Top 3 International Performances by an Irish Player

**tetsujin1979** · 17/12/2007, 1:24 PM

Originally Posted by centre mid

Thats right we were 2-0 down at halftime, he spent the first half running around trying to find Koller ( its not as if he is hard to spot ). He was taken off at half time and we won 3-2. Cant remember him getting another cap after that.

No, he never got another cap, although he was in several squads after that

Originally Posted by AustinoAsprilla

Worst Three - The first three games after he left

Drawing with the African Nations Champions
Drawing with the eventual runners up
Getting the desired result to qualify for the second round.
Agreed, truly shocking

**Sunny Jim** · 17/12/2007, 1:24 PM

Tony Galvin was fantastic against Russia in Euro 88. Best game he played for Ireland.

**Supreme feet** · 17/12/2007, 1:32 PM

Originally Posted by AustinoAsprilla

Best Three - Roy Keane's last three games for Ireland
Worst Three - The first three games after he left

Roy Keane's second-last appearance for Ireland was as a late substitute against China! A landmark performance indeed.

**Torn-Ado** · 17/12/2007, 1:35 PM

McGrath V Italy 1994. It gives me goosebumps watching him block everything that came his way that night. A master in defence who broke his balls for ninety minutes.

Keane V Portugal 2001. I'm reluctant to say it but if ever a football match epitomised a one man show, that was it. The whole team were getting raped and he literally caught them by the scruff of the neck and pulled them through it.

Given V Cyprus 2005. Could have been 5 or 6 if it wasn't for Shay.

**galwayhoop** · 17/12/2007, 2:33 PM

Originally Posted by Torn-Ado

McGrath V Italy 1994. It gives me goosebumps watching him block everything that came his way that night. A master in defence who broke his balls for ninety minutes.

Keane V Portugal 2001. I'm reluctant to say it but if ever a football match epitomised a one man show, that was it. The whole team were getting raped and he literally caught them by the scruff of the neck and pulled them through it.

agree with the two above and along with Bonner in 88 there is the definate top 3 for me.

**geysir** · 17/12/2007, 3:24 PM

You guys are all Charlton Babes.

1981 Stapleton V France 3-2 The most complete performance by an Irish forward that I have ever seen, simply superb. Ranks on a par with the best of Keane and McGrath.
Brady in the same game when according to Jimmy Magee he had Platini in his shorts the whole game.
Brady Debut, It's not many games that a teenager on his debut overshadows a hattrick and a historic victory.

**OwlsFan** · 17/12/2007, 4:01 PM

(1) Don Givens hat-trick against the Soviet Union in October 1974.

(2) Don Givens 4 against Turkey in 1975.

(3) Many of Ray Houghton's performance during the Charlton era. A dynamo.

**stojkovic** · 17/12/2007, 6:27 PM

Agree with most of the above in relation to players like Stapleton, Brady, Sheedy, Given and Bonner in the games mentioned. but they all had decent enough players around them. Bonner in Stuttgart - anyone could have played in goal that day, it was written in stone that we were gonna win. McGrath was excellent in New Jersey but so were Keane, Sheridan, Babb, Irwin, Coyne and Townsend.

Roy Keane's performances against Cyprus (4-0), Portugal (1-1 home), Holland (1-0) and Iceland (4-2 away), Spain (0-0) to name a few, were one-man shows. Some of our players in those games had absolute howlers.

My top five would be four of Keane's plus McGrath in 94.

Best Team performance

v Holland 2-2 Rotterdam 1981
v USSR 1-1 Hanover 1988
v England 1-1 Wembley 1991
v France 3-2 Lansdowne 1981
v Spain 0-0 Seville 1992

**keenanboy** · 18/12/2007, 9:48 PM

1. Terry Phelan v Holland, USA '94
2. Phil Babb v Russia, 2002
3. Paddy Kenny v Cyprus, 2006

**keenanboy** · 18/12/2007, 9:50 PM

Originally Posted by stojkovic

Bonner in Stuttgart - anyone could have played in goal that day, it was written in stone that we were gonna win.

Have to disagree with this, the back 4 got a roasting from England and Packie saved their bacon on a number of occasions, including pushing a Barne's header onto the post in the dying seconds.

**Noelys Guitar** · 18/12/2007, 11:17 PM

Not top 3 but up there with the best.
Two second choice players Mick Martin and Kevin Moran in the away qualifyer against Belgium 81. Lawernson injured weekend before match. O'Leary cried off day of match. Although we lost 1-0 Martin and Moran played superbly that night.

My top 3

1. Keane against Portugal in Landsdowne
2. Giles v Russia 74 (just shades Brady in that game)
3 Givens V Turkey 75

**RiffRaff** · 19/12/2007, 9:17 AM

Originally Posted by Noelys Guitar

Not top 3 but up there with the best.
Two second choice players Mick Martin and Kevin Moran in the away qualifyer against Belgium 81. Lawernson injured weekend before match. O'Leary cried off day of match. Although we lost 1-0 Martin and Moran played superbly that night.

