15 Years to the day

[Dawn_Run]

Here (http://www.irishcorner.com/ecardapp.php?image_id=341)

Most guys on here would have some interesting stories about this day 15 years ago. Was anyone there? Would you care to share what you remember of that day??

[Stuttgart88]

I was going to post the same thing at 2.06pm on 12th June (17th anniversary of Stuttgart) but I was on holidays!

Things I remember of Genoa:

Nightmare train trip via Milan from Sicily. We arrived in Milan station after a 24+ hours trip in a non-air conditioned carriage only to find that we & about 50 other Irish only had 2 mins to get the next Genoa train. One Irish lad at the ticket office looked behind, took a count, and paid for everyone's ticket to make sure we all made it. He didn't know any of us. We all paid him back on the train. Great moment of cameraderie.

Staying in a lovely seaside town called Nervi. Sitting on the rocks overlooking the mediterranean early morning watching one Aer Lingus plane after another coming in.

Getting the bus to the match with all these desperately poor Romanians stinking of booze with their red, yellow & blue flags with the hole cut out in the middle.

Getting to the game early to get my flag up (an old UCD superlaegue team).

Had great seats right behind the penalty shoot-out goal.

Seeing Liam Brady on the big screen at the Stadio Luigi Ferraris (?) an hour or so before Kick-off. He was working for Italian TV and used to play in that ground for Sampdoria. The whole Irish crowd sang "Liamo Liamo" which brought a biog smile to his face.

Poor game. Hagi was class though. Bonner did well to keep him out on a couple of occasions. I remembered their goalie, Lung, from a Shamrock Rovers vs University Craiova UEFA Cup match at Milltown about 6 years eralier.

Penalties - well everyone remebers that. How did Cascarino's kick go in? All I saw was this big cloud of dust & Lung diving over the ball. Phew! I took a great pic of O'Leary just hitting the ball but I lost it years later. I also remember thinking that Packie had failed to save 8 out of 8 in the SFA Cup Final against Aberdeen only a few weeks earlier. He then was beaten by 4 out of 4. But I think everyone watching sensed Timofte was going to miss. Sheedy's penalty (the first?) - what a kick!


Taking my flag down & meeting a bunch of friends from Wexford who had gone over to it as they knew it was my flag. They had only gone for that game but came back again for Rome (missing a mate's wedding in the North due to "illness"). They also lent me enough money to stay on for Rome :)

Dancing in the fountain in Genoa until all hours. I sadly also remember a few Irish lads acting the maggot sexually harrassing a female beggar in the town centre. The type of thing you could be sent down for sadly.

[Donal81]

At a friend's little sister's birthday party (I was about 8 at the time). We watched the game in the back garden and when Dave O'Leary scored, we all went out onto the road and everyone started beeping the horns on cars. Not much of a story but what a memory...

[gustavo]

i was eight too and all i remember was all my family watching it and it being the first time we ever watched a football match and i can honestly say that if it wasnt for that match i probably wouldnt be interested in football today because we didnt watch the matches before that and i can remember watching the italy game after that and i was hooked . next game was a friendly against morocco in dalymount with irwin making his debut . great memories :D

[fosterdollar]

At a friend's little sister's birthday party (I was about 8 at the time). We watched the game in the back garden and when Dave O'Leary scored, we all went out onto the road and everyone started beeping the horns on cars. Not much of a story but what a memory...
snap, was at a mate's bro's bday party and the brother was ripping that his thunder had been stolen so spent the match in the back garden. We went bananas after DOL's peno. He was ripping even more then. But we didn't care. God it was such a nice sunny day here then as well.

[Stuttgart88]

I remember reading that the auditions for The Commitments took place during the game. How could they have missed it?

[pete]

Doing the Leaving that year. I remember eating my dinner in front of the tv during later stages of the game - probably missed first half.

