Your own favourite mental reaction to an Irish goal?

[DannyInvincible]

Where was he standing to get that photo?!

Pretty sure the photographer would have been up on the city walls. They offer quite the scenic view, as you can see...

[paul_oshea]

DeLorean you should be sin binned already posted above :P

I am very envious of a lot of people who were just reaching adulthood in the 80s etc, not now obviously in one sense as i would be ancient but for so many reasons most of all ireland from 88-94 you had it all. I've completely missed the boat really as ill be mid to late 30s for any real hope of a world cup, and the options are sh1te!!!

I mentioned this on here before but a staunch GAA man neighbour was up in our house before that game against NI saying, ah when it comes down to it they will do us a favour, and i remember his son (my brothers age) rolling his eyes and saying to us they will not, not a chance! We watched the game in their house something we wouldn't normally do, i have this memory of him saying "will ye sit down and be quiet" but i dont know if it was during the game. Anyway when they scored the goal we all went mental including this man, who obviously more than anything is a patriot but he was jumping up and down and everyone in the living room was going mental, with the wife looking on all proud but laughing.

The spain game when robbie scored as I really thought we were on top at that stage, in a pub in Boston, gone now, the Irish Embassy was brilliant pints hats stools shoes everything went firing all over the place.

I was a bit young for the Romania game we were in Dublin and my father spent ages trying to get parking so we could watch the match, we arrived a bit late i think, and i was really small, thinking it was the burlington or something, and dad hadnt arrived so this man took me on his shoulders so i could see, he had a big curly head i remember holding on for dear life to his hair because of all the jumping he was doing, but he was very nice to do that and ensured i had the best seat in the house. THe strange thing is its very vague for me the actual shoot out and stuff, which is disappointing.

[paul_oshea]

Pretty sure the photographer would have been up on the city walls. They offer quite the scenic view, as you can see...

D'oh ah ya!

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

I remember being in Limerick when Ireland were playing Spain in the WC. I couldn't watch the match because the pubs were full.... too short so couldn't see..... pubs didn't have widescreen TV back then.......

I remember trying to buy Quake in Game. The guy behind the counter wouldn't let me buy it because I wasn't 15 yet. I effed him out of it.

It was a bad day.

[Jovial Rambler]

Thanks for the photo. I know im in there somewhere. Watched the game in Sugar. But ended up in the BFB for the rest of the night. Of all Irelands important goals that one still remains the best for me! Although, I was behind the net when Mark Kennedy scored against Yugoslavia....a close second.

[Crosby87]

Im officially blind after clicking on that link from danny. Now we know why stu moved to canada.

[TheOneWhoKnocks]

I was in the middle of my GCSEs in 2002 but managed to sneak out of the house from my revision for the day and into town to catch the Germany game. I recall whole tables (glasses and chairs included) turning in the jam-packed Bound for Boston at the top of Waterloo Street in Derry after Robbie scored. It was bedlam. These NSFW scenes followed the game as an impromptu celebratory gathering blocked off the bottom of Shipquay Street in the city centre: http://dermot.zenfolio.com/p10687749...EA1A#h3b9bea1a

I had an actual 3-hour exam on whilst the Saudi Arabia game was being played. It was a terribly nervy exam; all of us in the examination hall had to rely on the beeping horns out on the Buncrana Road to know we'd qualified from the group. Once we knew we'd qualified, the nerves soon passed.

He looks...... hung like a pony.

[Mr A]

St Ledger's late goal against Italy a few years back. Was watching in a pub in Galway. Just went completely mental for several minutes jumping and roaring. Almost passed out and fell backwards, it seems I'd forgotten to breathe somewhere along the line.

Which would have been a blessing considering what followed.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Stuttgart.

The auld fellas weeping, especially at the end, with a mixture of pride, astonishment and relief...

[paul_oshea]

ya and all the German women after. I often wondered was there the same sorta craic after as there would be now with regard to different times back then and stuff...
I met a guy on the train down to post an from Berlin from sligo who spent most of his time in dublin but had moved to London cos of the recession.anyway he was on a out Italian 90 and 94.he met some Italian him and his mate and they all went off travelling together...It sounded like a funny old time, a funny old arrangement and something similar in USA. this buck was a youthful 50 something yr old.id say he did some damage in his time.

