RTE to show most memorable moments in Irish soccer history

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Great moments to get TV treatment

October 2, 2004

The most memorable moments in Irish soccer history will be the subject of a high-profile new television programme to be broadcast on the newly-relaunched RTE2 station, according to reports this week.

The national broadcaster’s second station has undergone its second makeover in seven years.

Formerly known as RTE Network 2, with a snazzy N2 logo, the channel targeted the younger audience in the 15-34 age-group.

However, the competition provided by commercial Irish rival TV3 and English channels such as Channel Four and Sky One led to a drop in the ratings for the station, and the powers-that-be at Montrose opted to inject new life into the station.

Beginning life this weekend as RTE2 – the moniker chosen when the station was originally launched in 1979 – the channel will adopt several themed nights, including a countdown style adopted by Channel Four in their famed six-hour “Top 100” style programmes which fill the prime-time hours on successive weekend nights.

One of these new programmes is set to entail the most memorable moments in Irish soccer history, which is sure to include the unforgettable victories over England at the Euro 88 finals and Italy in the United States six years later, as well as Alan McLoughlin’s goal against Northern Ireland in November 1993 that sent the boys in green through to the World Cup finals in 1994.

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Sounds like it should be good, I wonder exactly what moments they'll choose? The ones mentioned are the obvious ones, I wonder what else will get in?

Just rang home to ask them to record it for me. Do you know when it is going to be on?

Not a clue, I'll post a message up here when the times announced.

A couple of years ago (before I decided the "national" team was a f*cking joke and lost all interest in it), I took certain preliminary steps towards writing a book entitled Ireland's Fifty Greatest Games or something similarly original. I think I used some spurious points system to rank the (subjectively-chosen) fity games, and still have the original list somewhere. Let me see...

Yes, here it is. Make of it what you will.

50: Ireland 1-0 Brazil (Fr, 1987)
49: Ireland 4-0 Turkey (ECQ, 1975)
48: Ireland 1-0 Czechoslovakia (R500, 1986)
47: Ireland 5-2 Germany (Fr, 1936)
46: Ireland 8-0 Malta (ECQ, 1983)
45: Germany 0-2 Ireland (Fr, 1994)
44: Ireland 1-0 USSR (WCQ, 1984)
43: Spain 0-1 Ireland (Fr, 1946)
42: Netherlands 0-1 Ireland (Fr, 1994)
41: Ireland 1-0 Portugal (ECQ, 1995)
40: Netherlands 2-2 Ireland (WCQ, 1981)
39: Ireland 1-0 France (WCQ, 1977)
38: Ireland 2-0 Bulgaria (ECQ, 1987)
37: Ireland 3-0 Denmark (Fr, 2002)
36: Ireland 2-0 Croatia (ECQ, 1999)
35: Portugal 1-1 Ireland (WCQ, 2000)
34: Ireland 2-0 Hungary (WCQ, 1989)
33: Scotland 0-1 Ireland (ECQ, 1987)
32: Ireland 3-2 France (WCQ, 1981)
31: Malta 0-2 Ireland (WCQ, 1989)
30: Ireland 2-1 Netherlands (WCQ, 1981)
29: Ireland 1-1 Cameroon (WCF, 2002)
28: Ireland 2-1 France (WCQ, 1972)
27: Belgium 2-2 Ireland (ECQ, 1986)
26: Ireland 2-0 Iran (WCQ, 2001)
25: Ireland 3-0 Saudi Arabia (WCF, 2002)
24: Ireland 3-0 West Germany (Fr, 1956)
23: Ireland 1-0 Spain (WCQ, 1965)
22: Ireland 3-0 USSR (WCQ, 1974)
21: Netherlands 2-2 Ireland (WCQ, 2000)
20: Czechoslovakia 1-2 Ireland (ECQ, 1967)
19: Spain 0-0 Ireland (WCQ, 1992)
18: Ireland 1-1 England (WCQ, 1957)
17: Italy 1-0 Ireland (WCF, 1990)
16: England 1-1 Ireland (ECQ, 1991)
15: Ireland 1-1 Spain* (WCF, 2002)
14: Ireland 2-1 Yugoslavia (ECQ, 1999)
13: Ireland 1-1 USSR (ECF, 1988)
12: Ireland 4-4 Belgium (WCQ, 1934)
11: Ireland 1-0 Spain (WCQ, 1989)
10: Ireland 3-2 Austria (ECN, 1963)
9: Ireland 1-1 England (WCF, 1990)
8: Ireland 1-1 Netherlands (WCF, 1990)
7: England 0-2 Ireland (Fr, 1949)
6: Northern Ireland 1-1 Ireland (WCQ, 1993)
5: Ireland 1-1 Germany (WCF, 2002)
4: Ireland*1-0 Romania (WCF, 1990)
3: Ireland 1-0 England (ECF, 1988)
2: Ireland 1-0 Netherlands (WCQ, 2001)
1: Ireland 1-0 Italy (WCF, 1994)

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Originally Posted by davros

Good effort;Though the Belgium & Turkey H.play-offs :confused: & the 4-0 away win v.'The Puppet-state', :rolleyes: though they're not a legitimate country! ;)

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As I recall that was actually a dreadful game of football. We were no great shakes that night ...our northern cousins were merely inept beyond belief.

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Originally Posted by Fergie's Son

Just rang home to ask them to record it for me. Do you know when it is going to be on?

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Either side of the French game on Saturday on RTE 2. Don't know the exact times.

half six on saturday i believe

They will have to show Shels beating Split.

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Originally Posted by Lionel Ritchie

As I recall that was actually a dreadful game of football. We were no great shakes that night ...our northern cousins were merely inept beyond belief.

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no way we were great - took them apart - 2 up in 10 minutes, 3 up after half an hour and played with them for the last half an hour instead of sticking in another 2 or 3. they also got 17 points as we did in that group and a 1-1 draw at Lansdowne when we dominated before eventually scoring and giving up a late equaliser to a sucker punch.

BTW Davros Keane was superb that night. :D

For me its got to be Phil Babb's collision with the foot of the post at Anfield a few years back. I'll never forget it, must have been the most painful thing ever. I know its not strictly a moment in Irish history but he was an international at the time. Oooh just thinkin about it............

Did ye see the matches on RTE 2 last night, numbers 32 and 22 on Sheridan's list? It was real archive stuff. Mancini sent off, with photographers and men in sheepskin coats on the pitch around the ref. That and the 100 or so on the roof of the old Dalyier stand! No health and safety those days! Jimmy Magee's commentary was woeful! don Given's hat trick was the best ever for Ireland, all great goals.