Foot.ie decides - Ireland's best goal! [Archive] - Page 13

Eminence Grise

28/07/2020, 10:55 PM

Tougher one this. McGeady's goal is a lovely piece of skill, McAteer's a good build-up and finish, despite the Dutch touch... Tie-break time for me, all things being equal, and my vote goes to .... McAteer, just because I like him more and felt we never saw enough end product from McGeady that his talent should have brought.

pineapple stu

29/07/2020, 6:38 AM

So we have our two finalists - Aiden McGeady edges a tight match 7-4, which means it's straight back out onto the pitch for Jason in our third-fourth place play-off.

From the first semi-final, we have Alan McLoughlin A v Northern Ireland, 1993

Record to date -
Group - Winner Group H ahead of Kevin Doyle H v Andorra 2010, Robbie Keane H v Denmark, 2002, James McClean H v Uruguay, 2017, Roy Keane H v Hungary, 1993 and Gary Waddock H v Holland, 1983
Last 32 - won 9-4 v Liam Brady H v France, 1977
Last 16 - won 7-6 v Jason McAteer H v Holland, 2001
QF - won 9-4 v Glenn Whelan H v Italy, 2009
SF - lost 8-3 v Ronnie Whelan N v USSR, 1988

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xp9Bt18Rvv4&t=1m30s
Time is 1:30; time-stamped link is here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xp9Bt18Rvv4&t=1m30s).

pineapple stu

29/07/2020, 6:40 AM

And from the second semi, Jason McAteer A v Holland, 2000

Group - Winner Group J ahead of Liam Lawrence H v South Africa 2009, Michael Robinson H v Holland 1982, Gary Breen N v Saudi Arabia 2002, and Niall Quinn A v Macedonia 1999
Last 32 - won 7-3 v Mark Kennedy H v Yugoslavia 1999
Last 16 - won 10-1 v Robbie Keane H v Israel 2005
QF - won 11-1 v Shane Long H v Germany 2015
SF - lost 7-4 v Aiden McGeady A v Georgia 2014

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVV-f9LoSLw&t=2m28s
Time is 2:28; time-stamped link is here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVV-f9LoSLw&t=2m28s).

The final will get underway this time tomorrow!

tetsujin1979

29/07/2020, 7:07 AM

McAteer, the build up shades it for me.

NeverFeltBetter

29/07/2020, 7:35 AM

McAteer

Fixer82

29/07/2020, 7:39 AM

McAteer

osarusan

29/07/2020, 7:50 AM

McAteer...better build up, weaker foot too.

DeLorean

29/07/2020, 8:27 AM

McLoughlin... McAteer's is basically an illusion of a great goal (albeit a decent strike) so the importance of McLoughlin's swings it.

Stuttgart88

29/07/2020, 9:54 AM

I think McAteer's is the dyed blonde eastern European with fake boobs, but McLoughlin's is the one you'd take home to your mum. I think McLoughlin's suffers from being in a sh1t ground with a semi-fog in the air and outdated floodlights.

McLoughlin for me. It's the one you can watch over and over without ever getting tired of it. McAteer's looks good once and then you can park away the memory for another few years.

geysir

29/07/2020, 10:46 AM

McAteer and it's not even his best goal for us.

EAFC_rdfl

29/07/2020, 11:27 AM

McLaughlin, a lovely take down and finish

passinginterest

29/07/2020, 12:37 PM

McAteer again for me. Maybe I�m just biased because I was a massive fan boy back in the day. I wore my jersey tucked in on the right side only for my entire footballing life (I�d still instinctively do it now even in a five a side) because that�s how I saw McAteer wearing his. I�m just disappointed it wasn�t a McAteer versus Whelan final so it would be my two favourite footballers from my formative years head to head!

DeLorean

29/07/2020, 12:48 PM

McAteer and it's not even his best goal for us.

Only three international goals but all finishes of high quality, the two obvious ones and this, ably assisted by his rival for bronze.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Cyg-JcBpiU

Diggs246

29/07/2020, 12:57 PM

Only three international goals but all finishes of high quality, the two obvious ones and this, ably assisted by his rival for bronze.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Cyg-JcBpiU

Mcateer by a mile

Eminence Grise

29/07/2020, 1:22 PM

McAteer for me. Ireland putting it up to a top class team, and playing like we belonged there. Plus, since I'm from originally from Stretford, anything that makes Van Gaal look glum has to be worth extra credit (even if it's thanks to a Scouser!) McGeady - fine skill but against a weaker team, albeit our bogeys.

geysir

29/07/2020, 5:55 PM

pineapple stu

30/07/2020, 7:51 AM

So an 8-3 win for Jason, and he takes third spot. Though I'm tempted to give Stutts double points for the best reason of the whole competition so far!

