Foot.ie decides - Ireland's best goal!

[geysir]

Andy Reid
Aiden McGeady

[jbyrne]

keane / mc geady

[SkStu]

Reid/McGeady

[pineapple stu]

Matty Holland v Portugal and Darron Gibson v Wales march on, overcoming Robbie Keane v France and Denis Irwin v Belgium on 8-3 scorelines in each case.

Gibson's is the first non-competitive goal in the last 16 - so far, we have three finals goals, two qualifcation-securing goals and two goals against sides who topped our group.

Aiden McGeady v Georgia is 11-0 up on Matt Holland v Estonia, but the other tie is much closer, with Andy Reid v Cyprus holding a 7-4 lead over Robbie Keane v Yugoslavia.

And we can crack out two more knock-out ties now. First up, Kevin Doyle A v Slovakia, 2007 goes head-to-head with Robbie Keane A v Holland, 2004. Only one can progress...


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vVu9Q2EgHc

[pineapple stu]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xl9ukGgaXjw

[pineapple stu]

The second of this evening's ties then sees Jon Walters H v Uruguay, 2017 up against Ian Harte H v Israel, 2005. Both scored from around the same spot in around the same way, though one was a free-kick and one was a pop out of nothing.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT5jI27qXOE

[pineapple stu]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r9x68LLAKs

[SkStu]

Doyle/Harte

[NeverFeltBetter]

Keane
Walters

[pineapple stu]

Sets us up nicely! :)

[nigel-harps1954]

Doyle/Walters

[Eirambler]

Doyle and Walters.

[DeLorean]

Doyle/Harte

[Fixer82]

Keane
Walters

[pineapple stu]

Andy Reid H v Cyprus 7-4 Robbie Keane H v Yugoslavia
Aiden McGeady A v Georgia 11-0 Matt Holland A v Estonia

The next two ties are both currently 4-2 - Kevin Doyle and Jon Walters with the edge over Robbie Keane and Ian Harte.

The last two round of 32 ties are up today, and I think the cream has floated down to the bottom half of the bracket. First up, it's Ray Houghton earning one of our most memorable wins N v Italy against Steve Staunton saving our blushes A v Malta 1999


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

[pineapple stu]

And just a brief glimpse of that Stan goal is all we have - time is 1:06; time-stamped link is here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFWusaKRtBo&t=1m7s).


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFWusaKRtBo&t=1m7s

[pineapple stu]

And the other pairing is another of our great wins up against one of our great...almost-wins? Should-be wins? It's Shane Long H v Germany 2015 against Robbie Keane A v Holland 2000.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJup10szLr0

[pineapple stu]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVV-f9LoSLw&t=1m2s
Time is 1:02; time-stamped link is here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVV-f9LoSLw&t=1m2s).

[Eirambler]

Houghton and Long.

[geysir]

Doyle Harte

[tetsujin1979]

Doyle and Walters
Staunton and Long

[DeLorean]

Staunton/Long.

That free kick was a lot better than I remember. Definitely meant it. :o

[passinginterest]

Doyle/Harte
Houghton/Long

[NeverFeltBetter]

Houghton
Long

[Fixer82]

Houghton
Long

[elatedscum]

Andy Reid (closed i guess)
McGeady (closed i guess)
Doyle
Harte (just about)
Houghton
Long

[SkStu]

Houghton/Long

[Real ale Madrid]

Doyle
Harte

[Real ale Madrid]

Houghton
Long

[pineapple stu]

Andy Reid (closed i guess)
McGeady (closed i guess)

Closed alright, though you voted for the winners at least!

Though to make up for that, you did at least have the casting vote in the Walters v Harte tie. We had a straightforward 9-2 win for Kevin Doyle A v Slovakia, 2007 over Robbie Keane A v Holland, 2004, but a much tighter match in the other one, with Ian Harte H v Israel, 2005 pipping Jon Walters H v Uruguay, 2017 by the narrowest of margins, 6-5.

Shane Long H v Germany is romping to victory against Robbie Keane A v Holland; 9-0 at the moment. That would mean four defeats from four for Robbie in the knock-outs - he has just one chance left to make the last 16. Meanwhile, a flurry of votes for Ray Houghton have pushed his goal v Italy in 1994 into a 7-2 lead against Steve Staunton A v Malta, 1999. If those results stay the same, it'd mean only one set-piece in the last 16, which we can deem our best-ever free-kick - Ian Harte v Israel.

The last of the round of 32 up now. First up - Robbie Keane H v Israel, 2005 against Liam Brady H v Brazil, 1987.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r9x68LLAKs&t=0m13s
Time is 0:13; time-stamped link is here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4r9x68LLAKs&t=0m13s).

