Keith O’Neill = = A what, could have been !
Printable View
Keith O’Neill = = A what, could have been !
20 years since Niall Quinn set a new goalscoring record for Ireland with his 21st international goal in a 4-0 win against Cyprus
20 years ago today
I remember watching that game. We were robbed blind by two terrible decisions. So unlucky in that campaign. We deserved to qualify, and I think we would have done quite well. Irish football history could have a whole different look to it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Colbert Report
Ah I don’t know. They’re al in their 60’s at least, and Tony Grealish is no longer with us, so....... I’d give the current team a fighting chance. ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by seanfhear
Edit - forgot, Michael Robinson is also no longer with us, RIP.
Oof, those two saves from Given. The second is amazing reaction but I admire the first more, the bravery to come rushing out and then go to the ground, matched with the perfect timing to avoid getting rounded or giving away a penalty.Quote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
If either of those saves had been goals, we would have lost the play off over the two legs. As crucial to the result as the two goals.Quote:
Originally Posted by NeverFeltBetter
Ten years today since the play off win in the first leg against Estonia
Good Lord.
The day I bought my last (current) Ireland jersey. One of the mankier efforts of recent years.
Made it out there but never got a ticket. Good trip though.
I was there and I had no idea it was just 0-1 until the 65th min. What a weekend btw
Friend of mine flew to Latvia, rented a car, and drove to Tallinn for the game!
Yeah, I flew to Riga too (with Bald Student and Student Mullet, late of this forum) but got the bus up instead. It was way cheaper. Flights to Tallinn went through the roof.
Remember being in the mediaeval bar/restaurant and finding a lost credit card. Picked it up and it said "Stephen McGuinness PFAI". Doubtless legitimate travelling expenses were going on it... :)
I was at a clubs and socs event in (then) NUIM that day. We had the John Hume building to ourselves, and myself and two others took over their massive JH1 lecture theatre to play that game on the projector, which as I recall involved breaking into the lectern.
I was very apprehensive, but Estonia just fell to pieces.
Seeing all the above posts the FAI simply don't deserve us
we had to fly through Copenhagen and wait for 4 hours in their crap airport paying 14 lids a pint!
Five years ago today
First away win against higher ranked opposition in a competitive international since beating Lithuania in 1997
How were Lithuania ranked higher than us in 1997? That seems mad to me.Quote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
How is that 5 years ago! There goes your life hope u enjoyed it
They had a few decent years around that time, finished third in qualification groups twice in a row. Still seems like a fluke in ranking calculation though.Quote:
Originally Posted by sadloserkid
No idea, but they wereQuote:
Originally Posted by sadloserkid
We were second seeds anyway and they were third - which would make sense given we'd made the Euro 96 playoffs and the last 16 of the 1994 World Cup, beating them home and away in qualifying for the latter.
But they had a half-decent 96 campaign (beat Slovenia/Estonia twice, beat Ukraine away, drew with Croatia at home), and had we drawn this match they'd actually have finished ahead of us in the 98 group (assuming the final round results stayed the same)
So I guess it was our trough (draws v Iceland and Lithuania of course) meeting their peak. Still a bit mad though.
I would have questioned it if someone had told me we scored that early in the 2nd half!! For sure, i would have said 74 mins or thereabouts...Quote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
Yeah I went and did a bit of research myself and saw they'd come 3rd in consecutive qualifying groups. My initial confusion was grounded in fairly hazy memories of us handling them fairly easily in WC94 qualifying. Their stock has fallen a long way in the last 15 years.
Interesting to note that eloratings.net has a rating of 1723 for Ireland and 1498 for Lithuania at that time. So 200+ of an advantage for us - should translate to Lithuania scoring 25% against us (like 1-0-3 or 0-1-1). That's a more accurate rating than the FIFA World Rankings (certainly the old one) in my view, and it's a long way from saying Lithuania were better than us at the time.
20 years today since we qualified for the 2002 World Cup
Our last WC! I cant believe its 20 years
After we got knocked out I ended up in a bar in korea with the team and a rack of us i think the bar was called "the loft" anyway else there by any chance ? Shay Given was holding court in a sing song
I think I saw a video of that. was he wearing a Donegal GAA jersey?
Cant remember that tbhQuote:
Originally Posted by Stuttgart88
Stan was wearing a brazil jersey
Mark Kinsella was topless all night for no explainable reason!
20 years since Ireland beat Russia for the first, and so far only, time
Steven Reid scored his first international goal, and Colin Healy and Richard Sadlier made their debuts
Ten years today since James McClean made his debut, in the only game Ireland have played on February 29th
Never heard any substitute get the welcome from the crowd that he did
Because it was February 29th, there was a proposal on the pitch at half time. FM104 (I think) had given away tickets in the president's box, so they brought the winner down to pitchside to help with a draw at half time. The presenter said they were a bit delayed, so asked him a few questions, was he enjoying the game, who did he bring, etc. He brought a friend, because his partner had no interest, so the presenter asked where was she, and he said, she's at home. The whole thing was a complete setup, she was standing behind him the whole time, and the entire stadium could see it.
20 years ago today
Two good goals. Great hit from Mattie Holland.Quote:
Originally Posted by tetsujin1979
was right behind the goal and as soon as it left matt hollands boot i knew it was going in. big relief after a very poor first half performance. super moment at the start of a great three week trip!Quote:
Originally Posted by seanfhear
Exactly the same. I was right behind that side of the goal.Quote:
Originally Posted by jbyrne
It's such a good goal to come from such lucky circumstances: Kilbane's cross is dreadful and really should have been dealt with properly by the Cameroonian defender, and whoever is meant to be tracking Holland is AWOL. But damn if he didn't hit it perfectly.
20 years ago today. Consider what's happened to both teams since then
Germany beat Armenia 10-1 on aggregate last year. We lost 0-1. It's just one number in the difference! :)
Ten years ago today
A truly depressing day, and worse to come. It was, for me anyway, a real "the man behind the curtain" moment regards the people in charge of the team.
On this day today
https://m.independent.ie/sport/socce...-41740096.html
Probably be best remembered here for that night in Windsor in 1993, but he had a mad management career all the same -
1965–1968 Southport
1967–1971 Northern Ireland
1968–1970 Plymouth Argyle
1970–1971 Linfield
1971–1973 Greece
1973–1977 Everton
1977 PAOK
1978–1979 Mansfield Town
1980–1993 Northern Ireland
1987–1988 Al-Nassr