Sarkozy apologises to Ireland but rejects request for replay

Cowen raised the issue of replaying the match with his French counterpart at a European Union summit in Brussels on Thursday after French captain Thierry Henry admitted he handled the ball in the build-up to William Gallas' winning goal in Paris. Sarkozy said he was sympathetic to Ireland's position, but could not support Cowen's call for restaging the game.

"I told Brian Cowen how sorry I was for them," Sarkozy told reporters. "But don't ask me to substitute myself for the referee, or the French football authorities, or the European football authorities: leave me right where I am."

Cowen earlier backed an appeal by the Football Association of Ireland to soccer's world governing body Fifa to have the game replayed. "Yes, I do [support the FAI]. Our minister of sport will write to Fifa in support of that complaint and look for a re-match," he said. "He [Sarkozy] would understand the sense of disappointment that the Irish people feel after the tremendous performance last night I think that fair play is a fundamental part of the game."

The FAI have asked Fifa to order a replay of the controversial World Cup playoff against France.

Irish soccer authorities said the extra time goal at the Stade de France, which gave France a 2-1 aggregate win and dominated news bulletins in Ireland all day, as well as being discussed in parliament, had "damaged the integrity of the sport".