21/06/2016 BBC Newsline

Good evening. The Northern Ireland team have lost their final group

game in the Euros. They were beaten 1-0 by world champions Germany but

the small margin of defeat means they could still progress to the

knockout phase of the tournament as one of the four best third placed

sides. Let's go to the fan zone in the centre of Paris and Mark

Simpson. It could be the best ever 1-0 defeat

Northern Ireland could have had ever because they could still qualify for

the final stages of the tournament, the last 16. They were beaten but

only narrowly, the goalkeeper McGovern, what a heroic performance

by the Fermanagh man, he has kept them in the tournament, down but not

out. There is a nervous 24-hour wait for the Northern Ireland team and

the fans to see if other results go their way. Thousands of fans were

here in the fan zone in the centre of Paris. After the final whistle

this is what they had to say. I have to go back but if I could get

a day trip I will be back. Disappointment but at the end of the

day we are playing the world champions. We definitely kept the

score down as it could have been three or four. We still go through,

I thought the keeper was excellent Tom and defensively very good. There

wasn't much going forward, good result. I think they have done

marvellous. I expected us to lose by more than that. We are playing the

world champions, you are not playing in Antrim. It is going to be a great

night here in Paris. Northern Ireland are still alive in the

tournament but I dare say those fans, like the viewers at home, will

be studying the Lee -- those tables to CS Northern Ireland will make the

last 16. Here are three results Northern Ireland would like to go

their way. If the Czech Republic lose tonight against Turkey, great

news. If Sweden lose tomorrow against Belgium, great news. If the

Republic of Island lose two morrow night against Italy, that would be

very good news but Northern Ireland as well! You couldn't make it up but

the good news for everybody involved is that by 10pm tomorrow night the

waiting will be over and we will know who is staying and going.

It is all in the sums. Supporters also gathered at fan zones here at

home. Just a few left in Belfast but that wasn't the case a while ago.

For the fans who couldn't make it to France this was the next best thing.

Around 15,000 Northern Ireland supporters packed into the fan zone

at Titanic Belfast this evening. Most of them are on their way home

by now that during the match the atmosphere was electric, tense and

anxious at times and of course disappointment with the German goal

in the first half but the cheers and the songs barely faltered and during

the 64th minute virtually every fan here took part in a very touching

tribute to the Northern Ireland fan Archie who passed away in the

stadium during the game against Ukraine. Disappointment at the score

line of course but fans told us earlier that they are still daring

to dream. We have three points, very

confident. Albania are level on goal difference and we can't say about

the Republic or Belgium, easy. We will qualify, no problem. Great

goalkeeping from our home man, Michael McGovern. A 1-0 defeat

doesn't matter. CHEERING AND APPLAUSE

Disappointment at the scoreline but still the sliver of hope that

Northern Ireland can qualify for the last 16 and fans hoping they will be

back here at the fan zone at Titanic Belfast soon enough.

Let's go back to Paris and Stephen Watson is still pitch side at the

Parc des Princes Stadium. This has been an amazing performance

by Northern Ireland on and off the pitch. Look behind me, the

supporters simply don't want to go home, they have been singing from

start to finish of this game. I have just spoken to manager Michael

O'Neill who told me he was very proud of this team's performance to

keep the score to 1-0. Let's look at some of the action because Northern

Ireland had to defend very well. The goalkeeper made a number of great

saves from Mesut Ozil and Muller. Germany opened up the modern Ireland

defence Time and again in the opening stages. The first goal came

after almost half an hour of pressure from the world champions.