[pineapple stu]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ViNvMb-zyc

[pineapple stu]

And the final match is probably the toughest of the knock-outs to be honest - two fairly iconic goals going head-to-head. Jason McAteer A v Holland, 2000 and Mark Kennedy H v Yugoslavia, 1999. It's the last time we'll see one of them in this competition...


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).

[pineapple stu]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=HTERrBF2gRs&t=1m58s
Time is 1:58; time-stamped link is here (https://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=HTERrBF2gRs&t=1m58s).

[geysir]

Staunton & Long

Staunton "the man from Dundalk" but Drogheda born when Ireland manager.

[geysir]

These last two pairs are most difficult to decide upon.

Keane & McAteer.

I think one of those two goals v Netherlands should go into the next round.

[Fixer82]

Keane
Kennedy

[osarusan]

Doyle
Harte
Staunton
Keane

[pineapple stu]

I think you're one round behind osarusan - Doyle/Harte battle is just after ending, and I presume the Keane you mean is v Holland as opposed to v Israel?

[NeverFeltBetter]

Liam Brady
McAteer

[elatedscum]

Keane
Kennedy

[Yard of Pace]

Late to the party but that Tony Grealish goal for me is a joy, all the more for having never seeing it before. Shoulda won :-)

[pineapple stu]

So two more through to the final 16 - Ray Houghton N v Italy, 1994 sees off Steve Staunton A v Malta, 1999 7-4, while osarusan saved Robbie Keane A v Holland, 2000 from a whitewash against Shane Long H v Germany, 2015, but 10-1 is still a fairly conclusive win.

The last round of 32 ties are still open - Robbie Keane H v Israel, 2005 holds a 3-1 lead over Liam Brady H v Brazil, 1987, while it's level at 2-2 in the tie between Jason McAteer A v Holland, 2000 and Mark Kennedy H v Yugoslavia, 1999. Votes taken till 6ish to complete the last 16 line-up.

Again as the place is quieter at the weekends, I'll probably hold off until Monday before starting the last 16. But would be looking then at the last 16 on Mon-Weds, the quarters on Thurs-Fri, and the semis and final the week after.

Probably also worth looking at introducing reasons for your vote from the last 16 just to get a bit more chat going! Maybe a recommendation for the last 16 and we'll see how it works out.

[osarusan]

I think you're one round behind osarusan - Doyle/Harte battle is just after ending, and I presume the Keane you mean is v Holland as opposed to v Israel?

Ok, working backwards...

McAteer over Kennedy
Robbie Keane over Brady
Keane over Long
Staunton over Houghton

[osarusan]

Pineapple Stu, in post 380, you said it's Robbie Brady against Liam Brady, but the goal is Ian harte. And above in post 392, you said it's Robbie Keane leading Brady. That should be Harte again right?

[osarusan]

In my case, I'm trying to exclude the significance of the occasion but include the quality of opposition, but sometimes a strike is just so sweet the opposition doesn't matter (so I voted (too late) for Staunton over Houghton).

I voted for Keane over Long as Keane's goal was really well worked whereas Long was a good finish after a hopeful punt. If you take away the occasion (the only goal against Germany) I don't think it's that great a goal, but so be it.

I can see my own pattern of preferring well-worked goals over long strikes coming though.

[pineapple stu]

Pineapple Stu, in post 380, you said it's Robbie Brady against Liam Brady, but the goal is Ian harte. And above in post 392, you said it's Robbie Keane leading Brady. That should be Harte again right?
No - should be Robbie Keane (not Robbie Brady), but it's in the same game as the Ian Harte goal.

So the embedded link can't start at the right time automatically, but if you click on the link under the embedded video, you'll get the goal.

My mistake on that though; I'll correct it now.

[Eirambler]

Robbie Keane and Jason McAteer for the last two matches.

Last one is tough but the two back flicks in the build up to the shot were incredible and McAteer took it well on his weaker left foot.

2002 qualifiers were probably my favourite time following the team. For the first time we were playing good football while being successful as well. Would love to see us get back to that under Kenny.

[passinginterest]

Keane and McAteer.

[Real ale Madrid]

Liam Brady
Jason McAteer

[DeLorean]

If those results stay the same, it'd mean only one set-piece in the last 16, which we can deem our best-ever free-kick - Ian Harte v Israel.

Interesting. We've definitely had better, just depends what they were paired against I suppose. Actually, Robbie Brady got a beaut against the USA, I assume that made the original cut but can't remember seeing it.