Football fans have all been there the highs of winning and lows of losing a penalty shoot out. Ireland’s World Cup dreams came crashing down last night in Prague. As a football fan you also want to see your team show signs of progress and under Heimir Hallgrimsson Irish football fans have witnessed a change in fortune since the arrival of the dentist from Iceland after some dark days following the international team. Every football fan needs a hero and in Troy Parrot we have found one.
Ireland started the game last night so well and sent us into dreams of queues outside the credit union for loans to take us to the US and Mexico after we went 2-0 up. Parrot’s opener was the toast of Peadar Browns Pub in the players hometown of Dublin when they gave a packed house a free pint as promised if he scored the opener.
A moment of Madness from Manning when he pulled back the player by the jersey for the penalty close to half time when there was no need. It gave the home support the lift they needed. They had been out sung by the small group of Ireland supporters up till then.
On another night the two shots that crashed against the Czechia woodwork may have gone in last night we did not get the rub of the green or the luck of the Irish. To make matters worse the linesman was conned for the freekick which resulted in the goal so late in the game.
In injury time it was stalemate and late sub Szmodics was knocked out cold shortly after coming on and taken to hospital. Then we had the drama of the penalties and the reality that we could be watching Ireland at the World Cup.
It may now be the end of the international road for Seamus Coleman who was almost in tears when he spoke to the media after the game as was Troy Parrot who will be a vital part in Ireland’s next qualification campaign for the Euros.
I don’t expect my phone to be hopping with requests for tickets or seats on the bus to the Aviva on Tuesday for the visit of North Macedonia to Dublin, but the hardcore will be there to get behind the boys in green once more.
Last night’s game will have taken a lot out of the Czechia players while their opponents in the final play off for the World Cup Denmark cruised to a 4-0 win. I think with this in mind it will be Denmark and their fans who will be favourites to reach the World Cup.
Andrew Milne is Editor of More than 90 Minutes & Host of the Celtic Soul Podcast
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