WATCH: James McClean gives unflinchingly honest post-match interview

"I've had better weeks."

James McClean is a blunt, honest individual, so when RTÉ's Tony O'Donoghue asked him to reflect on a difficult few days, which saw him lose friends in Ryan McBride and Martin McGuinness, he did not even flinch. "I lost two good friends this week," he said. "It has been a really tough week but the lads here have been great. They have rallied around me and the manager has been first class as well. "He let me go up to Derry there and say my goodbyes," said McClean of a difficult period that was compounded by the horrific injury suffered by captain Seamus Coleman. "It has been a tough week, with Seamie's injury as well. If we had got a win it could have finished on a positive note."

Wales were better than us on the night, admits James McClean after the draw against Wales pic.twitter.com/SEcdYoG9hS

— RTÉ Soccer (@RTEsoccer) March 24, 2017

The consensus seems to be his man of the match award was well deserved. https://twitter.com/mickhemidymack/status/845398515857666048 https://twitter.com/fueech/status/845398370927738885 https://twitter.com/vincent_kelly1/status/845397443160293377 https://twitter.com/shannonspain_/status/845397187001532417 https://twitter.com/Conord93lufc/status/845397101966229506