League of Ireland Representative Teams

Would anyone have a complete record of League of Ireland representative matches (or at least from 1951 onwards)? I’ve been compiling stuff as I go along but it suddenly dawned on me that someone might have already done it.

IN the 1950s they were fairly regular with 5 in the 55/56 season. Other years only had 2 (usually a home game on St Patrick’s day and maybe a game in Belfast on Easter Monday). The Irish League was obviously the most regular opponent but at various times the Hessen League (Germany) and various Italian leagues were regular opponents. Probably the most famous LOI game was when they beat a star studded Football League (England) selection in 1963.

In the 70s and 80s the opponent start getting a bit more exotic with, amongst others, games against Torpedo Moscow, New Zealand and Korea.

In the 90s there was a slight revival and the team took on various names. Whether it was the Bod gais all stars against man City/Celtic or the National League XI against Liverpool, Gothenburg or the full international side of the “Republic of Czechs and Slovaks”. A few proper interleague games too

The 2000s have seen full interleague play take a back seat but the Ireland u23 “international Trophy” team is now the main outlet, bar of course a friendly v man utd.

Apart from the current u23s, a few other “Ireland” teams have been de facto league teams (or close to it). In the late 50s/early 60s the Ireland B side was made up exclusively of local players. The Ireland team that tried to qualify for the 1988 Olympics was a League selection. In 1960 another Ireland team attempted to qualify under the FAI amateurs. Although not a league selection (as semi pros weren’t allowed play), the team (bar one from UCD) was made of LOI players.

PM me if you want to e-mail me anything you think I’d find useful

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Originally Posted by Dodge

In 1960 another Ireland team attempted to qualify under the FAI amateurs. Although not a league selection (as semi pros weren’t allowed play), the team (bar one from UCD) was made of LOI players.

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Who was that one? Was it Willie Browne?

'Twas indeed.

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Originally Posted by Dodge

Would anyone have a complete record of League of Ireland representative matches (or at least from 1951 onwards)? I’ve been compiling stuff as I go along but it suddenly dawned on me that someone might have already done it.

IN the 1950s they were fairly regular with 5 in the 55/56 season. Other years only had 2 (usually a home game on St Patrick’s day and maybe a game in Belfast on Easter Monday). The Irish League was obviously the most regular opponent but at various times the Hessen League (Germany) and various Italian leagues were regular opponents. Probably the most famous LOI game was when they beat a star studded Football League (England) selection in 1963.

In the 70s and 80s the opponent start getting a bit more exotic with, amongst others, games against Torpedo Moscow, New Zealand and Korea.

In the 90s there was a slight revival and the team took on various names. Whether it was the Bod gais all stars against man City/Celtic or the National League XI against Liverpool, Gothenburg or the full international side of the “Republic of Czechs and Slovaks”. A few proper interleague games too

The 2000s have seen full interleague play take a back seat but the Ireland u23 “international Trophy” team is now the main outlet, bar of course a friendly v man utd.

Apart from the current u23s, a few other “Ireland” teams have been de facto league teams (or close to it). In the late 50s/early 60s the Ireland B side was made up exclusively of local players. The Ireland team that tried to qualify for the 1988 Olympics was a League selection. In 1960 another Ireland team attempted to qualify under the FAI amateurs. Although not a league selection (as semi pros weren’t allowed play), the team (bar one from UCD) was made of LOI players.

PM me if you want to e-mail me anything you think I’d find useful

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dodge I remember reading about this about this in old loi annuals from the 90s.. I will have a root around over the weekend and get back to you on it...

Thanks to seand for getting me a decent starter list. I've added to it and I think I have a complete collection of inter league games from 51 to 75. Will start seriously looking at 75 to now in a little bit. If anyone's interested here's the list (LOI score first);

