Hugo Lennox admits Ireland's Rugby Sevens were "embarrassed" by their Olympic performances.
Playing in the Games for the first time, Anthony Eddy's side were just edged out of a place in the quarter-finals on Tuesday.
But they only won one of their pool games - beating Kenya yesterday after losing to South Africa and the USA.
A late try by Kenya killed Ireland's quarter-final bid but, after dismissing South Korea in their first play-off, they were well beaten 22-0 by Kenya in the 9/10 place play-off today.
And Lennox admitted: “That game showed really what we were like through the whole tournament. We were lacking a bit of grit and we never really got going.
“The Olympics is probably the biggest tournament we’re ever going to play in. I feel we’re embarrassed, to be honest.
“It’s a poor result but you have to be grateful and honoured to be here. If you had told us 12 months ago we’d be going to the Olympics we would have said that would be a really big ask.
"France were a big force in the World Series at the time and it was incredible to turn them over on their own patch (to qualify).
Nevertheless Bryan Mollen believes reaching the Olympics will be an important platform in the development of this Irish team.
“We want to show what we can do," he stated.
"We’ve done that in the World Series but we haven’t done it here. We want to build towards the World Cup in South Africa.
"Like the Olympics, it only comes around every four years.”
