Foot.ie decides - Ireland's best goal!

[Eminence Grise]

Group E

1. Ray Houghton N v Italy, 1994 – the stage and the opposition, the something out of nothing… Class.
2. Roy Keane A v Cyprus, 2001 – easy to forget that for all he was a hard man (especially since he took up studs-up punditry) there was a player of real skill there too.
3. Anthony Pilkington H v USA, 2014
4. Robbie Brady N v Italy, 2016
5. Mark Kennedy H v Yugoslavia, 1999
6. Gary Doherty A v Russia, 2002

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OK, going to blow it up on Group D. Robbie Keane takes the honours with 38, and will be joined in the last 32 by Liam Brady (32). John Byrne (27), Stephen Ireland (23), Frank Stapleton (15) and Clinton Morrison (13) made up the group. Bit surprised at Morrison's poor showing tbh, but tough group I guess.

Group E will continue till the morning, and in the meantime, here's your contenders in Group F, which is our newest group in terms of average year -

1) Stephen Ward H v Belarus, 2016
2) Marc Wilson A v Faroe Islands, 2012
3) Robbie Keane N v Germany, 2002
4) Steve Staunton A v Malta, 1999
5) Seáni Maguire H v New Zealand, 2019
6) Wes Hoolahan N v Sweden, 2016

Videos to follow in a sec...

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1) Stephen Ward H v Belarus, 2016
A lovely tee-up by Long makes this one, I think. Time is 3:00; time-stamped link is here.

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2) Marc Wilson A v Faroe Islands, 2012
A belter from the edge of the box to finally break down the Faroes.

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3) Robbie Keane N v Germany, 2002
Love John Motson parodying himself on the BBC commentary here. "Look at these scenes! Just look at these scenes!"

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4) Steve Staunton A v Malta, 1999
Another utter ****wit of a commentator, but a quality free to dig us out of a big hole, having given away a 2-0 lead in Malta. Time is 1:06; time-stamped link is here.

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5) Seáni Maguire H v New Zealand, 2019
The most recent goal in the tournament, with Troy Parrott setting up Seáni Maguire after a bit of a scrum on the edge of the box. Time is 2:00; time-stamped link is here.

[pineapple stu]

6) Wes Hoolahan N v Sweden, 2016
Wessi's moment on the big stage. Time is 3:40; time-stamped link is here.

[nigel-harps1954]

Group F: (toughest one yet)

1. Wilson
2. Maguire
3. Staunton
4. Hoolahan
5. Keane
6. Ward

[Eirambler]

Group F

1st) Wes Hoolahan N v Sweden, 2016
2) Seáni Maguire H v New Zealand, 2019
3) Steve Staunton A v Malta, 1999
4) Robbie Keane N v Germany, 2002
5) Marc Wilson A v Faroe Islands, 2012
6) Stephen Ward H v Belarus, 2016

I have absolutely no recollection of that Belarus game.

[pineapple stu]

In Turners Cross just before the Euros. It was straight after that O'Neill cut - was it Forde? Or Westwood?

[SkStu]

Group F
Hoolahan
Staunton
Keane
Maguire
Wilson
Ward

[geysir]

Group F
1. Wes Hoolahan
2. Stan Staunton
3. Robbie Keane
4. Marc Wilson
5. Stephen Ward
6, Sean Maguire.

Nice to see Stan going ape.

[Fixer82]

Group C

1) Ronnie Whelan V USSR
2) James McClean V Wales
3) Kevin Sheedy V England
4) Andrews V Italy
5) Keane V Saudi Arabia
6) O'Callaghan V Malta

Group D

1) Keane V Israel
2) Stapleton V Malta
3) Brady V France
4) Ireland V Wales
5) Byrne V Turkey
6) Clinton V Israel

Group E

1) Mark Kennedy v Yugoslavia
2) Ray Houghton v Italy
3) Robbie Brady V Italy
4) Anthony Pilkington v USA
5) Gary Doherty v Russia
6) Roy Keane V Cyprus

GROUP F
1) Keane
2) Staunton
3) Hoolahan
4) Maguire
5) Wilson
6) Ward

[pineapple stu]

So it's Houghton and Kennedy (in that order) who progress from Group E - just one point between them though. A good gap of ten points back to Robbie Brady in third.

Group F (the newest group; average year 2011) will remain open till this evening, and Group G (the oldest group; average year 1993) is up now. We have -

Ray Houghton A v Belgium, 1997
Liam Brady H v Brazil, 1987
Gary Kelly A v Cyprus, 2001
Paul McGrath H v Luxembourg, 1987
Roy Keane H v Portugal, 2001
Tony Grealish H v Switzerland, 1985

Videos on the way...

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Ray Houghton A v Belgium, 1997
A technically excellent header from the little man. Time is 0:04; time-stamped link is here.

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Liam Brady H v Brazil, 1987
A Brazilian effort to down Brazil in 87.

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Gary Kelly A v Cyprus, 2001
A slight nick on the shot maybe? But it's a Gary Kelly 30-yarder, so worth an inclusion even if there was. Time is 1:32; time-stamped link is here.

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Paul McGrath H v Luxembourg, 1987
An important goal in the Euro 88 campaign - an almost disinterested "**** off" of a volley while level at 1-1 in the second half at home to Luxembourg. Time is 0:27; time-stamped link is here.

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Roy Keane H v Portugal, 2001
Another one nominated in the call for Keane goals. Quick thinking in the box completely fools the Potuguese keeper, who effectively just falls over. Time is 0:15; time-stamped link is here.