10/10/1951 a Football League (England) Goodison Park 1-9
17/03/1952 h Scottish League Dalymount Park 0-2
08/10/1952 a Scottish League Parkhead 1-5
17/03/1953 h Football League (England) Dalymount Park 0-2
22/04/1953 h Irish League Dalymount Park 0-3
23/09/1953 h Welsh League Dalymount Park 3-1
10/02/1954 a Football League (England) Maine Road 1-9
17/03/1954 h Scottish League Dalymount Park 1-3
19/04/1954 a Irish League Windsor Park 0-0
02/05/1954 h Hessen League (Germany) Dalymount Park 1-0
22/09/1954 h Football League (England) Dalymount Park 0-6
18/11/1954 a Scottish League Shawfield (Clyde) 0-5
17/03/1955 h Irish League Dalymount Park 2-1
14/05/1955 a Hessen League (Germany) Frankfurt 2-7
19/05/1955 a Hessen League (Germany) Kansel 0-5
21/09/1955 h Scottish League Dalymount Park 2-4
07/12/1955 a Football League (England) Goodison Park 1-5
12/02/1956 h Hessen League (Germany) Dalymount Park 4-1
17/03/1956 h Irish League Dalymount Park 1-0
02/04/1956 a Irish League Windsor Park 0-6
19/09/1956 h Football League (England) Dalymount Park 3-3
26/09/1956 a Scottish League Shawfield (Clyde) 1-3
18/03/1957 h Irish League Dalymount Park 2-2
22/04/1957 a Irish League Windsor Park 2-1
18/09/1957 h Scottish League Dalymount Park 1-5
09/10/1957 a Football League (England) Ellend Road 1-3
17/03/1958 h Irish League Dalymount Park 2-2
07/04/1958 a Irish League Windsor Park 1-3
24/09/1958 a Scottish League Ibrox park 0-1
29/10/1958 a Irish League Windsor Park 2-3
17/03/1959 h Football League (England) Dalymount Park 0-0
02/09/1959 h Scottish League Dalymount Park 1-4
04/11/1959 a Football League (England) Ewood Park 0-2
17/03/1960 h Hessen League (Germany) Dalymount Park 5-2
12/04/1960 h Irish League Tolka Park 2-1
14/09/1960 h Football League (England) Dalymount Park 0-1
05/10/1960 a Scottish League Parkhead 1-5
17/03/1961 h Irish League Dalymount Park 2-3
03/04/1961 a Irish League Solitude 1-1
06/09/1961 h Scottish League Dalymount Park 1-1
11/10/1961 a Football League (England) Eastville (Bristol) 2-5
17/03/1962 h Lega Nazionale (Italy) Dalymount Park 0-3
04/04/1962 a Irish League Windsor Park 1-3
06/05/1962 a Lega Nazionale (Italy) Rimini 0-6
28/11/1962 a Scottish League Parkhead 0-11
18/03/1963 h Irish League Dalymount Park 1-3
02/10/1963 h Football League (England) Dalymount Park 2-1
17/03/1964 h Irish League Dalymount Park 4-2
15/04/1964 a Irish League Windsor Park 2-2
23/09/1964 h Scottish League Dalymount Park 2-2
15/05/1965 h Irish League Flower Lodge 0-1
27/10/1965 a Football League (England) Boothferry Park 0-5
07/09/1966 a Scottish League Parkhead 0-6
22/03/1967 a Irish League Windsor Park 1-3
25/10/1967 h Irish League Dalymount Park 3-2
08/11/1967 h Football League (England) Dalymount Park 2-7
04/09/1968 h Scottish League Dalymount Park 0-0
09/04/1969 a Irish League Windsor Park 2-1
10/09/1969 a Football League (England) Oakwell, Barnsley 0-3
17/03/1970 h Irish League Dalymount Park 0-2
02/09/1970 a Scottish League Parkhead 0-1
22/09/1971 h Football League (England) Lansdowne Road 1-2
03/02/1972 h Lega Nazionale (Italy) Dalymount Park 1-1
22/03/1973 a Lega Nazionale (Italy) Catanzaro 0-2
18/03/1974 h Irish League Dalymount Park 3-2

I'd like to see the FAI and IFA come to some agreement for an inter-league match every season, or else an International B competition could be set-up between the 4 nations: Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

Well, the "International Trophy" has taken the place of interleague games so I'd imagine its a complete non runner

It probably is. The International Trophy is at U23 level though. An inter-league challenge would be full senior level. If the two leagues had a clash every season, I think it could draw a good support and raise both leagues profiles. It probably is a non-runners anyways though as said so I'll say no more.

It happened before. Nobody really cared. The LoI team was U-21s only I think. You had the English Conference and the Welsh Premier (maybe U-21s as well?). People don't care for things that low key.

