Oooooooooh... saucer of milk for swanny.
I pick....
Seamus McDonagh
Caps: 24
Life has moved in circles for former Ireland goalkeeper Seamus McDonagh. His parents cross the Irish Sea and had a child in Rotherham, but when he grew up and got the call by Eoin Hand for his first cap against Wales in 1981, McDonagh decided the homecoming would only feel right if he made the journey back one wave at a time. Just as his folks had done. On top of that, he recited the 1916 Proclamation in order to show his commitment to the Irish cause.
Of course, the then Everton stopper came over to Ireland as Jim McDonagh, but legendary commentator Jimmy Magee claims he was the one who changed the plates. “Seamus McDonagh came to Ireland as Jim McDonagh, and I think I was the one who said to him: ‘You know something, you know what, you’re James, make the James Seamus and really become an Irish goalkeeper.” And so he did.
McDonagh has had to take some gambles during his career: he played for 11 different clubs, and had two spells at Bolton Wanderers, where he scored the only goal of his career. It was in a Division Two game against Burnley at Burnden Park on 15 January 1983, when his goal kick bounced straight over the Clarets ’keeper Billy O'Rourke. Bolton won the game 3-1 but were still relegated at the end of the season.
After moving through Notts County, he switched across the Atlantic to Kansas and played with the Wichita Wings in the Major Indoor Soccer League. After a couple of years playing indoor football, he got a move back to England and continued his nomadic existence there. Scarborough, Huddersfield Town and Charlton Athletic all held his registration, the latter with which he had his first stint as manager. Albeit it was for only a brief time before he moved over west of the River Shannon to take over at Galway United. He stayed there from December 1988 until April 1989, and saved them from relegation.
Of course, the singing and ukulele-playing ’keeper was no longer involved with the Ireland team at this stage in his career. He had earned the last of his 24 caps (25 if you count his appearance against West Germany B) against Denmark in November 1985. He kept nine clean sheets in that time. His most famous day though, in an Ireland shirt, was not one of those occasions. Indeed the game would not be nearly as memorable had it have been.
Group Two of World Cup qualifying against France at Lansdowne Road on 14 October 1981. A win would give Ireland a four-point gap over the French who would have another two games to play, against Holland and Cyprus. This, though, was in the days when you got just two points for a win so the dream seemed attainable.
“To this day, people are saying it was probably one of the best games they were ever at in Dublin, and that’s nice to hear,” said then manager Eoin Hand, in a radio interview alongside McDonagh. “And I’m sure Seamus will endorse because he got us out of jail right at the end with a fabulous save, I remember.”
Jimmy Magee too, gives great credit to the then Bolton man for a great late save from Didier Six: “France came then looking for the equaliser but, McDonagh, this is when he really proved himself and now he’s one of the lads, now the Irish have taken him to the heart. And he did the job and Ireland held on.”
“It was an incredible team, some top players,” said McDonagh of a France party that included Michel Platini and Six. “I mean they were all in their pomp, all in their prime, and for meself it was the biggest game of my life… the build-up was amazing, it was incredible in Dublin, everyone wanted to go.
“I remember being so nervous on the day, I just wanted to get out and play because the best thing for your nerves was to go out and play. I remember the anthem, on the line-up, and Michael Robinson turned to me during the France national anthem, and Michael said: ‘Look at them, they’re white, they’re nervous.’ And I look at Mick Robinson and he was white, and I was probably white myself. But the atmosphere, the crowd, you just felt it was going to be our day if we set off right, which we did.
“Well Eoin said to get at them, he told us to go at them and I remember I was kicking it long to Frank Stapleton and Robinson and they were knocking the hell out of their back four. And we were turning them and everything was happening. Before we knew it, we were 3-1 up and in control, and then half-time came and you get a breather, you know they’re going to get back in it in the second half.
“First half, we’d given so much energy – the outfield players – that we were starting to tire a little. They got back in the game obviously with someone like Platini, a world-class player. He was getting it and playing it all over. They had a spell but we deserved winners. They scored a second, it was 3-2, but we were deserved winners.
“It was incredible they (the crowd) ran on to carry us off the field. It was frightening ‘cause I thought, if they dropped me, I didn’t like small confined spaces. It was amazing, from the start to the finish of the day. To win, and then think you’re going to the World Cup. I know France had two games but you think you’ve got a chance now, 10 points, and then France are expected to beat Cyprus. But then Holland, who didn’t qualify, will draw, take the points off them for us, and then they don’t. So it was a disappointment for us in the end.”
