Most Important Irish moment for you?

[J.O.F.A.S]

NOT THE BEST BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT TO YOU!

Ray Houghton goal (vs England 1988)

John Aldridge goal (vs Malta 1989)

Kevin Sheedy goal (vs England 1990)

Pat Bonner save (vs Romania 1990)

Alan McLoughlan goal (vs Northern Ireland 1993)

Jason McAteer goal (vs Holland 2001)

Robbie Keane goal (vs Germany 2002)

Mick McCarthy resignation (2002)

[J.O.F.A.S]

I must pick Ray Houghton vs England Euro 88 in Stuttgart,Germany..............

A young fella looking around at the joy of so many people for weeks on end (Years for some people)................

The moment Ireland and its people knew we had hit the big time and Ireland was not just a little Sh!tty country west of Britain!

May I add they have not beaten us since, if you count David Kellys goal at the game that never was....

Pld 5 Won 2 Drew 3 Lost 0 (zero,zip, none , F All etc)

Our heros
Ray Houghton 1988 and Packie Bonner!
Kevin Sheedy 1990
Niall Quinn 1991
Tony Cascarino 1991
David Kelly 1995

[niamh]

Alan McLoughin's goal in Winsor Park..went absolutely mental. first time we qualified for something after the madness that was Italia 90.

[The Sheliban]

The Ronnie Whelan goal against Russia in Euro 88.

Houghton's goal bewitched a nation, but internationally it was seen as a fluke result, particularly as England missed chances galore.
However the very creditable draw against Russia [who ended up finalists] and the narrow 1-0 defeat to eventual winners Holland showed that we were capable of competing at the very highest level.

The Russian game saw Ireland play football like we had never seen it before, and we were unlucky to only get a draw.

[pineapple stu]

Ray Houghton goal (vs England 1988)

First football game I remember watching!

[tiktok]

iwas going to say packie's save, but on mature recollection (ie after the posts of sheliban i have to agree.

the draw with russia really announced us on the european scene. so ronnie whelan -v- russia (it still came off his shin though).

[RiffRaff]

Have to say mine was Mackays (was that his name??) goal for Scotland in Bulgaria that got us to Germany in 88. Watched it on tv expecting the same "nearly made it" story and then he scored a few minutes from the end, i really couldn't believe it

[sorbothegreek]

Possibly the highlight for me even then was the reaction of a Mr Rodney Marsh, who before the tournament had said that "he couldn't pick a winner because there were seven top international sides all capable of winning it involved".
The ****.

[tiktok]

england did really well in the end didn't they Rodney?

[Dricky]

Originally posted by Conor74
You must be easily impressed if your most important moment was something that neither you nor any of us witnessed. If you read Niall Quinn's book, you'll get an idea of Roy's speech and language that might leave you less than impressed though even Niall refuses to repeat the words used.

As a matter of interest, how DO you know it was systematic and awe-inspiring? Or is that guesswork?

Roy Keane being sent home, and then our world cup chance ended.

Conor it is not like you to go with the gossip. how can someone be more or less impressed with language used if no one will quote it.

And how many of us would in ourlife time love to tell out boss where to shove it.


Everyone forgets he got sacked as captain and sent home he didn't walk, That is what Mickey McCarthy is quoted as saying.

[The Sheliban]

Regarding Houghton's goal against England, I'm sure I couldn't have been the only person in the country who thought that Aldo had scored it. You saw the header from behind, George I don't think mentioned who it was, and then the camera went to Aldo running away. So it was only after we'd finished hopping around a minute later that we realised it had been Houghton.

[John83]

A single moment? Bonner's save against Romania is something I'll never forget - and I was only seven at the time.

In recent memory, I can think of a few moments. During the Spain game last summer, Duff was fouled, out on the left side of midfield. He fell over, and I groaned, thinking we'd lost the ball again. Next thing I saw was Duff standing up, the ball still at his feet. He's knocked over again ten yards further on, and the Spanish start trying to take the ball off him. He starts rolling the ball along the ground with one leg, keeping it from the Spanish players, even though he's lying flat on his back. He got up without losing the ball. I cheered. He won a free a couple of yards futher on.

[John83]

Originally posted by Conor74

Comparison with the great speeches of Michael Collins is highly ironic, he being much more famous for his skills as a soldier than a speaker. In fact, while we've all heard the speeches of Emmett, O'Connell, Pearse and de Valera, I'm desperately trying to think of a Collins speech!!

Watch the film again

[Schumi]

The repeated use of the word c*nt clearly shows the greatest use of the English language possible.

As for the actual topic:
Houghton's goal against England probably shades it from Packie's penalty save as it announced us to the world. I remember that game (the first I remember watching). I was 8, in a packed pub with everyone standing up and could barely see the TV and I just remember the whole place exploding and thinking that we must have scored.

[Macy]

And most have those, particularly the english/british insults have been found not to have actually passed his lips, haven't they?

[SeanieBoy]

I would have to say that Robbie's goal against the Germans in Japan must rate up there with the best ever, especially if you are right behind the goal!!

[Countyman]

For me it has to be either when Ireland beat Spain in Lansdowne with a Michel o.g in the WC in 1989 (my first ireland game) or
the 1-0 win over the dutch in 2001. I was right behind the goal and I think it was the biggest rush of adrenaline I ever got when McAteer scored.

You cant beat being there!!!!!

[gspain]

Stuttgart for me - old enough to remembe the pain of so many unsuccessful campaigns. - the heartbreak of 82 and finding out years later that a referee was almost certainly bribed.

Jimmy Magee almost crying in 86 saying we'd never reach a major finals in his lifetime.

To qualify was somehing special but to see an Irish team walk out in the finals of a major competition and then go on to beat the Auld Enemey was the stuff of dreams.

We've beaten far better teams, we've played far better and we've been in more important games but that day was really really special. Christy Moore's "Jockser goes to Stuttgart" goes
some way to capturing the magic.

June 12th 1988 the greatest moment in the history of the Irish national and the day they wrote Robert Emmett's epitaph.

"Let no man write my epitaph.... When my country takes her place among the nations of the earth, then, and not till then, let my epitaph be written."
Robert Emmett

[brine2]

Beating the Dutch in 2001.

I was in an Irish pub in Amsterdam.

[The Legend]

Maradonna's hand of God goal against England '86...