European Draw

[OwlsFan]

The forthcoming fixture against Russia reminds of the Don Givens' hat trick against them in 1974 which also saw the debut of one Liam Brady. God I am old as I remember the game well. Strangely enough I also remember our defeat in Macedonia in the orange jerseys but I can't remember what happened in the return fixture. I think I also remember us losing 1-2 at home against the USSR in another competition but I can't remember when. And of course the 1-1 in Hannover in 1988. "Ohhh, Ronnie Whelan". Many Irish fans in the ground missed that goal as they were watching a wave going round. I didn't though.

Can't say I remember any games against Armenia. The games against Slovakia under Staunton - were they draws? Andorra doesn't ring any bells either.

[TheBoss]

v USSR/Russia

18.10.1972    WC Qualifier    HOME    Soviet Union    1-2    L  Terry Conroy
13.05.1973    WC Qualifier    AWAY    Soviet Union    1-0    L  
30.10.1974    EC Qualifier    HOME    Soviet Union    3-0    W  Don Givens (3)
18.05.1975    EC Qualifier    AWAY    Soviet Union    2-1    L  Eoin Hand
12.09.1984    WC Qualifier    HOME    Soviet Union    1-0    W  Mickey Walsh
16.10.1985    WC Qualifier    AWAY    Soviet Union    2-0    L
15.06.1988    Euro Champ     NEUTRAL  Soviet Union    1-1    D  Ronnie Whelan
25.04.1990    Friendly        HOME    Soviet Union    1-0    W  Steve Staunton
23.03.1994    Friendly        HOME    Russia          0-0    D
27.03.1996    Friendly        HOME    Russia          0-2    L
13.02.2002    Friendly        HOME    Russia          2-0    W  Steven Reid, Robbie Keane
07.09.2002    EC Qualifier    AWAY    Russia          4-2    L  Gary Doherty, Clinton Morrison
06.09.2003    EC Qualifier    HOME    Russia          1-1    D  Damien Duff

v Slovakia

28.03.2007    EC Qualifier    HOME    Slovakia        1-0    W  Kevin Doyle
08.09.2007    EC Qualifier    AWAY    Slovakia        2-2    D  Stephen Ireland, Kevin Doyle

v Macedonia

09.10.1996    WC Qualifier    HOME    Macedonia       3-0    W  Jason Mc Ateer, Tony Cascarino (2)
02.04.1997    WC Qualifier    AWAY    Macedonia       3-2    L  Alan Mc Loughlin, David Kelly
09.06.1999    EC Qualifier    HOME    Macedonia       1-0    W  Niall Quinn
09.10.1999    EC Qualifier    AWAY    Macedonia       1-1    D  Niall Quinn

v Armenia

None

v Andorra

28.03.2001    WC Qualifier    AWAY    Andorra         0-3    W  Kevin Kilbane, Matt Holland, Ian Harte
25.04.2001    WC Qualifier    HOME    Andorra         3-1    W  Kevin Kilbane, Mark Kinsella, Gary Breen

[HarpoJoyce]

[Apologies, post below written while The Boss was posting.

Slovakia 2:2 Rep. of Irl; Rep. of Irl 1:0 Slovakia. There was a last minut equaliser in Bratislava.

I watched IRL -USSR at Lansdowne on the TV (in Sept 1984 WCq '86). Mickey Walsh took a shock lead and we held on. The visitors had a goal disallowed while 0-0. This win was considered two points gained, like the full win - Two points. Great optimism for the future games. Next game Norway away and still favourites Denmark to come. If the North can do it " So we HAVE to do it".
The return was in either Tbilisi or Kiev. The squad transferred via Zurich and then it was reported a two hour bus journey through Moscow to another airport (back then they had four) for another flight down south.
Liam Touhy brought 'his charges' to Tbilisi for Youths World Championship after they finished fourth in the Europeans two years before. Saudi Arabia, Brazil and maybe Spain (can't remember last team).