[stickyjoe]

great memories thinking back to that day. was only 10 at the time and watched it in a friends house. everybody was out on the road straight after oleary scored. It was penalty shoot outs then for the rest of the day and night on the road ;)

[Baker]

I was ten at the time, remember after the penalties absolutely everyone from grannies to kids pouring onto the streets waving flags and with all the cars beeping their horns. I was so proud was that I was wearing the the Irish keepers jersey. Still have never seen anything like it!



I remember reading that the auditions for The Commitments took place during the game. How could they have missed it?
Incredible oversight really. Although Roddy Doyle makes up for it with a brillant description of the game in The Snapper.


Does anyone remember a story told on The Late Late a few years ago where a woman was telling her story of her memories of the game. She had to go to a funeral of a local elderly batchelor the day of the match which was thoughtfully scheduled for just after the game. However no one took into account that it might go extra time so after the ninety minutes the mourners grudingly filed into the church. However they were being kept up to date with how the match was going during the funeral. The penalties had finished just before the coffin was being removed from the church and everyone at the funeral knew the result while the coffin was being respectfully put into the hearse. However as the hearse drove off everyone finally let loose and started cheering, jumping up and down and hugging each other. At this point an American tourist, who happened to be passing the church started cheering aswell before turning to the woman and telling her that the Irish had the strangest way of having a funeral he had ever seen!

[Ash]

I remember sitting on the couch watching it while wearing the grey Ireland
goalkeepers top (as seen on Packie in that game)

I was 13 and about 30 seconds after Dave O'Leary netted the winner myself
and the auld fella were out the back garden having a penalty shoot out!

Classic memory!

[drinkfeckarse]

15 at the time, remember hiding behind cushions during the penalties!! Ran outside after it going mental finding every body else doing the same!!

It'll be hard to ever top that one for pure elation. :)

[onenilgameover]

I was twevle...Watched it at home....can't really remember too well...but I think I might have been on me toblerone...Anyhoo couldn't watch the peno's.....I'm not the best nerve wise while watching matches on tv....nerves go to threads..if I'm there its no problem...Ran upstairs to me room and stuck my head the window to here the shouts as the peno's went in...and the longer shout...try 15 years after the last one went in... :)

[onenilgameover]

[QUOTE=Ash]I remember sitting on the couch watching it while wearing the grey Ireland
goalkeepers top (as seen on Packie in that game)

QUOTE]


I still have one..its hanging up in front of me. :) ..they had to change from the original yellow because of the clash of coulous with Romania...Grey has always looked good as the goalkeepers colour for Ireland IMO.

[OwlsFan]

Sad memory really. Had been to the 1st round games in Sicily and Sardinia and intended to go back out to that game but upon my return heard my dad had cancer and only had a month to live. Watched the game with him so the memories are very mixed about Italia 90. I thought the support at the game was a bit muted (at least it came across that way on TV) - perhaps there were a lot of day trippers as many of the Sicily brigade had gone home.

But the words "Bonner saves! Bonner saves!" live on.

[tetsujin1979]

I was 9, remember watching it, remember the save, and DOL scoring and not a lot else abou the game to be honest!

Ran out onto the main road near my house in Limerick, everyone was on the road screaming and celebrating!!

One story I remember is of a woman who got stuck on O'Connell Street in Dublin, people started jumping on her car, and the guards asked them to move on, and she said they were fine, she was only there to celebrate herself. Great days!

Along with many others on the board, this is when I fell in love with football.

[Stuttgart88]

Sorry to hear that Owls Fan




I was about 8 at the time


i was eight too


was at a mate's bro's bday party


Doing the Leaving that year.


was only 10 at the time


I was ten at the time


I was 13


15 at the time


I was twevle


I was 9


Jaysus, I'm an aul fella. I was just out of college so ideal time for a World Cup.

I had 5 subjects to do in my final year. Some final exams were at Christmas, some were in June. I jeopardised my results by taking 3 subjects at Christmas and only 2 in June just to ensure I had no exams during the soccer. I don't know how I'd have coped if I had to do my leaving that year.

