you get punished, and we found that out tonight,” he said.
“But again, it’s going to be a great learning experience when we look back at it and we have got to make sure that tonight makes us better as a group going forward.”
Bradley made five changes during the second-half, with Sunday’s crucial league game against Dundalk in mind.
Rovers were due to fly back to Shannon shortly after the final whistle, ahead of a recovery session at their Roadstone facility at 2pm on Friday.
“It was obviously in our minds that Sunday is an important league game. That was definitely a big part of our decision (to make the five changes), he said.
He added that the players would bounce back quickly from the disappointment of last night.
“We’ve been around too long, we always been very good at putting games to bed quickly, in terms of win, lose or draw, and this will be no different,” said the Hoops boss.
“We know how important it is, Dundalk are obviously are closest rivals at the moment. We’ll be ready for it.”
Jack Byrne came on in the second-half and showed glimpses of his class.
“He has that quality and he’s always going to do it,” said Bradley.
“But what we don’t want to do is rush him in and then it is six weeks or seven weeks as well.
“We want him to play but then it is about managing him as well and trusting what Jack is saying, what is body is saying, and the medical department as well.”
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