Irish fans protest at French embassy for replay

DUBLIN (Reuters) - Up to 200 Irish fans protested at the French embassy in Dublin on Saturday to demand a replay of Wednesday's controversial World Cup playoff.

The French Football Federation (FFF) has ruled out a replay, saying on Friday world governing body FIFA's decision that the result should stand was final.

"We regret that despite our best efforts for a replay, which would have restored the integrity of the game in front of a world-wide audience, our calls appear to have fallen on deaf ears at the French Football Federation," John Delaney, chief executive of the Football Association of Ireland, said in a statement earlier on Saturday.

Irish fans had already held a similar demonstration on Friday.

"We will continue to call on FIFA to take action to ensure that such damaging examples of cheating are not allowed to recur," Delaney said.

The association appealed to FIFA for a replay after France striker Thierry Henry handled the ball setting up William Gallas's extra-time equalizer in Wednesday's 1-1 draw in Paris that sent France to the World Cup with a 2-1 aggregate win.

(Reporting by Andras Gergely; editing by Pritha Sarkar)