1988 Olympic qualifiers

[Sheridan]

As you're probably aware, Ireland was represented in the qualifying tournament of the 1988 Olympic Games by a League of Ireland select XI. The results were as follows:

11/11/1986 - Milltown
Ireland 1-2 Hungary

11/4/1987 - Tolka Park
Ireland 2-2 Spain

5/4/1987 - Malmo
Sweden 1-0 Ireland

11/8/1987 - Dunkirk
France 1-1 Ireland

26/8/1987 - Dalymount Park
Ireland 0-1 Sweden

18/11/1987 - Dalymount Park
Ireland 3-0 France

4/5/1987 - Budapest
Hungary 3-1 Ireland

18/5/1987 - Alicante
Spain 2-2 Ireland

Anyone have line-ups/scorers for the above? Also, is anyone aware whether eligibility for the team was restricted to amateur players?

[hoops1]

I was at that game in Milltown Ireland/Rovers battered them but still lost

[Bohs Belgie]

I was at that game in Milltown Ireland/Rovers battered them but still lost

Personally, i always thought the team should have been called "Ireland/rovers/Bohs Rejects XI", but i know what your getting at :D

[paudie]

Also, is anyone aware whether eligibility for the team was restricted to amateur players?

I'm fairly sure that eligibilty wasn't restricted to amateurs.

It was basically a LOI team, all of whom would have been part time pros.

I think Dave Barry scored in one of the games, possibly the away game in Hungary.

[Patrick Dunne]

Galway United's John Mannion was a part of the squad for
that campaign.

[oriel]

I was at a few of those games too.

The team was made up mainly of 8 rovers players + others

sample of a team was

alan oneill (dlk)

gino lawless (dlk) mick neville pete eccles Kevin brady (all rovs)

john coady paul doolin byrne (all rovs) barry kehoe

mick byrne + noel larkin (both rovs)

above is my memory of starting x1, before cork fans jumo down my throat, yes dave barry started quite a lot of games, i jsut remember 8 rovs players in the team

subs were mick bennet (waterford) and sweeper from derry who`s name escapes me played a few games too, . Players restricted to loi only



hows that for memory

[NY Hoop]

Otherwise known as Rovers and others.

We battered Hungary at Milltown but lost a winnable game. Mick Byrne scored.

Mick Byrne and Noel Larkin scored at tolka against Spain. Noel chipped the keeper from 40 yards in Dunkirk.

Peter Eccles and Mick Bennett I think scored against France at Dalymount.

Sweden won the group. Ireland finished 4th.

KOH

[gustavo]

How come we havent taken part since?

[Dodge]

I have a decent bitat home about it but it'll be Sunday/Monday before I get a chance to write up.


Keeper was usually Alan O'Neill with Dave Henderson deputising. Of course it was mostly the Rovers team but Waterford had one or two as did Dundalk. AFAIK no pats player was involved (Henderson was with Drogheda)

The IOC changed the rules so that the final tournament would be an U23 event with 3/4 overage players allowed. UEFA decided the qualifiers should be the Euro U21 championship, and we've been **** at that. Obviously no GB teams compete but the English FA is trying very hard to get a team for the 2012 Olympics

[Stuttgart88]

Fantastic games. Robbed in Milltown. Arguably my favouraite ever game at Tolka.

Would love to see a repeat of some sorts. Would be far more beneficial for the eL than the prospective B international series.

[LeixlipRed]

Way too young to remember those games. Sounds fascinating though. Pity it can't be repeated. Any idea of what sort of crowds watched the games?

[Dodge]

Way too young to remember those games. Sounds fascinating though. Pity it can't be repeated. Any idea of what sort of crowds watched the games?

Not great but then this was at a time when less than 20,000 watched Ireland senior side play Brazil so the bandwagon hadn't taken off then

Squad was usually made up of these
GK
Kevin Brady, Peter Eccles, Mick Neville, Harry Kenny, Dermot Keely, Mick Byrne, Paul Doolin, Noel Larkin (rovers), Dermot O'Neill, Barry Murphy, Derek Swan, Jackie Jameson (Bohs), Alan O'Neill, Gino Lawless, Barry Kehoe, Dessie Gorman (Dundalk), John mannion (Galway), DAve Henderson (Drogheda), Dave Barry (COrk), Kevin Power (waterford)

[Dodge]

BTW Sweden qualkied from our group, and got to the 1/4 finals in the Olympics before been beaten by Italy.

Have a look at the Brazilian and German squads
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Football_at_the_1988_Summer_Olympics

[MariborKev]

I was at a few of those games too.

subs were mick bennet (waterford) and sweeper from derry who`s name escapes me played a few games too, . Players restricted to loi only



Aye, I think Alan Harrison was the Derry player you mention.

Ex-Glentoran and allegedly a few dodgy links with Loyalist paramilitaries.....

[kdjaC]

Milltoen was practically full for the one i went too, had 8 rovers players in it so mosrtly rovers fans.

Was a great idea would be good to see ireland enter it again.

Argentinas olympic team was pretty much their world cup team, how are they allowed do that ?


kdjac

[Dodge]

Argentinas olympic team was pretty much their world cup team, how are they allowed do that ?

Its now an U23 team with 3 or 4 overage players (not sure)

[TonyD]

I was at the game v France in Dalymount. Don't remember too much about it tbh, but Mick Bennet of Waterford scord a hat trick I'm fairly sure (he defo got 2 anyway) I think he moved to Belgium (Waregem?) shortly afterwards.

[Ronnie]

I was at game in Tolka, a cracker from what I remember and game that Ireland should have won. I think to be eligible you had to be playing in your own league, so Irish lads playing in other countries couln't play. Of course, Spain had players from their top division, whatever it was called at that time.

[monzo]

I agree that another bout of this would be far more benificial that this B international thing. By the way, has this been completely ignored or what?

[harpskid]

There's a B International coming up shortly

[monzo]

Good.