[Ash]

I still have one..its hanging up in front of me. :) ..they had to change from the original yellow because of the clash of coulous with Romania...Grey has always looked good as the goalkeepers colour for Ireland IMO.

My Mam gave it, along with the home jersey, to my cousin when I grew
out of it. Never forgave her. Deffo the best keepers jersey ever!

[Stuttgart88]

Although Roddy Doyle makes up for it with a brillant description of the game in The Snapper.

EXCEPT - this is true, check it out - Doyle wrote that Bonner dived to his LEFT to save the penno.

Maybe it changed in later editions. Being the pedant I am it drove me mad :)

[fosterdollar]

That's a good summary of where people were at at that time. Seems a lot of us were around the same age i.e. 8-12

[Ash]

I don't know how I'd have coped if I had to do my leaving that year.

I was just finished 1st year in secondary school but the brother was doing
the leaving, poor sod.

When my turn was coming around I actually repeated 5th year so my Leaving
Cert wouldnt clash with USA 94.

[crc]

I was 8 too! :eek:

I don't remember much about the game, or even the penalty shoot-out, but I remember everyone going crazy in the streets of Buncrana - hanging out of cars, sitting on the roof and the bonnet!

[Ash]

And heres a video clip, scroll down the page

http://netsoc.ucd.ie/~justy/90s.html

[Danny]

was this game not on the 25th June ?

Clickity Click (http://www.planetworldcup.com/CUPS/1990/r2_ire_v_rom.html)

Twas a great one though

[Stuttgart88]

Ha Ha. You're right actually! the Italy game was 30th, 5 days later.

[Colm55]

At a friend's little sister's birthday party (I was about 8 at the time). We watched the game in the back garden and when Dave O'Leary scored, we all went out onto the road and everyone started beeping the horns on cars. Not much of a story but what a memory...

Was at something very, very similar myself, only I was nine at the time, some memories though,
didn't know too much about Germany 88 only what my brother told me at the time cos he had the sticker album, and i asked questions about it. but Italia 90 and all the qualifiers, getting off early from school to watch the home qualifiers cos lansdowne had no floodlights, the feeling of nostalgia is quite amazing...

[Junior]

Anyone seen the picture of O'Connell street during the penalty shoot out (uts in the book Whats the story). Not a soul on the street - eerie...............


Myself, I watched the 90 minutes in the Grove in Manchester with about a 1000 other paddies, I was about 16 at the time and had thoroughly enjoyed watching the games so far in the tournament.

At the time I had a Part Time job stacking shelves at Tesco's. And being the consciencous young soul that I was, I wnet to do my evening shift, not getting home till about half ten that night totally unaware of how extra time etc... had gone.

My mum met me at the door with a big grin and couldn't believe I didn't know the outcome.

Funny, the things you find important when you are young. I had a commitment to Tescos and I wasn't going to let them down, jaysus if it was now, I wouldn't miss any of the game and would probably have missed work for the next 2 or 3 days!!!!!!!

[strangeirish]

I was watching the game over here and it was the first time US tv showed the world cup. Settled in at a pub with about 20 local sawker lads. 10 mins into the game they break for a fcuking ad. This went on during the whole broadcast! Talk about nearly having a caniption and listening to the yank announcers was really p***ing me off. By the time O'Leary scored I was sh**faced on the floor and don't remember too much after that!!!! Anyway, when I woke up and got to my house, I rang home and my brother said that the whole town of Newbridge was out on the main street going mad and causing traffic to be at a standstill.

[Donal81]

I remember the qualifiers for the 1990 World Cup. I was more of a GAA fan at the time but remember staying up late while my da watched Spain v Ireland when we got beat 2-0. He had the radio on as well because the connection was so poor on RTE. I kept asking my da what it meant, "why aren't we winning," etc. I was so young and so used to associating us with winning that I genuinely didn't understand how we could actually lose. Oh the innocence of it...By the end of the qualifiers, GAA had been relegated to second place where it's remained ever since compared to following Ireland.