I.saw him a few days later I had arranged to meet him the night befoee. ...luckily for me I didn't he had a big black eye and bruised.those croats and poles that smashed up the cafe he was in it and got a few slaps.

[Grafter]

Went fairly mental to Cascarino's headed winner in Lithuania and Houghton's header in Brussels.... both in 1997.... we were fairly starved of goals and forward play around that time...."the Mickey Evans/Jon Goodman era"!

[BonnieShels]

Went fairly mental to Cascarino's headed winner in Lithuania and Houghton's header in Brussels.... both in 1997.... we were fairly starved of goals and forward play around that time...."the Mickey Evans/Jon Goodman era"!

Remember that Lithuania game well. I went in to watch it and my mates all asked why, "it's only Lithuania".

It was then that I knew I had a BIG problem.

12 years later I joined foot.ie.

It was confirmed.

[pineapple stu]

I was working in the ESB at the time of that Lithuania game; my first summer job. Everyone knocked off early to watch the game (working hours were 8 to 8; I think the game started at 7pm Irish time or something). My dad - who was reasonably senior in the ESB - picked me up after 8 and had the match on the car radio. Cas hit the post in the second half I think; I thought we'd scored from the commentary and said something like "Yes! 2-1!". Cue my dad asking how I knew what the score was. Oops...

[the doc]

What a great thread this is,
Many happy memories as a young lad watching us in big games defy the odds.

One or two later too.

Cheered me up this thread, even more so than the model laying next to me in bed.

[paul_oshea]

I thought you were going to say when ye popped up and scored against italy

[Charlie Darwin]

What a great thread this is,
Many happy memories as a young lad watching us in big games defy the odds.

One or two later too.

Cheered me up this thread, even more so than the model laying next to me in bed.

I thought she dumped you by email?

[BonnieShels]

I thought she dumped you by email?

Was it not text?

[Charlie Darwin]

Was it not text?

I can't remember, the doc will confirm I'm sure.

[BonnieShels]

I can't remember, the doc will confirm I'm sure.

I'm sure Paul or TOWK will know better.

[back of the net]

St Ledger's late goal against Italy a few years back. Was watching in a pub in Galway. Just went completely mental for several minutes jumping and roaring. Almost passed out and fell backwards, it seems I'd forgotten to breathe somewhere along the line.

Which would have been a blessing considering what followed.

Same goal for me

I was about 8 rows directly behind the Italian goal which the ledge scored into

About 30 mins earlier Italy scored a goal which put them 2-1 up.....but unknowingly to me it was ruled offside as my head was in my hands.
However about a few seats over from me and my mates there was a group of 3 17/18 yr old irish lads who started cheering.....Regrettably I took this as a some smartarse irish lads were cheering cos the opposition scored against us in a MUST WIN game. I was fuming.....so I went over to them and told them that if they want to cheer for Italy then to F&&k off up to the Italian end.

The poor lads looked so confused at me as I went on my rant. As my rant ended ....one of them said "mate we're cheering cos it was ruled offside" to which I replied "What???". I looked at the scoreboard and saw it was still 1-1.
Apart from feeling like a grade A **** , I was very relieved - after the lads kindly accepted my very humble apologies, I went back to my seat as my mates looked very confused at me.

Fast forward to 86th min, Hunty who had come on and was causing all sorts of trouble to the Italians, was standing over the ball after Mcgeady won a free kick. As he stood over the ball , Croke Park roared with chants of IRELAND , IRELAND.....every fan was on their feet.
Hunty took the free kick sublimely into the Italian box.....from where I stood , I could see ledger had gotten away from his marker and then he did this forward dive at me ....his head hit the ball and it nestled into the Italian net

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzsdfQghqUo

I just remember ...pure elation..Croke park was literally shaking with ppl going crazy in the stands. After I went mental with my mates....I hopped up and my seat and managed to get over to the 3 young lads from earlier where I embraced all 3 of them and the 4 of us just celebrated like crazy together.


Ive been to the Holland game in 2001, I loved when Keane scored against Yugoslavia in 1999 in Lansdowne and france in paris in 2009 but for some reason that night in croke park and that goal and amazing atmosphere always gives me goose bumps