Irelands record against France

[tricky_colour]

( I though I would start a new thread on this as I posted much
the same message in the Zidane thread, I can't recall any of these
matches and I would appreciate any links/info on the matches/players/rankings etc.... most/all(?) of them are pre-internet
so there may not be much info about).


If history is anything to go by we have little to worry about,
the last time we lost at home to France was in 1954 (3:5), anyone
remember it?

Also we have won *all* our home competive matches against France since
then (All preliminarys) :-

1974 2:1
1978 1:0
1982 3:2

Also a 0:0 draw in a friendly in 1989.

So our record is very good

[Qwerty]

As far as I know none of the players or coaches involved in those previous games will be involved next September so those results are meaningless.

[Dotsy]

Was at the match in 1981 for the WC 82 qualifiaction. Massive crowd well over 50,000 and one of the best atmospheres I've ever experienced at LR.. Ireland scored after 5-10 minutes through an og. France equalised and then Stapelton and Robinson socred to make it 3:1. Platini scored in the last ten minutes. We lsot out on qualifiaction on goal difference to France.

The 1989 match was in Dalymount if my memory serves me correctly. I don't remember it been a particularly good match.

[Stuttgart88]

Was at the match in 1981 for the WC 82 qualifiaction. Massive crowd well over 50,000 and one of the best atmospheres I've ever experienced at LR.. Ireland scored after 5-10 minutes through an og. France equalised and then Stapelton and Robinson socred to make it 3:1. Platini scored in the last ten minutes. We lsot out on qualifiaction on goal difference to France.

The 1989 match was in Dalymount if my memory serves me correctly. I don't remember it been a particularly good match.

The '81 match was amazing.

The '89 match was a 0-0 on a soaking wet night in Dalyer. Remarkable only for it being Andy Townsend's debut I think.

[fergalr]

The '81 match was amazing.

The '89 match was a 0-0 on a soaking wet night in Dalyer. Remarkable only for it being Andy Townsend's debut I think.

I can second both comments.

The '81 match was still, to my memory, the best ever atmosphere in Lansdowne. As i recall everyone heeded Eoin Hand's request to be in the ground early so the atmosphere was already electric an hour before kick off.

[Superhoops]

The '81 match was amazing.

The '89 match was a 0-0 on a soaking wet night in Dalyer. Remarkable only for it being Andy Townsend's debut I think.

Teams for those games:

1981, played on 14 October at Lansdowne Road;
Seamus McDonagh, David Langan, David O'Leary, Kevin Moran, Chris Hughton, Ronnie Whelan, Mick Martin, Mark Lawrenson, Liam Brady, Frank Stapleton, Michael Robinson.
Don Givens came on for Stapleton.

Scorers: Ireland - Mahut (og), Stapleton, Robinson. France - Bellone, Platini

1989, played on 7th February at Dalymount Park;
Packie Bonner, Chris Morris, Mick McCarthy, Paul McGrath, Chris Hughton, Ray Houghton, Ronnie Whelan, Andy Townsend, Liam Brady, Frank Stpaleton, Tony Cascarino.
John Aldridge came on for Stapleton.