All the teams mentioned so far have limits on age. The Setanta Cup has been popular enough since it's introduction, maybe around that time of year would be the time for a clash between both leagues. I accept though it's not likely, was just throwing it out there. Probably is too low key and people do not care for it.

The Setanta Cup is a club competition. People care about clubs. No-one cares about representative teams.

There should always be a place for something new in life and not just following what others are doing. People do care about clubs but people do care about the league as well. If run right it could work but yeah, I guess the interest is not there for representative teams.

Thats it. They did play pretty much every year and crowds were awful. I'm interested in it but not too many others. I think there was less than 1,000 at one game in Richmond Park in 1995 between the LOI and IL (full sides)

If I was to re-introduce representative honours for LOI players I'd call it the ROI B side and play B internationals with other countries (as the FAI did in the late 50s/early 60s)

I'd be interested in it as well but I guess the support and interest is not there. Does the IL take an international break? If it was introduced, though alas not likely, one weekend could be freed for it over two-legs on a Friday and Monday night, played in the home of the respective league champions.

I got these from a 1985 records book (Niall McSweeney). All inter-league games are given, but maybe he doesn't count games against national sides (?). No matches recorded from March 74 to 1980.

Monday 17th March 1980 - Scottish League (Dalymount Park) 2-1
Wednesday 15th April 1981 - Irish League (Tolka Park) 1-0
Wednesday 14th February 1984 - Italian League Selection (Padua) 0-0
Tuesday 30th October 1984 - Irish League (Windsor Park) 0-4

Your next task after this should be to list the players that featured in each match ;) Keep you busy over the winter!

Well the purpose of my research was completely based on Pats, so who plays is as important to me as the result.

For the record there was no players from Pats involved in the game you've listed

They played the Italian League in march 1977 in Oriel Park (winning 2-0) but no (then) Pats players involved. Team was;
Smyth (Bohs), McManus (Dun), Dunning (Shels), McConville (Dun), O’Brien (Bohs), McDowell (Dun), Donnelly (Drog), Dainty (Dun), McGee (Sligo), Byrne (Drog), Daly (Ath) – Sub; Holmes (Sli) for Byrne. Damian Byrne and Terry Daly scored the goals.

It is recorded as “Italian League” but the team was made up of semi pros from the lower divisions.

It does look that was the only inter league game between 74 and 80 though. They played Torpedo moscow in 1974 , Torino 9then Italian Champs) in 1976, Italy B in 1977 and New Zealand in 1979 though

I might just have missed the Oriel Park game through carelessness. I'll check again later. If you want to trawl through them for Waterford players, I'll write a letter of recommendation to Santa Claus on your behalf.

PM me your e-mail and when I'm done I'll send you what I have

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Originally Posted by Dodge

Well the purpose of my research was completely based on Pats, so who plays is as important to me as the result.

For the record there was no players from Pats involved in the game you've listed

They played the Italian League in march 1977 in Oriel Park (winning 2-0) but no (then) Pats players involved. Team was;
Smyth (Bohs), McManus (Dun), Dunning (Shels), McConville (Dun), O’Brien (Bohs), McDowell (Dun), Donnelly (Drog), Dainty (Dun), McGee (Sligo), Byrne (Drog), Daly (Ath) – Sub; Holmes (Sli) for Byrne. Damian Byrne and Terry Daly scored the goals.

It is recorded as “Italian League” but the team was made up of semi pros from the lower divisions.

It does look that was the only inter league game between 74 and 80 though. They played Torpedo moscow in 1974 , Torino 9then Italian Champs) in 1976, Italy B in 1977 and New Zealand in 1979 though

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Just in the interests of statistical integrity, that would be the great Gary Hulmes.

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Originally Posted by Fivesilver

Just in the interests of statistical integrity, that would be the great Gary Hulmes.

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Tought it was the great Shaun Holmes!

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Originally Posted by sligo23

Tought it was the great Shaun Holmes!

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where is shaun holmes now sligo23?

Dodge
I’ve also been trying to list ALL LOI games )and not just Inter-League). To date I have identified more than 200 since 1924. I also have team lineouts for the majority.
If you’re interested please make contact.

Hi there,

Do you have the 1995 LOI lineup, please? Many thanks!

Clara

Hi there,

Do you have the 1995 LOI lineup, please (v Irish League)?

Thanks!

Clara