DeLorean raises the interesting question actually of whether McAteer was the only player with more than one senior goal who had all of them nominated for this competition? (Ashley Grimes, Kevin O'Callaghan, Liam Miller, Marc Wilson, Se�ni Maguire and Anthony Pilkington had their only senior goal nominated)

But a weightier question to be answered first off. It's time for the final. Which was the greatest (senior, men's, televised) Ireland goal of all time?

Was it Ronnie Whelan N v USSR 1988? Or Aiden McGeady A v Georgia 2014? All will be decided in the next 24 hours

Group - Winner Group C ahead of James McClean A v Wales 2017, Kevin Sheedy N v England 1990, Keith Andrews A v Italy 2011, Robbie Keane N v Saudi Arabia 2002, and Kevin O'Callaghan H v Malta 1983.
Last 32 - won 12-0 v Kevin Doyle H v Andorra 2010
Last 16 - won 9-2 v Matt Holland N v Cameroon 2002
QF - won 9-2 v Matt Holland A v Portugal 2000
SF - won 8-3 v Alan McLoughlin A v Northern Ireland 1993

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3l5zUw8vGM

pineapple stu

30/07/2020, 7:52 AM

Group - winner Group B ahead of Robbie Keane A v Holland 2004, Steve Staunton H v USSR 1990, Ray Houghton N v England 1988, Andy Townsend H v Northern Ireland 1993, and Robbie Keane N v Nigeria 2009
Last 32 - won 11-0 v Matt Holland A v Estonia 2001
Last 16 - won 11-0 v Andy Reid H v Cyprus 2005
Last 8 - won 9-3 v Kevin Doyle A v Slovakia 2007
SF - won 7-4 v Jason McAteer A v Holland 2000

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GHjf0nWN0_0

DeLorean

30/07/2020, 8:06 AM

McGeady.

Perfection versus imperfection.

The fact that this piece of skill is actually named after Aiden emphasises its greatness. It's not just a one-off moment that he'd never tried before or since, it's years of dedication to a skill coming to fruition at a crucial moment of a big game, with his team desperate to win but all out of ideas.

Whelan's is iconic, it cemented our arrival as a footballing nation on the world stage. Full credit to him for attempting such an outlandish, acrobatic shot on goal, but at the end of the day it's mistimed, he gets it wrong but also gets very, very lucky.

In short, Whelan's is a bit of a fluke. McGeady's is Ireland's best goal.

tetsujin1979

30/07/2020, 8:29 AM

Whelan.

I don't think it's a fluke, Whelan certainly had the ability to make that shot. The whole "it came off his shin" argument is immaterial in my opinion - I'm still not sure if Rooney's bicycle kick against City came off his boot or his ankle - and in either case, whether or not it comes off his boot or not doesn't take anything away from the actual goal. The Soviet Union went on to finish runners up in that tournament, thanks to another wonder strike, we were making our first appearance at an international tournament, and we score one of the goals of the tournament against them, a goal that is still talked about more than thirty years later, and not just by Ireland fans.

McGeady's goal shades it from a skill point of view, I said when I voted for it that no other Irish player could have made that shot, and I stand by that. There's a few that have attempted bicycle kicks - I still wonder what would have happened if Shane Long's attempt at home against Austria hadn't been saved - but none of the goals we've scored at international tournaments come close in terms of difficulty, strength of opposition, and just sheer amazement to Whelan's, and that's why it's my choice.

NeverFeltBetter

30/07/2020, 8:44 AM

I'll go with McGeady. Whelan's has the advantage in terms of sheer athleticism, the occasion and the quality of the opposition, but there is a large element of, as much as I dislike the term and the negative connotation, fluke to it. I don't mean to say the goal was a totally random happenstance, just that Whelan reacted in the moment by just thinking "**** it" and going for a crazy attempt, that 99 other times would have gone sailing away from goal.

McGeady's goal, despite the limited opposition, is a calculated thing, and that's what makes it great. Taking the ball down, shrugging off the defender, then the step-over to make space, then the finish. To be clear, I don't think it's Ireland's best goal personally - I'm not sure what I would pick from the choices overall, maybe McAteer vs Holland - but I do value it higher than Whelan's.

Eirambler

30/07/2020, 9:19 AM

Whelan - it's imperfect and yet perfect at the same time. Unfortunately I don't remember the goal being scored live, I was 6 and my only memory from Euro 88 is watching the England game. My Ireland journey only properly started during the Italia 90 qualifiers.

