POLL: What is the best goal we've scored in a major finals?

[SkStu]

Mods - can we add a poll to this?

Long time, no post – hope youre all doing well. Thought I would throw this up for a bit of fun…don’t recall seeing a similar poll?

What is the best goal that Ireland has scored at a major finals?

Criteria I used liberally...
- Build up
- Nice strike
- Pressure

I have filtered out the ones that I thought were not as good or penalties. I have come up with a list of 8! Feel free to campaign for another one.

Euro 88 – R. Whelan v. USSR


WC 90 – K. Sheedy v England


WC 94 – R. Houghton v Italy


WC 02 – M. Holland v Cameroon


WC 02 – R. Keane v Saudi


WC 02 – G. Breen v Saudi


Euro 16 – W. Hoolohan v Sweden


Euro 16 – R. Brady v Italy


Other
- please say which one

[Fixer82]

Ronnie Whelans V USSR

[backstothewall]

Ronnie Whelan. We could play for another 100 years and never see a goal as good as that in a finals.

[geysir]

It's a no brainer, Ronnie by a country mile.
If Ronnie had done that in the final and Van Basten done his in the group stages, Ronnie would have shaded the immortality kudos.

[CraftyToePoke]

Its Ronnie, every time, always, until you look at the criteria applied by Stu here, build up was a hacking grunter of a throw, there was no pressure we'd just beaten England and were playing USSR we could have lost 5-0 and they'd still have come home heroes and as for nice strike, well he shinned it didn't he ? It was a fluke, albeit a gorgeous one.

[seanfhear]

The shinning was disguise to fool the goalkeeper.

[tetsujin1979]

Mods - can we add a poll to this?

done, poll added

[DeLorean]

Probably has to be Whelan but the shin aspect does take away from it quite a bit. Hoolahan's is technically brilliant. Both goals on their weaker sides too. The build up better for Hoolohan's but I'll give Whelan the nod, partly due to peer pressure. Best goal for build up alone would have to be Brady's.

[geysir]

Probably has to be Whelan but the shin aspect does take away from it quite a bit. Hoolahan's is technically brilliant. Both goals on their weaker sides too. The build up better for Hoolohan's but I'll give Whelan the nod, partly due to peer pressure. Best goal for build up alone would have to be Brady's.

As Ray said in the RTE memory show, it's irrelevant that Ronnie struck it with his shin, the unworldly skill was in the techique he used to make perfect contact with the ball in order to hit the top corner of the goal.

[Fixer82]

I watched Ireland V Sweden in Euro 2016 highlights the other day and thought, if Hendrick's effort in first half had hit underside of the bar and gone in instead of bouncing straight back off the bar, that would by far be our best ever goal in a major tournament.
Then I remembered Ronnie's effort. Ridiculous goal. Ridiculous throw-in, ridiculous goal. incredible!

[Eirambler]

100% Whelan. Despite the long throw and the shin.

To be honest I'm struggling to think of a better Ireland goal in any game, friendly or qualifier. That he did it at a tournament finals made it even more incredible.

[jbyrne]

whelan for me also. honourable mention to matt hollands goal against cameroon as my favourite. the first half we were so poor and i thought it was going to be a very long 3 weeks in Japan / Korea for me. that goal effectively set up the rest of our trip. was right behind the goal he scored into and it was one of the sweetest cleanest strikes i had seen

[pineapple stu]

100% Whelan. Despite the long throw and the shin.

To be honest I'm struggling to think of a better Ireland goal in any game, friendly or qualifier. That he did it at a tournament finals made it even more incredible.

I suppose it depends what your criteria are.

Jason McAteer's goal in Holland in 2000 was superb - two backheels in the build-up was taking the mick, and then the finish from outside the area into the bottom corner too.

Jack Charlton was on some show - maybe it was The Charlton Years - and was asked about his favourite goal, and he said his favourite goals were the ones that came out of nowhere, like Whelan's. So while yeah, it was just a long throw and the Dutch goal had some of the best build-up play we've probably ever put together - but which one makes for the better goal?

I'd still vote Whelan, of course. I can't think of too many comparable goals to be honest, by anyone?

[DeLorean]

100% Whelan. Despite the long throw and the shin.

To be honest I'm struggling to think of a better Ireland goal in any game, friendly or qualifier. That he did it at a tournament finals made it even more incredible.

McGeady's winner in Georgia is well up there...

[SkStu]

I voted for Robbie Brady's goal against the Italians. Carried the ball out from the back through midfield on the counter attack, 4 passes then goal. The 4th of which was a beautiful cross. Dying minutes. Plenty at stake.

I would also rank Holland's strike as being technically just good as Whelans. In fact, he arguably executed better - a first time strike across his body that turned in at the far post... far better than Whelans shinner I remember how stunned i was by Whelans goal though as a 10/11 year old.

Anyway, those would be my top 3. All different, all excellent.

[nigel-harps1954]

Anything to be said for Robbie Keane against the Germans in 02?

[Fixer82]

Anything to be said for Robbie Keane against the Germans in 02?

Surprised that and Houghton V England didn't even make the cut

[Fixer82]

For me, this is probably the best goal we've scored in a qualifier.
Honourable mentions for Glenn Whelan V Italy. And Houghton's header V Belgium.

[Eminence Grise]

Anything to be said for Robbie Keane against the Germans in 02?

From them: Scheiße.

From us: I'll say it to take the sting out of it. Sure everybody knows Robbie only scored against the minnows.

Anyway, had to take my time with these goals…. I'd a bias but wanted to be fair to all eight.

Whelan v USSR: Beauty and the beast – a glorious arcing volley but the delivery… route one. For a change, sideways. Still, the first Ireland goal that struck me as a thing of wonder.

Sheedy v England: Scrappy build-up, but that left foot. Oof!

Houghton v Italy: Virtually a one-man show. The wait – bounce, bounce, bounce – then the turn, and on a foot we thought was made for standing on only that strike. For me technically as good as Whelan, but where that was instinctive this was pure focus.

Holland v Cameroon: Good finish from a player I always liked. Harte’s crossing was a terror for defences. But Holland had so much space and time to score…

Keane v Saudi: Great technique, but if there was a keeper there instead of a roll of lino with gloves on Robbie would be -1 on his tally.

Breen v Saudi: The angle’s not great, so maybe it was nifty footwork rather than twist and shout, but a defence gone AWOL has to count against its greatness.

Hoolahan v Sweden: Finally! Some build-up play and a sweet finish. Off his weaker foot too.

Brady v Italy: Lovely build-up play, all on the deck till the final cross. That rarest of things – an Italian defence carved open and a bullet header. What is it with players on this list scoring with unexpected parts?

Soooo, with nostalgia heavy in mind, and bias confirmed:
1 - Whelan
2 - Houghton
4 – Houlihan, Brady

[SkStu]

Anything to be said for Robbie Keane against the Germans in 02?

Make your case Nigel!