Giovanni Trapattoni's side would have headed into Wednesday night's decisive play-off second leg clash with France in Paris as underdogs anyway barring a remarkable result at Croke Park on Saturday.

However, the fact they lost 1-0 on their own park to Nicolas Anelka's deflected strike means few onlookers will give them much chance of overturning the deficit at the Stade de France to snatch a place at next summer's finals in South Africa.

For that reason, Wolves striker Doyle admits they simply have to go for it against Raymond Domenech's star-studded side.

He said: "I am sure we won't be gung-ho about it, but it will nearly be a relief on Wednesday night as in it is 90 minutes and you will know either way - or 120 minutes with extra-time.

"It will be a case of 'let's just go and absolutely go for it' on Wednesday night.

"If we get one goal, I think you will see a different French team then. They will be a lot more edgy and a lot more nervous, and we will have a great chance of going through."

Defeat in Dublin represented a major blow for Ireland, who felt beforehand that if they could take a clean sheet into the second leg they could pile the pressure on France having scored in four of their five Group 8 qualifiers on the road.

But Trapattoni was quick to point out that a single goal in their favour on Wednesday would throw the tie wide open once again.

Doyle said: "Straight after the game, he came in and said 'it's only half-time. We have to score. No problem'.

"We have gone away from home in the group and scored, so we can go to Paris and score. Everybody gets a lift from that.

"It's so close, but so far away. You can taste it. It's 90 minutes, it's a massive moment in all our careers as footballers.

"This chance might not come again for a lot of us, so it really is now or never for most of us on Wednesday."

The Republic will certainly turn out in determined mood having reacted angrily to comments they allege were made by France midfielder Lassana Diarra on the pitch on the final whistle at Croke Park.

It is claimed Diarra suggested in graphic detail that he believed the tie was over, and Doyle and his team-mates are ready to pounce on any sign of complacency.

Asked if the French might believe the job is done, the frontman said: "They obviously won't say that and they will say all the right things, but I know from experience, they will be a bit more complacent, I am sure.

"It will be a home game for them, a big crowd, so you can look at it both ways.

"Maybe they will be more relaxed and play more attacking football and put us under more pressure; or they could look at it and feel they have done their job already.

"But time will tell."

There was an understandable air of disappointment around the stadium as the fans drifted away on Saturday night, but that quickly lifted as the players returned to the training ground to start their preparations for one of the biggest games many of them will ever play.

Doyle said: "Everyone was a bit disappointed afterwards, but now everyone is pretty upbeat.

"We realised we are going to have to score in Paris anyway. We have to go there and score - it would have been the same if it was 0-0. As it is, it's 1-0.

"It will be easy to lift ourselves. It's the reason you play football, games like this.

"It's 90 minutes, or maybe more, to get to a World Cup."