Euro 2016 - Irish fans delirious after miracle win over Italy extends their Euro party

Which of their many, many songs could they use to express their delirium at beating Italy with a late goal to reach the last 16? There was only one option – belt them all out.

Green shirts, capes made from tricolour flags, and lurid shamrock suits flowed into the transport tributaries and off towards their own part of the city to continue the celebrations.

The platforms at the metro stations beyond Stade Pierre-Mauroy were silent but briefly punctuated every couple of minutes by a barrage of sound as the doors of a vibrating train opened. There was no-one there to get on, and no passengers wanted to leave the party anyway.

That had been a fear earlier in the day that Italy, who had already qualified for the last 16, would block Martin O’Neill’s men from entering the second round like a burly nightclub bouncer picking on an innocent scrawny bloke for a cheap kick.

But Robbie Brady had other ideas. The Norwich City striker headed home a Wes Hoolahan cross after 85 minutes to deliver the goal and three points required to finish third in Group E and set up a clash with France.

"I grew up dreaming about this stage and to go and do it in front of my family is the best feeling in the world,” he said afterwards.

"We need to regroup and go again but I am absolutely flabbergasted by it all. Every single one of the lads were unbelievable tonight."

"This was the last chance for us to push ourselves through. We were hard working and we had it all tonight. We stuck at it and put in a great performance and in the end got the result we deserved. Roll on France."

And it was this persistence, fuelled by the fans, that paid off after it looked like the goal just would not come. James McClean was bundled over in the penalty area in the first half, but no spot-kick was given, and Hoolahan fluffed a second-half opportunity when clean through on goal.

Just like the World Cup in 1994, Ireland needed a piece of magic to sink Italy. And the Ray Houghton moment duly arrived when Hoolahan atoned for missing his chance by curling in a wonderful cross that left Salvatore Sirigu stranded and Brady the simple task of nodding home.

It was nothing less than O’Neill’s side deserved. They had more of the chances and showed more attacking intent than a lacklustre Italy, so they simply did not deserve to knocked out after bouncing back so brilliantly from their defeat to Belgium.

Their little piece of history was complete, with the squad being the first to reach the knockout rounds of the Euros. It left grown men crying across the stadium - including assistant manager Roy Keane, who was a part of that team that stunned the Azzurri 22 years ago.

He joined the squad afterwards in thanking the fans who have been incredible this tournament - giving wonderful respite from the violent scenes that marred the start of the showpiece in Marseilles.

They have changed a wheel on an elderly couple's broken down car, sung a lullaby to a baby on the metro, and (often literally) embraced opposition fans as their own in the build-up to matches and the post-game festivities.

So, instead of an early bath for their team, it was the fans who were left to have a late-night celebratory soak in the fountain in front of the central station in the main square. The party had only just begun.