I hope to be watching Ireland at major finals for decades to come but I can't imagine that we'll ever score a finals goal as good again. McGeady's is a brilliant piece of skill and deserves its place in the final, but Whelan's is the most outstanding, iconic, unbelievable goal we've ever scored.

Stuttgart88

30/07/2020, 9:21 AM

Either would be a deserving winner. But McGeady despite the lesser occasion.

The shin imperfection is critical for me.

osarusan

30/07/2020, 9:27 AM

Whelan. The courage to try it is enough for me. I don't think any Irish player has even come close to succeeding at something as audacious.

Also, if some other website somewhere decides to talk about how 'Foot.ie has voted for Ireland's best ever goal' it's better for Whelan to be the winner than McGeady.

jbyrne

30/07/2020, 10:12 AM

two excellent goals but its whelan for me. the fact that it hit his shin is irrelevant. nothing lucky about it either as he was obviously trying to score

Eminence Grise

30/07/2020, 10:22 AM

It’s Whelan for me.

Both goals are something only special players are capable of – that combination of self-belief, audacity, skill and the ability to compress time so things move in slow motion around you while you speed up.

But a goal is more than technique or build-up play, or match and opposition. You can even make an argument that with all the random elements that have to combine perfectly every goal is more likely down to chance than not.

There is an emotional aspect for a fan that is important as well, and for a fourteen-year old watching that at home, listening to Dad say a few minutes after Whelan scored that if we got to the final he’d buy a new telly for the occasion* was a sign of the excitement that swept us all up.

There is also an historical context that frames the moment. Looking back, I believe Whelan’s goal validated Houghton’s header against England. The narrative after the first game (especially in the English papers) was unlucky England, a fluke from Ireland via the granny rule, and we would be found out very quickly. When Whelan scored, it negated all that. We weren’t pushovers – for a moment, we were contenders, the Dutch were relieved to beat us – while here was the son of another Irish international bridging the present and the near-miss generations. And it was glorious.

We cheered when McGeady scored. Whelan elevated us.

That’s my tuppence worth.

* He held out till '89.

seanfhear

30/07/2020, 11:30 AM

Whelan. Good control with the Shin, Not easy.

CraftyToePoke

30/07/2020, 11:37 AM

Whelan.

Shin or no shin, all shin half ankle, no matter, its a childhood high memory.

Stuttgart88

30/07/2020, 11:43 AM

Jeez, all this childhood memory talk is making me feel old. Geysir & I grown men when Whelan scored. Childhood memories for me include Brady's goal v France. Even Grealish's screamer v Cyprus (was that ever entered into this competition?) was when I was a teenager.

Kingdom

30/07/2020, 11:57 AM

I have to vote for Aiden McGeady.

I love Ronnie Whelan's goal - I don't agree that only a special player could do it, every person who has ever kicked a football has the possibility to strike a ball towards goal like he did. And it's amazing.

But only special - mercurial even - players could think of doing what Aiden did, nevermind pull it off, in the last minute of a critical Euro qualifier that we needed to win. What's worse, I actually don't think too many people actually rate, or even recall the goal. Bizarrely.

Aiden McGeady hands down for me.

passinginterest

30/07/2020, 12:25 PM

Ronnie for me, iconic, footballing brilliance to improvise a shot out of nothing. Sorry to the auld lads, but I'm fairly sure it's my first actual footballing memory (I was 5) and it was the reason I started to follow Liverpool (despite my Dad having Man U leanings and all my cousins following Arsenal). McGeady's is a good goal but there's few outside of Ireland who it really made a mark on. Ronnie's will always be a part of any review of great championship goals.

Fixer82

30/07/2020, 1:04 PM

McGeady just shades it

brine3

30/07/2020, 1:23 PM

A lot of people going for the blinders from far out...

My favourite goals would be the peil ioml�n type, with lots of teamwork and passes and flicks. My top three would be...
3. Robbie Keane vs France in Paris. Lovely one two between Duff and Kilbane, and then Duff drags it back to Keane from the endline. Lovely.
2. Robbie Keane vs Holland in Amsterdam in 2000. (I think there were something like 15-20 passes within the team before the goal, with some nice backheels. And then little Keane scoring with a header against a giant totem pole Dutchman.
1. McAteer vs Holland at Home in 2001. Harte dummying a Dutch player and passing to Roy Keane, Roy Keane making a fool out of Van Bommel, Duffer passing to Finnan, Finnan jinking it past Cocu, Duffer selling Stam for a dummy header (can't beat that), McAteer ghosting into the left wing even though he was playing on the right. Total football. And to think we were down to 10 men.