After the World Cup play-off of 2009, it must have felt like the closing of another circle for McDonagh. He may no longer be at the centre of it, but he was a big part of the curve.
"Jacques Santini...will be greeted in every dugout of the country by "one-nil, one-nil" - Clive Tyldsley, 89th minute of France-England June 13, 2004.
"Ooooohhhh Nooooooo" Bobby Robson 91st minute.
Going to complete my defence with Dean Kiely in goals: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dean_Kiely
I can't believe I didn't think of McDonagh and Kelly. I was desperately searching for players in those positions and all..
Indeed. I hoped Kelly would fall to me but SvD had to muck that up![]()
"Jacques Santini...will be greeted in every dugout of the country by "one-nil, one-nil" - Clive Tyldsley, 89th minute of France-England June 13, 2004.
"Ooooohhhh Nooooooo" Bobby Robson 91st minute.
This has gotten very slow altogether.....what's the hold up lads?
Folding my way into the big money!!!
"Jacques Santini...will be greeted in every dugout of the country by "one-nil, one-nil" - Clive Tyldsley, 89th minute of France-England June 13, 2004.
"Ooooohhhh Nooooooo" Bobby Robson 91st minute.
ive got an 11 picked, providing nobody picks them in the meantime, i am gonna post them up at the end regardless
Now now dotts, easy easy ....
Alaska Fox has clear road here surely ? His suggestion and all..
Could be vital.
Ok for his ability to play defence, winger or striker I pick Stephen Ward at LB
And right in front of him a man that has done exactly the same throughout his career and will forever be remembered for his stunning strike V Yugoslavia I pick Mark Kennedy
ps anyone have a link to that goal?
Folding my way into the big money!!!
Thru 11+ rounds:
Fixer82
Shay Given
John Sheridan
Niall Quinn
Stephen Ireland
David Connolly
Gary Breen
Jason McAteer
Jeff Kenna
Sean St Ledger
Stephen Ward
Mark Kennedy
Murfinator
Roy Keane
Richard Dunne
Packie Bonner
John O'Shea
Steve Finnan
Ian Harte
Andy Reid
Kevin Kilbane
Clinton Morrison
John Byrne
Keith O'Neill
tetsujin1979
Liam Brady
Denis Irwin
John Aldridge
Steve Heighway
Shay Brennan
Michael Robinson
John Dempsey
Eddie McGoldrick
Joe Kinnear
Dean Kiely
Glenn Whelan
Metrostars
Paul McGrath
Ray Houghton
Tony Cascarino
Johnny Carey
Kevin Sheedy
Tony Dunne
Charlie Hurley
Matt Holland
Mark Kinsella
Seamus McDonagh
Dermot Curtis
SwanVsDalton
Robbie Keane
David O'Leary
Aidan McGeady
Alan Kelly Sr
Kenny Cunningham
Mick Martin
Gerry Daly
Jim Beglin
Stephen Carr
David Kelly
BonnieShels
Johnny Giles
Andy Townsend
Alan Kelly Jr
Steve Staunton
Noel Cantwell
Shane Long
Tommy Coyne
Terry Phelan
Paddy Coad
Keith Fahey
Sullivinho
Damien Duff
Kevin Moran
Kevin Doyle
Mick McCarthy
Gary Kelly
Steven Reid
Alan McLoughlin
Chris Hughton
Keiren Westwood
Jimmy Dunne
EAFC_rdfl
Frank Stapleton
Ronnie Whelan
Mark Lawrenson
Don Givens
Gerry Peyton
Con Martin
Chris Morris
Tony Galvin
Liam Whelan
Lee Carsley
Fixer's team is complete.
Waiting on Murfinator to make his 10th and 11th round picks.
In the meantime, tets can go ahead and pick...
Last edited by Metrostars; 07/07/2011 at 1:55 PM.
"Jacques Santini...will be greeted in every dugout of the country by "one-nil, one-nil" - Clive Tyldsley, 89th minute of France-England June 13, 2004.
"Ooooohhhh Nooooooo" Bobby Robson 91st minute.
"Jacques Santini...will be greeted in every dugout of the country by "one-nil, one-nil" - Clive Tyldsley, 89th minute of France-England June 13, 2004.
"Ooooohhhh Nooooooo" Bobby Robson 91st minute.
I've been following his career since he was in the youths at Man City, he's gone from being transfer listed in League One with Sheffield Wednesday to Premier League regular, and I'm pretty sure he's started every competitive game under Trapattoni that he's been available for, so Glenn Whelan completes my XI.
thinking about it now.
I'll take John Byrne up front and Keith O'Neill on the wings.
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