| Mick McCarthy was appointed manager of Ireland | | | | some of the coaching staff was blown out of all |
| after Charlton narrowly missed out on guiding Ireland to | | | | proportions. A critical article in an Irish newspaper from |
| the Euro 96 Finals in England. On an emotional night | | | | Keane and a team meeting which seems to have |
| which would be Charlton's final game in charge, the | | | | been a shambolic bit of man management from |
| Irish succumbed to a two nil defeat at the hands of the | | | | McCarthy resulted in the man considered to be the |
| Dutch in a playoff. The team was now in transition, an | | | | best midfielder in the world, Roy Keane being sent |
| ageing team had to make way for youth, and a long | | | | home. The world's media attention was on the Ireland |
| ball game had to make way for the now worldwide | | | | team now but for all the wrong reasons. Everyone |
| pass and move philosophy. It was McCarthy's job to | | | | had an opinion on this issue and the players, the media |
| steady the ship and build on past successes. | | | | and the fans were split into two camps, those who |
| Unfortunately his immediate impact did not have a | | | | believed McCarthy was right to send Keane home |
| desired result. The Irish failed to qualify for the next | | | | and those who supported Keane in his comments on |
| two Tournaments, the World Cup in France 1998 and | | | | the Irish set up. Keane had stated that the Irish lacked |
| the Euros in Belgium and the Netherlands 2000. With | | | | professionalism in every aspect of their preparation for |
| some dismal performances in both qualifying | | | | the World Cup, obviously more heated exchanges |
| campaigns although again narrowly missing out on both | | | | occurred behind the scenes which led to Keane's |
| tournaments it was a disheartening period in Irish | | | | dismissal. Although politicians were even called in to |
| football until qualification for the World Cup in 2002. | | | | resolve the issue Keane remained in his Manchester |
| In a qualification table including Portugal and Holland the | | | | home and Ireland began the World Cup without their |
| Irish showed the fighting spirit of the previous era. With | | | | best player. |
| a mixture of some old stalwarts and youthful | | | | Whatever people may say about what happened in |
| exuberance the team were not overawed. They | | | | Saipan and many have and will continue to have their |
| finished the group in second place with the same | | | | say it is evident that both men should have been able |
| points as winners Portugal and advanced to the World | | | | to resolve any personal differences they had for each |
| Cup Finals after a playoff with Iran. The qualification | | | | other for the more important matter at hand. |
| featured probably the greatest game ever played at | | | | The Irish faced Cameroon in the first match of the |
| Lansdowne Road not for flair or a flurry of goals but | | | | group stage. A strong physical team Cameroon |
| for drama. This game was against the Dutch, a nerve | | | | imposed themselves on the game from the first |
| wracking nail biting match that no one who was there | | | | whistle. Up front they had Samuel Etoo leading the line |
| or who just watched in the pubs around the country | | | | and his break down the right hand side of Ireland's |
| will ever forget. To set the scene, the Dutch needed to | | | | defence led to the opening goal. He skipped passed |
| win the game in order to keep their hopes alive, the | | | | Staunton leaving him on his backside, entered the |
| Irish could not afford to lose. The Dutch team was | | | | penalty area and squared the ball to Mboma who |
| filled with the superstars of the day, the De Boer | | | | placed the ball into the gaping goal. Ireland managed to |
| brothers, Van Der Sar, Kluivert, Stam, Davids, Van | | | | reorganise themselves and snatched an equaliser in |
| Nistelrooy, and Seedorf. The Irish were underdogs with | | | | the second half, a crisply struck shot from Matt Holland |
| a capital 'U'. They had managed a 2-2 draw away | | | | (Keane's replacement) from outside the box nestled |
| from home against the Dutch, a remarkable result but | | | | into the bottom right hand corner of the net. An |
| could they really prevent the Dutch from reaching the | | | | opening draw in the campaign and some relief that the |
| World Cup Finals? | | | | team had not capitulated under the undue pressure |
| If the Irish did not believe they didn't show it spurred on | | | | that had preceded the match. |
| by the best midfielder in the world Roy Keane, he did | | | | Next up were the ever resilient Germans. The |
