Ireland’s participation in the European Championships has thus far been bookended by two of the greatest moments in Irish sporting history.
In 1988 Jack Charlton's side were the first Irish team to appear at the Euros, and in their debut on the continental stage secured a famous win over England in Stuttgart.
Fast forward 28 years and Ireland have reached the last-16 of the tournament for the first ever time following a 1-0 win over Italy which will live on down the ages.
In 1988 it was Ray Houghton's header in Germany which sent the nation into raptures, while in 2016 Robbie Brady nodded home to sink the Azzurri and secure Ireland's passage into the knockkout stages.
Both fine moments in their own right, but the question is, which one was better - Ray or Robbie?
Euro 2016 - Italy 0 Ireland 1
June 22nd 2016
Martin O’Neill’s side headed into their final group game against Italy knowing nothing but a win would do after their opening draw with Sweden and sobering defeat to Belgium.
Not many gave Ireland a chance of progression into the last-16, but on a balmy night under the roof in Lille they defied the odds to record a win for the ages.
With Italy already qualified for the knockout stages coach Antonio Conte made eight changes for the Group E clash at the Stade Pierre-Mauroy, with O'Neill making four of his own.
And with a maiden second round place at stake Ireland delivered when it mattered most, delivering a tenacious display which had the Azzurri rattled for large swathes of the game.
With the match reaching a thundering crescendo Ireland had a golden chance to seal the game with Wes Hoolahan free in the box, but despite having what seemed like an age to score he could only sidefoot a tame effort at goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu.
It was the chance. Hearts sank. Surely a better opportunity wouldn’t present itself now?
But then Aiden McGeady played in Hoolahan on the right and instantly redemption came.
The Norwich City midfielder curled in a perfect ball into the Italian box and there was Robbie Brady unmarked, nodding home to finish off a move he had started on the edge of Ireland’s penalty area.
Lille erupted, Ireland erupted. O'Neill and Roy Keane, their players and substitutes, erupted.
Ireland had done the unthinkable and were through to the last-16 of the Euros, with hosts France lying in wait.
At full time Brady made a beeline for his girlfriend and brother in the stands with the delirious green hoards around them savouring every drop.
A moment that will last forever.
Euro 1988: Ireland 1 England 0
June 12th 1988
A sort of moon landing or JFK being shot moment for Irish fans, this; if you weren't actually there in Stuttgart looking on from the stands, then you certainly remember just where it was that you were when Ray Houghton goal that unforgettable goal.
The goal itself was a rather wonderful thing with Houghton showing immense composure amid considerable chaos. Tony Galvin had played the ball in from the left and Kenny Sansom then badly sliced his attempted clearance which flew high above a crowded penalty area. John Aldridge then got the better of his marker and headed the ball towards Houghton who still looked to have a fair bit to do from where he was but the midfielder picked his spot, in the far top corner, and gets plenty of power behind a header that leaves Peter Shilton stranded and retreating defenders equally helpless.
Shilton “wasn’t the biggest” and “left a lot of room for me to head the ball into” he would say, rather modestly, later on. “It really was just a matter of getting the ball on target.”
The only downside of the goal was that it came so early in the game with England having more than 80 minutes to chase an equaliser and so Houghton wasn’t the only Irish hero by the end of the afternoon.
The footage of his goal and what followed, though, are generally the images that endure; with the ball flying in, the wild celebrations on the pitch and on the terrace behind as well in the Irish dugout where only Jack Charlton himself looked slightly immune to the joy of it all.
“A lot of people said he was disappointed,” acknowledged Houghton fairly recently. “If you ever see the pictures of Jack, you’d think he was disappointed that we scored against England but it was nothing like that. What actually happened was he jumped up so quickly that he hit his head of the dugout and he was in a lot of pain at the time.”
Houghton has been quite rightly dining out on the moment ever since. “It was actually my first goal for Ireland and it’s something you never forget,” he says.
Hell Ray, we didn’t score it and it’s something we’ll never forget either.
