The draw for Euro 2016 has paired Ireland and Scotland together for the first time since 1986, and while the Irish are placed in Group D as second seeds, with Germany already installed as favourites for the tournament, and Poland and the Scots involved, new boss Martin O’Neill would have wished for a far easier road to France.
The match action itself has been re-run many times. Now for your viewing pleasure, we’ve unearthed some lesser known footage of the television coverage surrounding Ireland’s remarkable early successes under Jack Charlton. Beginning with the official film of Euro 88, followed by ITV’s coverage of the game with England when Liam Brady reveled in putting Brian Clough straight. From there, we move onto the heady days of Italia 90 qualification through to the finals themselves when RTE’s pioneering coverage rewrote the manual on football punditry.
June 12, 1988, Neckarstadion, Stuggart. Ray Houghton puts the ball in the English net. We could only post Gabriel Egan’s iconic commentary.
They were the pioneers. After decades of heartache, the Republic of Ireland appeared at a major football finals for the first time in 1988. Twenty-four years on, we’re back, but many of Jack’s original Boys in Green can still be seen on our TV screens as pundits. Póg Mo Goal takes an offside look back and asks; the heroes of Euro ’88, where are they now?
Build from the back. The greatest Euro moments in Lego form, including Razor’s header against England
“I remember Dennis Wise saying; ‘One England cap is worth 50 Ireland caps.’ All I’d say was; ‘It’s more than 20 years since you’ve beaten us”. In Part 2 of our interview with two of the stars of Jack’s Charlton’s history-making Irish squads, Tony Cascarino tells Póg Mo Goal that scoring against England was a highlight of his career.
When Ireland line out in Poznan on June 10th, it will be 24 years since our first appearance at the European Championships. Packie Bonner and Tony Cascarino were among the pioneers in those first breakthrough moments for the Republic. Speaking to Póg Mo Goal, they cast their minds back to those heady days before wondering, like the rest of us, what lays in store this summer. Part 1 features Packie Bonner.
The Republic of Ireland at Euro 2012.
We’re back for the first time since 1988 and nothing’s gonna keep us down.
The morning after the night before. It started out horribly. Paired with Spain, the world champions and defending European title holders. Then came Croatia, who we drew with 0-0 at the Aviva earlier this year. With two balls remaining, it […]