| not let the Dutch breathe never mind pass the ball, | | | | Germans although lacking the skills of previous teams |
| undoubtedly his greatest performance in a green | | | | could never be written off. In the 19th minute they took |
| jersey. It may have been this over exuberance that | | | | the lead with a Klose goal. However after they went |
| caused the only moment of silence at that game, the | | | | one nil up Germany sat back and tried to sit on their |
| moment Gary Kelly received a red card. Marc | | | | lead. In a poor game, but another determined |
| Overmars had been running rings round Kelly in the | | | | performance saw Ireland snatch an equaliser in the |
| first half leading the Irish man to be yellow carded, the | | | | 92nd minute. A long ball up to Niall Quinn (reminiscent of |
| second half began as the first and thirteen minutes in a | | | | the old days), headed into the box and latched on to |
| reckless tackle on Overmars again, saw Kelly see his | | | | by Robbie Keane who slots the ball into the corner of |
| second yellow of the game followed by the dreaded | | | | the net. Another memorable moment as Ireland now |
| red. The Irish fans were disheartened but not silenced, | | | | just needed to beat Saudi Arabia to qualify for the |
| the team were holding on to a nil all draw although the | | | | next round. |
| Dutch had missed chance after chance, it seemed | | | | In the third match of the group they did just that. With |
| only a matter of time. Shay Given was lucky not to | | | | a few nervous moments at the beginning of the game |
| concede a penalty when he seemed to bundle over | | | | Ireland went on to win the match 3-0 with goals from |
| Van Nistelrooy who surely would have been left with | | | | Robbie Keane, Gary Breen and Damien Duff. They |
| a simple tap in. | | | | may not have been at their best against the Saudis |
| However a moment came that few are privileged | | | | but the result saw them progress to the Second |
| enough to see in a football match. In the 67th minute | | | | Round. |
| Ireland for the first time in the half broke forward in | | | | The Second Round was a mouth watering tie with |
| numbers, Roy Keane led the charge, was strong on | | | | Spain. The Spaniards had started the Finals brightly |
| the ball, fouled, the ball breaks to Duff, ref waves play | | | | with three wins from three and most were |
| on, he spreads the ball wide to Finnan, he attacks | | | | comfortable, 3-1 on two occasions. So when Fernando |
| Cocu down the right, forced to check back onto his | | | | Morientes headed in after only eight minutes things |
| left, crosses to the far post, and somehow it breaks to | | | | looked bleak. However the Spanish began to sit back |
| an unmarked Jason McAteer who on the half volley | | | | and the Irish threw everything they had at the Spanish |
| slots the ball past an imposing Van Der Sar. What a | | | | defence. There were signs of the defence creaking |
| moment and the Lansdowne roar was never heard | | | | under the pressure and it did just that in the 62nd |
| so loudly. For 23 and a bit minutes Ireland defended for | | | | minute, Damien Duff fouled in the area, penalty. Up |
| their lives, eventually seeing out a one nil win. When the | | | | stepped Ian Harte... Casillas saves. The luck of the Irish |
| final whistle blew the Irish fans broke into a chorus of | | | | seemed to be running out until the unlikeliest of events |
| 'Ten Men and we beat the Dutch', few wanted to | | | | transpired, in the ninety second minute Robbie Keane |
| leave that stadium that day, even the Dutch fans, who | | | | was brought down in the box, another penalty. This |
| played their part in the remarkable atmosphere, | | | | time up stepped Robbie Keane...GOAL! |
| applauded as they had witnessed something special. | | | | The match ended 1-1 and extra time got under way. |
| The 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan got | | | | With further twists Spain ended that game with nine |
| off to an auspices start. After a qualification campaign | | | | men on the pitch not through ill discipline but injury. |
| of mainly highs the World Cup before it even started | | | | Although Ireland looked the more likely they could not |
| brought a great low. The Irish team had shown great | | | | press home their two man advantage. This would be |
| unity, determination and spirit which was characterised | | | | a fatal error as the penalty shootout resulted in a win |
| in the Dutch match, a training camp in Saipan brought | | | | for Spain. Yet again the Irish had given it their all and |
| disunity, and tore through the heart of the team literally. | | | | their supporters admired them for it. |
| A training ground bust up involving Roy Keane and | | | | |