It was almost 2-0 a few minutes later when Thomas Muller's shot

crashed off the bar. In the second-half McGovern was again

forced to make a wonderful save. He made seven outstanding saves in all

to keep Germany at bay. It was a fantastic individual performance by

the county Fermanagh man, what he did maybe enough to keep Northern

Ireland in tournament, Michael O'Neill's men going down by just 1-0

against the world champions. A short time ago I spoke to Michael

McGovern. Time will tell if it's good enough

to get us through the group, the next 24 hours will be immensely

important but if it is not it will be very disappointment. It was

mentally hard, we were under a lot of pressure, and even when they

scored, it is crucial with goal difference and things like that so

we wanted to keep it at one. We couldn't get a draw but it was

important to keep the score down. They are the world champions and we

worked so hard and hopefully it is enough to get through.

Hard to believe that Michael McGovern is out of contract with his

club in a couple of weeks. After this performance on the

international stage he won't have to try too hard to get a new contract.

From pitch side, with every Northern Ireland fan crossing their fingers

that the results will go their way and they can get through to the last

16. The Deputy First Minister,

Martin McGuinness, It's the first time he's been to see

the Northern Ireland team play. Beforehand, he said he was happy

to give recognition He was asked what advice he'd give

a player who couldn't decide whether to play for Northern Ireland

or the Republic. Well, I would say make up your mind

and whatever you do we will support you. I have always had that attitude

towards young people who maybe they couldn't get a place on the

Republic's team or it wasn't convenient for them to train in

Dublin. My attitude is not to politicise it, my attitude is

whatever decision young men make or young women for that matter in terms

of who they play for, why should we try to make their lives a misery by

trying to politicise it and make their lives difficult for them?

One and a half kilogrammes of what's believed to be Semtex explosive have

been found at a block of flats in north Belfast.

The police said it was discovered in New Lodge yesterday

after a report from a member of the public.

Army bomb-disposal experts were called to the scene yesterday.

Almost three and a half pounds of the highly

They say it is enough to make three undercard booby-trapped bombs.

Police received a tip-off from a member of

the public and thanked residents for their cooperation.

Two years ago a similar quantity was found in a

Speaking about this latest seizure, the Deputy First Minister said

he was hugely relieved and delighted that the explosives

The Police Federation of Northern Ireland says it believes

the explosives would have been used to target members of

The Home Secretary says it's inconceivable there won't be any

changes on arrangements at the border if the UK pulls out

Theresa May is visiting Northern Ireland today

to campaign for a Remain vote in Thursday's EU referendum.

If we think about it, if we were out of the European Union with tariffs

on exporting goods into the EU, there would have to be something to

recognise that between Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

If you pulled out of the EU and came out on free movement, how could you

have a situation where there was an open border

with a country that was

in the EU and had access to free movement?

The DUP says the cost of taking out a big Vote Leave advertisement

in the Metro newspaper in London is a "price worth paying".

The DUP's referendum message is wrapped around today's edition

of the tabloid paper, which is distributed free at Tube

stations and other places around the city and elsewhere.

We are a national party and the fourth largest party

in the House of Commons and this is a national campaign.

Northern Ireland hasn't been the periphery of this campaign.

We have been, as far as the DUP is concerned,

a central player in the Leave campaign and therefore

it is conceivable to take that advert in that

particular publication as it is to take it in the ones

that we have done here in Northern Ireland.

Judges at the Appeal Court in Belfast have queried

whether the recently published abortion guidelines

by the Department of Health clarify the law sufficiently.

It's the second day of an appeal against a High Court decision

which found that Northern Ireland's abortion law is incompatible

The odd shower remains but overnight it will be mainly dry, temperatures

down to ten or 11 degrees. Tomorrow will be much like today, plenty of

dry weather, some sunny gaps but one or two scattered showers. For the

beginning of the day we expect it to be largely dry with some sunny gaps

and westerly winds. If you are travelling there will be parts of

wet weather in the south-west of the UK, there could be some thundery

showers. Elsewhere the odd scattered shower and some sunshine.

Temperatures reaching 20 or even 21 degrees but look out for the odd

scattered shower, particularly towards the West. The us, not a bad

end today -- to the day if you are heading towards the fan zone in

Belfast. It will stay settled over the weekend.