EAFC_rdfl

30/07/2020, 1:47 PM

I'm going McGeady, a very unique goal

SkStu

30/07/2020, 1:51 PM

Whelan. Shin.
McGeady. Spin.

McGeady for the win.

geysir

30/07/2020, 5:35 PM

Once it's accepted that (in this instance) the shin is a valid strike instrument, then Ronnie shades it by a whisker.

Still feel a bit dirty though about having to relegate McGeady's to 2nd choice.

pineapple stu

30/07/2020, 5:46 PM

Very tight with the evening still to come!

Also the biggest number of votes cast by a distance.

That side, I actually agree with almost everything brine posted. I'd change Keane in Holland and McAteer at home v Holland around on his list. The way we tugged and pulled at the Dutch for that Keane goal was like we'd never done before or since.

I'd still vote Whelan throughout though. There was never a second doubt what he wanted to do; he was teeing up the volley from the moment the throw was taken. And it was a really spectacular, unique goal, shin or no. Not to take away from McGeady, but Whelan's really was special.

I don't get a vote of course. Except in a tie-break. So it does mean McGeady has to win by a clear vote :)

pineapple stu

30/07/2020, 6:48 PM

Even Grealish's screamer v Cyprus (was that ever entered into this competition?) was when I was a teenager.
In the 6-0 win in 1980? No video footage that I can see.

pineapple stu

31/07/2020, 7:55 AM

Commentator's curse - no further voting overnight, so the result is in.

By a tight margin of 9-7, Ireland's greatest goal is...

Ronnie Whelan N v USSR, 1988

A clich� maybe, but a spectacular goal nonetheless, and a worthy winner after a month-long tournament.

Thanks to everyone for taking part; the reasons really made the thread come to life and there were some great memories in there.

But we'll leave it there so, as Bill would say. And we'll finish up with one last view of the goal the good posters of foot.ie have decided was our best ever...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z3l5zUw8vGM

DeLorean

31/07/2020, 8:32 AM

Great work PStu, really brought the place to life.

Fixer82

31/07/2020, 9:20 AM

Great work @pineapplestu
Really enjoyed that

DeLorean

31/07/2020, 9:45 AM

Overall, would it be fair to say the quality of our best goals leaves a little to be desired? I think the final definitely contained the two most out of the ordinary, even if there's a pretty extreme conflict of opinion regarding the relevance of the shin aspect. I don't really agree with Brine regarding our 'team' goals, I just don't think the were of a high enough standard to oust the two the made the final. They were refreshingly good moves for an Irish side, but average enough in a wider context, Whelan and McGeady's weren't.

Without getting too forensic, how would we fare against the other 'home' nations?

Scotland: Without thinking too hard you imagine Archie Gemmill v Holland would win by a landslide (though we'd give Gary Mackay our impartial vote).

Wales: Nothing really comes to mind, a few Bale blockbusters maybe or Robson Kanu v Belgium, given its significance? Sam Vokes in the same game would be well up there on our list too.

England: Gazza v Scotland maybe? Or a couple to choose from the 1966 win, Bobby Charlton semi final, Geoff Hurst to seal it?

NI: Gerry Armstrong v Spain probably, Jimmy Quinn v us had McLoughlin not equalised!

I suppose the importance of the occasion will always weigh heavily, which is a testimony to how good McGeady's needed to be to get so far.

pineapple stu

31/07/2020, 10:00 AM

I think the ones brine mentioned were decent goals which deserved to get further, and were maybe underappreciated.

But as team goals, were they exceptional? Probably not. Whereas the Whelan volley is exceptional I think (especially when you see how early he starts moving into position to get the volley)

I'd say there's plenty of decent goals which we'd either have forgotten or not seen for the other home nations.

Here's (https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/11-greatest-goals-ever-scored-7004314) a comparable list for Wales - includes a Mark Hughes scissors kick v Spain which would have gone far here for example.

(Edit - actually, it's a list of goals by Welsh players, not necessarily international goals)

Eminence Grise

31/07/2020, 10:23 AM

And with the dust settling on this, maybe we can all take a moment to acknowledge Pineapple Stu’s work over the last five weeks.

This has been one of the most enjoyable and addictive threads in a long time – not just the nostalgia and the joy of seeing long-forgotten players, or agonising over two equally classy goals, but the interactions and friendliness have been a reminder of why I joined here in the first place.

So: standing ovation for Pineapple Stu!:clap::clap::clap: