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Group 3:
1. Whelan - even if he shinned it
2. Keane - keeper makes it look worse. Technically beautiful a volley from that height
3. McClean - love the Hendrick stepover. James when he was still effective.
4. Sheedy - good goal, become great because of the opposition
5. Andrews - great strike. Does it get a slight deflection?
6. O’Callaghan - good goal, poor opposition
Don't forget Group D elated!
The full-time has gone on Group C - Ronnie strolls into the last 32, with McClean taking the second spot. Final scores -
Whelan v USSR 60
McClean v Wales 41
Sheedy v England 34
Andrews v Italy 29
Keane v Saudi Arabia 28
O'Callaghan v Malta 13
Group D will remain open until around 6 this evening - Keane and Brady currently leading the way, but it's a competitive group - and Group E is now open. We have -
1) Roy Keane A v Cyprus, 2001
2) Ray Houghton N v Italy, 1994
3) Robbie Brady N v Italy, 2016
4) Gary Doherty A v Russia, 2002
5) Anthony Pilkington H v USA, 2014
6) Mark Kennedy H v Yugoslavia, 1999
Videos to follow shortly.
1) Roy Keane A v Cyprus, 2001
Answering the call for a Roy Keane nomination - the final goal in a demolition job in Cyprus. Time is 2:15; time-stamped link is here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tSeJoNqgCM&t=2m15s
2) Ray Houghton N v Italy, 1994
Another iconic Houghton effort - will this one fare better than the previous one? Time is 0:47; time-stamped link is here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dq_Av65L4R0&t=0m47s
3) Robbie Brady N v Italy, 2016
And another iconic winner against Italy, 18 years later.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nvl3_bXclW0
4) Gary Doherty A v Russia, 2002
It wouldn't be a Best of the Irish list without a header from a cross/corner into the box. This one isn't half bad from the Doc though. Time is 0:24; time-stamped link is here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2IVSOTAmog&t=0m24s
5) Anthony Pilkington H v USA, 2014
A forgotten recent goal from a forgotten recent player, it's probably fair to say. I think it deserves to be included though - the pass from McGoldrick is sublime. Time is 0:38; time-stamped link is here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3KBMdz-oS7Y&t=0m38s
6) Mark Kennedy H v Yugoslavia, 1999
Probably up there with Whelan for best out-of-the-blue strike over the years. Time is 1:58; time-stamped link is here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=HTERrBF2gRs&t=1m58s
The Houghton, Brady and Kennedy goals in the same group - controversial!
1st) Mark Kennedy H v Yugoslavia, 1999
2) Ray Houghton N v Italy, 1994 (the slight deflection to take it over Pagliuca keeps it off the top for me)
3) Robbie Brady N v Italy, 2016
4) Roy Keane A v Cyprus, 2001
5) Anthony Pilkington H v USA, 2014
6) Gary Doherty A v Russia, 2002
Hey, I never said this would be easy! :)
D
1. Ireland
2. Keane
3. Byrne
4. Brady
5. Morrison
6. Stapleton
E
Keane
Houghton
Kennedy
Brady
Pilkington
Doherty
Group D
1. Brady - love it. Fools about 6 simultaneously
2. Keane - beautiful technique, lovely pass
3. Stapleton - the precursor to Thierry Henry v Charlton
4. Ireland - lovely individualism and rounding the keeper but a tier below the top 3
5. Byrne
6. Morrison
Group E
1. (Sugar) Ray Houghton
2. Mark Kennedy
3. Robbie Brady
4. Garry Doherty
5. Roy Keane
6. Anthony Pilkington
Group E
1. Houghton - hangs in the air beautifully, maybe it’s the heavier balls.
2. Kennedy - perfect strike
3. Brady - meant so much, the pass by Wes
4. Pilkington - love the pass by Ditzy and the clipped finish
5. Keane - great goal
6. Doherty
Group E
Kennedy
Brady
Keane
Houghton
Doherty
Pilkington
Quiet day today! Touch wood the old site still has the legs to see this tournament through :) Still a couple of hours left to vote in Group D before the Group F contenders are revealed.
These aren't getting any easier..
Group D:
1. Byrne
2. Keane
3. Morrison
4. Brady
5. Ireland
6. Stapleton
Group E:
1. Kennedy
2. Houghton
3. Brady
4. Keane
5. Doherty
6. Pilkington
Group E
- Ray Houghton N v Italy, 1994 – the stage and the opposition, the something out of nothing… Class.
- Roy Keane A v Cyprus, 2001 – easy to forget that for all he was a hard man (especially since he took up studs-up punditry) there was a player of real skill there too.
- Anthony Pilkington H v USA, 2014
- Robbie Brady N v Italy, 2016
- Mark Kennedy H v Yugoslavia, 1999
- Gary Doherty A v Russia, 2002
OK, going to blow it up on Group D. Robbie Keane takes the honours with 38, and will be joined in the last 32 by Liam Brady (32). John Byrne (27), Stephen Ireland (23), Frank Stapleton (15) and Clinton Morrison (13) made up the group. Bit surprised at Morrison's poor showing tbh, but tough group I guess.
Group E will continue till the morning, and in the meantime, here's your contenders in Group F, which is our newest group in terms of average year -
1) Stephen Ward H v Belarus, 2016
2) Marc Wilson A v Faroe Islands, 2012
3) Robbie Keane N v Germany, 2002
4) Steve Staunton A v Malta, 1999
5) Seáni Maguire H v New Zealand, 2019
6) Wes Hoolahan N v Sweden, 2016
Videos to follow in a sec...
1) Stephen Ward H v Belarus, 2016
A lovely tee-up by Long makes this one, I think. Time is 3:00; time-stamped link is here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VP0O4mh8AbA&t=3m0s
2) Marc Wilson A v Faroe Islands, 2012
A belter from the edge of the box to finally break down the Faroes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0m5PZcBoyXg
3) Robbie Keane N v Germany, 2002
Love John Motson parodying himself on the BBC commentary here. "Look at these scenes! Just look at these scenes!"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIexE4B1GHY
4) Steve Staunton A v Malta, 1999
Another utter ****wit of a commentator, but a quality free to dig us out of a big hole, having given away a 2-0 lead in Malta. Time is 1:06; time-stamped link is here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFWusaKRtBo&t=1m6s
5) Seáni Maguire H v New Zealand, 2019
The most recent goal in the tournament, with Troy Parrott setting up Seáni Maguire after a bit of a scrum on the edge of the box. Time is 2:00; time-stamped link is here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mBWFxf9Zzik&t=2m0s
6) Wes Hoolahan N v Sweden, 2016
Wessi's moment on the big stage. Time is 3:40; time-stamped link is here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzbEPjqYGis&t=3m40s
Group F: (toughest one yet)
1. Wilson
2. Maguire
3. Staunton
4. Hoolahan
5. Keane
6. Ward
Group F
1st) Wes Hoolahan N v Sweden, 2016
2) Seáni Maguire H v New Zealand, 2019
3) Steve Staunton A v Malta, 1999
4) Robbie Keane N v Germany, 2002
5) Marc Wilson A v Faroe Islands, 2012
6) Stephen Ward H v Belarus, 2016
I have absolutely no recollection of that Belarus game.
In Turners Cross just before the Euros. It was straight after that O'Neill cut - was it Forde? Or Westwood?
Group F
Hoolahan
Staunton
Keane
Maguire
Wilson
Ward
Group F
1. Wes Hoolahan
2. Stan Staunton
3. Robbie Keane
4. Marc Wilson
5. Stephen Ward
6, Sean Maguire.
Nice to see Stan going ape.
Group C
1) Ronnie Whelan V USSR
2) James McClean V Wales
3) Kevin Sheedy V England
4) Andrews V Italy
5) Keane V Saudi Arabia
6) O'Callaghan V Malta
Group D
1) Keane V Israel
2) Stapleton V Malta
3) Brady V France
4) Ireland V Wales
5) Byrne V Turkey
6) Clinton V Israel
Group E
1) Mark Kennedy v Yugoslavia
2) Ray Houghton v Italy
3) Robbie Brady V Italy
4) Anthony Pilkington v USA
5) Gary Doherty v Russia
6) Roy Keane V Cyprus
GROUP F
1) Keane
2) Staunton
3) Hoolahan
4) Maguire
5) Wilson
6) Ward
So it's Houghton and Kennedy (in that order) who progress from Group E - just one point between them though. A good gap of ten points back to Robbie Brady in third.
Group F (the newest group; average year 2011) will remain open till this evening, and Group G (the oldest group; average year 1993) is up now. We have -
Ray Houghton A v Belgium, 1997
Liam Brady H v Brazil, 1987
Gary Kelly A v Cyprus, 2001
Paul McGrath H v Luxembourg, 1987
Roy Keane H v Portugal, 2001
Tony Grealish H v Switzerland, 1985
Videos on the way...
Ray Houghton A v Belgium, 1997
A technically excellent header from the little man. Time is 0:04; time-stamped link is here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ubn7rqXRdo&t=0m4s
Liam Brady H v Brazil, 1987
A Brazilian effort to down Brazil in 87.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ViNvMb-zyc
Gary Kelly A v Cyprus, 2001
A slight nick on the shot maybe? But it's a Gary Kelly 30-yarder, so worth an inclusion even if there was. Time is 1:32; time-stamped link is here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tSeJoNqgCM&t=1m32s
Paul McGrath H v Luxembourg, 1987
An important goal in the Euro 88 campaign - an almost disinterested "**** off" of a volley while level at 1-1 in the second half at home to Luxembourg. Time is 0:27; time-stamped link is here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ce1OENoiFtU&t=0m27s
Roy Keane H v Portugal, 2001
Another one nominated in the call for Keane goals. Quick thinking in the box completely fools the Potuguese keeper, who effectively just falls over. Time is 0:15; time-stamped link is here.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-tIaVUymMQ&t=0m15s