Christ, I've read some accounts of the whole 1988-1990 thing as being the dominant factor in creating the Celtic Tiger, never mind Charlie Haughey, the IFSC, corporation tax, etc, etc. The tricolour also became fashionable again, after decades of being associated with coffins at IRA funerals. Some famous quote goes "we took the flag back from the Provos." I wish I had been a bit older at the time to take it all in.

Didn't make it out to see the team home from Italy. Kerry were playing Cork in Pairc Ui Caoimh on the same day and the old man brought me down. I wouldn't be so bitter about it today had the Rebel b*stards not hammered us. :)

[Fergie's Son]

I was watching the game over here and it was the first time US tv showed the world cup.

Not to be a pedant but the major U.S. networks have been showing at least the quater finals onwards since 1982 (1986 for certain).

I was 16 at the time and I watched it at my Granddad's house. Amazing stuff. Right after the penalty though my Uncle got a call that his Uncle had fallen and was in a bad way. So we all went over to help him out which put a bit of a downer on the day.

[ccfcgirl]

I was 11 ,i watched the game at home with my dad.I remember when david o L WENT UP TO TAKE PENO ,my dad was cursing saying not him ,but he scored and we were screaming .

[strangeirish]

Not to be a pedant but the major U.S. networks have been showing at least the quater finals onwards since 1982 (1986 for certain).


No worries. I should have said it was the first time they showed all the games.

[Cowboy]

Met some lads from ballyfermot out there and queued up for two hours in sweltering heat for tickets. There were stories going round that Dr Tony O' Neill has some Italian official by the throat in order to get more tickets. Stayed in a small hotel out on the coast where the wonderful host actually loaned guys some lire when we arrived as all the buros were closed. Also remeber a guy who is now an LOI referee dancing in the fountain afterwards.

****e game for the neutrals though :)

[lopez]

Sad to hear about your dad OwlsFan, but the support was packed full of daytrippers although I'm not too sure it was muted (lot louder than most recent games). I was in a bank with Conchita in Genoa when this banker asked me for my shirt. He had an Italian replica except this one was minus the diadora (the Azzurri shirt did not carry this logo but all replicas did). It was like being offered an Irish shirt without the eircom cr*p.

Anyway I swapped but it wasn't long before mingling among the Irish I was getting some dirty looks. One Dub comes up to me and says: 'Why don't you Italians leave our f*cking women alone?' :rolleyes: They thought Conchita was over for some boloney as well as the football. Got myself an Ireland scarfe to look a bit more Irish but it didn't seem to work that much. The shirt ended up being theived in a place called Latina, down the coast from Rome while it was hanging out of my hotel window after being washed. :mad: Great times all the same.

[sligoman]

I was nearly 2 years old so my memories are slightly faded :D

[Dotsy]

Had to come home after the first round as we had run out of cash and were due back at work. Watched the match in the pub. Couldn't bring myself to watch O'Leary take his peno. Shed a tear or two when we won. Every body bailing out of the pub at full time and the brilliant atmosphere on the streets.

[wallis]

Had my maths A-level that afternoon. Rushed through a 3 hour exam in 45 minutes. Asked to be excused and ran home in time for the kick off. Got the beers out of the fridge and screamed the house down during penalties.

August 18th 1990 - A level maths result - 'U' (for ungraded , didnt even get enough marks to get an 'N' (for Nearly graded)) :mad:

[Green Army Girl]

I think this pictures sums up what were all felt that day. Mind u ive seen better similes. Is it true that up in Donegal they named a boat Timofte.

www.clubi.ie/fpage/history/pics/90irevrom2.html

[Baker]

[QUOTE=Green Army Girl]I think this pictures sums up what were all felt that day. Mind u ive seen better similes. Is it true that up in Donegal they named a boat Timofte.

QUOTE]
I think thats one of Jimmy Magees stories alright.

I think it was before the last world cup one of the Sunday papers printed an interview with Timofte. He now owns a bar in his home town back in Romania called Penalty!