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19.11.2009
(Cashman) | Heroes Halted By The Hand Of Henry
I can't believe that my last blog was titled 'Luck Deserts The Irish'. The irony. I really should have saved that one for a few days later...
Nobody could have expected the performance that the Irish delivered last night. To a man they were excellent. In particular, Lawrence, Andrews, Dunne, Keane, and Duff should be signalled out for praise.
Going into the match, the hope among many of the people I spoke to was that Ireland would simply keep the match interesting for 70 or 80 minutes, and at least allow the nation to believe we could qualify. The fear was that Ireland would concede early, be forced to come out, and risk the tie being over inside the first half. We need not have worried.
Trap, for once, took the shackles off the team and let them play with an attacking freedom previously unseen. The team thrived, creating by far the better chances in the match, but only taking one (though the goal was a thing of beauty). Some of the play was fabulous and saw sharp incisive passing, with the front two actually being supported from midfiled for a change.
We all know the outcome and the goal obviously should not have stood. Henry has tarnished his legacy as a great footballer in the eyes of many by doing what he did. Within seconds of the goal being scored it was clear that something was amiss just by watching the reaction of the Irish players. It's a shame that such a monumental effort from the Irish team will now just be consigned alongside the many others labelled 'gutsy defeat'.
It is clear that the French are humiliated by what happened. L'Equipe featured a picture of the handball in all its glory. While typing this I'm listening to two French journalists saying a replay should take place.
I believe that while the possibility of a replay is unlikey, it is certainly worth pursuing, if only to make our point about the level of injustice heaped upon our team. But if you then get the replay and another contentious decision occurs, is there then another replay? And another? And another? When would it end?
Well that's that. Another campaign comes to an end without the success of qualifying, but the manner of performance certainly bodes well for 2010. And who knows, maybe a little luck might be back on our side....... |
| Date | Comments | |
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23.11.2009
(B A Leberman) | Personally I was cheering the Irish on, but the inevitable truth, like you said, is no replay. bittersweet with the performance and effort they put into the whole qualifying campaign. |