Russia/USSR/CCCP
For a few short years they were being called USSR. The cyrillic CCCP on their shirts helped (State Advertising a National Team?). Addidas was heavily involved with them. They had the same 'diamonds with light' eyesore of as shirt as Netherlands (sometimes Netherlands, sometimes Holland) for the EURO '88 tournament. Another time Spartak Moscow played Liverpool and both benches wore this thre figers over the left shoulder (like the fingers of an uncle with boundary issues).

I know the statistic that one of the Cork clubs played Ararat Yerevan of the Soviet Supreme League.
When there was an established 32 team (33 in the CWC for Wales) in UEFA competitons, I remember the statistic that we had never played East Germany (DDR), Albania or Greece at Senior International level and never played DDR or Albania at club level.
(I'm not 100% on the club stat.)

Have the Senior side every played Czechoslovakia at Bratislava's Tehelné Pole or anywhere else in modern Slovakia?
This 'Former Yugoslav Republic of' imposed on Macedonia (Makedonia) is getting a bit jaded. It's coming from the Republic of Greece/Hellas and therefore the EU. With a bit of training media outlets and those creating articles can self-edit so it becomes redundant. It's only about culturally ownership, Greece want their province of Macedonia (Makedonia) thought of as the land of Phillip II and Alexander The Great (Colin Farrell).
UCD AFC played in Makedonia in Bulgaria against Velbazhd Kystendil in 2000. (Because there's no bloodshed, it's not a issue).

[OwlsFan]

The overall record against Russia (USSR) isn't too bad 4-2-6 (away very poor though) while we have the edge over the other teams, especially Andorra

I remember the Slovakia last minute equaliser now. Try to put these things out of ones mind like the Israel last minute goal.

Ah, the Mickey Walsh goal or Mice Walsh as the TV showed his name!

[superfrank]

Hopefully, Kevin Kilbane will be in the side. He always scores against Andorra.

IMO, the FYR Macedonia stuff is just petty by the Greeks. It'd be like us insisting on having the Irish Football Association called the Northern Irish Football Association.

[TheBoss]

But from the Greeks point of view, they think that their provincial Macedonia would want to part of a Republic of Macedonia, I think thats why they are kicking up this mess since the independence of Macedonia.

[OwlsFan]

Just noticed in Wikipedia:

"Andorra declared war on Imperial Germany during World War I, but did not actually take part in the fighting. It remained in an official state of belligerency until 1957 as it was not included in the Treaty of Versailles".

I'd say the Germans were quaking in their boots.

[seand]

[Apologies, post below written while The Boss was posting.


Have the Senior side every played Czechoslovakia at Bratislava's Tehelné Pole or anywhere else in modern Slovakia?

The 1959 EC qualifier was at Tehelenie Pole in bratislava. All other full internationals away to Czechoslovakia were played in Prague (or Reykavik!)

[OwlsFan]

The 1959 EC qualifier was at Tehelenie Pole in bratislava. All other full internationals away to Czechoslovakia were played in Prague (or Reykavik!)

I stuck that name in Google and drew a blank. Perhaps the Irish fans destroyed the place?

[seand]

I stuck that name in Google and drew a blank. Perhaps the Irish fans destroyed the place?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Teheln%C3%A9_Pole

my Slovak spelling obviously isn't up to scratch!

[OwlsFan]

Built during WW2 I see. Looks like the sort of stadium I wouldn't like to be in during a wet and miserable evening.

[pineapple stu]

Same ground we were in in 2007. Great atmosphere that night. Not the worst ground I've ever been in. Think it only started being wet and miserable after the game (lashed down over night).

[seand]

Apparently (according to Wiki so it HAS to be true) it's being rebuilt, Slovan are currently in the less salubrious surrounds of the Pasienky. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C5%A0tadi%C3%B3n_Pasienky
I was going to say they're sharing with Inter Bratislava (who I saw in the UEFA Cup in 2001) but it appears Inter's "franchise" has been taken over by some dodgy former fourth division club
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FK_Inter_Bratislava