My top 3

1. Keane against Portugal in Landsdowne
2. Giles v Russia 74 (just shades Brady in that game)
3 Givens V Turkey 75

i remember that belgium game. I dont think Martin had played centre half before and he surprised everyone.

**John83** · 19/12/2007, 11:25 AM

Originally Posted by Stuttgart88

It was only a friendly, but Duff at home to Denmark (3-0) was superb. His performance in the second half in Suwon was top class too.

Souness was fuming after that game. McCarthy had promised to take Duff off after 45 minutes, but wound up playing him something like 80 minutes. His excuse? He couldn't stop watching that.

Originally Posted by eekers

has there ever been a full ireland in italia 90 dvd?
with full games? surely it would sell like crazy around christmas

Would love to get hold of one alright.

Originally Posted by Dr. Ogba

Stutts - was that the match against Spain? i'd agree with that, he was fantastic as soon as he moved back out to the wing. Gave Mendieta (who was regarded as one of the best players in the world) an awlful pasting. It was definitely one of the best individual performances by an Irish player that i can remember (me being too young to recall Brady in his pomp)...

I love that performance, though it's not in the category as many of the others mentioned here. I remember him going down after a tackle, and keeping the ball while on the ground, being hassled by three Spaniards. The he got up, all without losing the ball. Wonderful stuff.

Originally Posted by Theskinloyal

Anything Phil Babb did in a green jersey.

I think you're being harsh, but my lasting memory of Phil Babb will always be this.

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

No, he never got another cap, although he was in several squads after that

{Context for anyone who missed the above: This is Butler, who got pwned by Jan Kollar on his debut}.
I thought he swore never to play for Ireland again and promptly defected to Wales.

**tetsujin1979** · 19/12/2007, 11:48 AM

Originally Posted by John83

{Context for anyone who missed the above: This is Butler, who got pwned by Jan Kollar on his debut}.
I thought he swore never to play for Ireland again and promptly defected to Wales.

I'm convinced I read an interview with him in the Independent where he said he was called up a few more times, but never played.
I've been searching on independent.ie for it, but no luck yet.
However, I did find this: http://www.independent.ie/sport/butl...se-383342.html
It clarifies how Butler qualified, not through his wife, as has been claimed here a few times, but through his step-father's father.

But Butler, who could have applied for an Irish passport through his wife, has a stronger connection through his step-father, Clifford Butler. ``My step-father's father, Seamus, was born in Dublin and it's through him that I've qualified to play for Ireland,'' he explained. ``My wife came to Dublin and spent two weeks getting all the documentation I needed. Once the paperwork was in place, I applied for a passport.''

Not sure about defecting to Wales, again from the same article:

BUTLER, who was born Paul Roberts but changed his name when his mother re-married, was approached by Bobby Gould to play for Wales but he pursued the Irish cause because McCarthy had shown interest first. McCarthy had been tipped off by Stan Ternent when Butler was at Bury.

Vinnie Jones was approached by Jack at one point to declare for Ireland, but once he wasn't eligible, he declared for Wales. I believe he has a Welsh tatoo on his ankle

**geysir** · 19/12/2007, 11:53 AM

I thought Jack had said that we need Vinny Jones like a hole in the head

**tetsujin1979** · 19/12/2007, 12:12 PM

Originally Posted by geysir

I thought Jack had said that we need Vinny Jones like a hole in the head

He did, then later he said something like "he is a player I'm interested in", think it was around the time he was at Leeds

**fergalr** · 19/12/2007, 12:46 PM

Bonner was blessed in Stuttgart - I even remember Charlton giving him stick after the game for not commanding his area. Look at the video of that final corner - he was all over the shop.

Best three ever performances by an irish player:
Roy Keane - pick any from a dozen or so but the two home games in 01 v Portugal and Holland stand out
Paul McGrath - Giants stadium
Liam Brady - again loads to choose from but I have a strong memory of him playing against Holland on his own when we lost 2-1 away in the 80s.

**blobbyblob** · 19/12/2007, 1:47 PM

**carloz** · 19/12/2007, 1:49 PM

Originally Posted by Torn-Ado

McGrath V Italy 1994. It gives me goosebumps watching him block everything that came his way that night. A master in defence who broke his balls for ninety minutes.

Keane V Portugal 2001. I'm reluctant to say it but if ever a football match epitomised a one man show, that was it. The whole team were getting raped and he literally caught them by the scruff of the neck and pulled them through it.

Given V Cyprus 2005. Could have been 5 or 6 if it wasn't for Shay.

Id essentially go along with this, though i would have Keane number 1. That match just centered around him. He was pretty much the only reason we got a result in that game. The game away to Cyprus in the qualifying for 2002 World Cup he was also immense.