TROY PARROTT SCORED his fourth goal for the Republic of Ireland in four days, and all of a sudden, there were 10 minutes remaining to save this World Cup qualifying campaign.
It was a mixture of agony and desperate anticipation.
Parrott netted his second equaliser of the day with a sublime dink when it felt like hopes were drifting.
But a draw would not be enough.
Ireland needed more.
Parrott’s earlier penalty had eased Irish nerves after a disastrous start in Budapest saw them go a goal behind.
Now it was all down to who could finish the strongest.
The point was all Hungary needed for the play-off.
Only a win would do for Ireland.
A condensed, three-month campaign was now to be defined by the last few seconds.
When five minutes of injury time flashed up, there was hope and there was hopelessness.
Johnny Kenny almost won it as he creeped around the back post and had a shot superbly saved. It won’t be a moment anyone ever thinks of again after what happened next.
Caoimhin Kelleher went long. Liam Scales somehow managed to leap highest, glancing the ball down for Parrott who had anticipated the chance and was there to produce the most beautiful prod of his boot to trickle the ball in at the near post.
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What happened next was a scene of delirium in Budapest, scenes replicated in homes and pubs and football clubs (those with the facilities anyway) around Ireland.
“Tears of joy,” Parrott said as he spoke to RTÉ’s Tony O’Donoghue afterwards.
His voice trembled, his eyes were glassy, but he had already shattered Hungary’s dreams and made the rest of us at home dare to dream some of the wildest imaginable.
Troy Parrott’s tears of joy encapsulated a day to cherish as the love affair with the Irish football team deepens.
Thursday’s win over Portugal inspired renewed hope and belief and just when it looked like it would end with the most desperate feeling of regret, Ireland delivered a moment like that.
Earlier, seeing Chiedozie Ogbene limp off with a pulled hamstring after such a rousing performance felt symbolic of a sorrowful exit.
Eight minutes into the second half, trailing 2-1 and in desperate need of inspiration, Ogbene sought to be the one to provide it with another lung-bursting run onto a pass from Parrott that could have sent him through on goal.
The Corkman instantly knew his hamstring had gone. It seemed like Ireland’s chances had too, but maybe things are going to be different now, because what happened next was a combination of character and class.
Finn Azaz’s lofted pass, Parrott’s touch and finish for the second goal a sublime piece of combination play.
This victory, just four days after beating Portugal, means for the first time since Fifa began ranking its members, Ireland have won back-to-back competitive games against higher-ranked opponents.
Ireland now feels reenergised by the possibilities of reaching the World Cup for the first time in almost a quarter of a century.
A film about Saipan is coming out here in time for Christmas as the rancour which flowed from the Western Pacific continues a relentless deluge on our consciousness, and culture.
But the overriding sense after this stunning 3-2 win – one in which Ireland fell behind twice – is that anything could be possible now.
Beating Portugal had already changed so much, yet this reinforced it. What this week has shown us is that this Ireland team is one like so many of the past: it has the capacity to surprise us.
If Thursday was a chance to laugh at one of the game’s icons and truly enjoy a memorable 2-0 win, this was a victory of a completely different kind, one in which you felt sick with worry and then lightheaded with an unimaginable thrill.
Ireland players and staff celebrate with Troy Parrrott. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
This was not just a standalone night for the Ireland team. The true context can only be given when you consider what did happen against Portugal. It will never be forgotten, not least for Cristiano Ronaldo’s red card. This is a man who has probably been to more countries than he can remember.
He’s conquered the game, he’s an icon of the game, the first player billionaire player. Yet he will never forget Dublin. He will never forget Ireland. Lansdowne Road left an indomitable mark on Ronaldo’s psyche, and when he’s old and grey, if he allows himself to turn old and grey, he will close his eyes and think of Dublin.
He will see the faces of Nathan Collins and Dara O’Shea smiling back at him; he might just see the face of that Ireland fan returning the crying eyes. He’ll hear the laughter of Irish fans.
Budapest will hear them sing now and tomorrow and forever. Viktor Orban will no doubt even ensure Fairytale of New York is banned from the airwaves this Christmas.
Finally, there is something truly tangible to use as a means to altering the Irish mentality, of sharpening focus so that such a ragged performance like Armenia away cannot be tolerated while this group of players are together.
It almost derailed this campaign but Heimir Hallgrímsson, the Ireland manager, was able to help inspire a turnaround.
Ireland could so easily have collapsed after conceding early against Hungary but instead showed a maturity that allowed them draw not once, but twice, through Parrott.
Just when you thought events on Thursday could not be topped, the boy from Buckingham Street in north inner city Dublin showed he is indeed a man for the big occasion. He may well make the biggest of all at the World Cup his stage next summer.
Ireland's Seamus Coleman. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
There will be more dour, sour nights in Dublin and beyond; sure the history of Irish football has told us that because it has been littered with them.
The last four days have awoken something that has been dormant in so many supporters, in so many former players, everyone really. And that is belief. A sense of togetherness now pervades.
That’s what international football is. It’s actually making sure that the countrymen and women feel represented by those on the pitch. That extra, sometimes intangible, quality is connection.
This was a great day, a special day, one which offers hope of some of the greatest days for a generation of Irish supporters’ lives at next summer’s World Cup.
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Troy's tears of joy encapsulate a day to cherish as love affair with Irish team deepens
TROY PARROTT SCORED his fourth goal for the Republic of Ireland in four days, and all of a sudden, there were 10 minutes remaining to save this World Cup qualifying campaign.
It was a mixture of agony and desperate anticipation.
Parrott netted his second equaliser of the day with a sublime dink when it felt like hopes were drifting.
But a draw would not be enough.
Ireland needed more.
Parrott’s earlier penalty had eased Irish nerves after a disastrous start in Budapest saw them go a goal behind.
Now it was all down to who could finish the strongest.
The point was all Hungary needed for the play-off.
Only a win would do for Ireland.
A condensed, three-month campaign was now to be defined by the last few seconds.
When five minutes of injury time flashed up, there was hope and there was hopelessness.
Johnny Kenny almost won it as he creeped around the back post and had a shot superbly saved. It won’t be a moment anyone ever thinks of again after what happened next.
Caoimhin Kelleher went long. Liam Scales somehow managed to leap highest, glancing the ball down for Parrott who had anticipated the chance and was there to produce the most beautiful prod of his boot to trickle the ball in at the near post.
What happened next was a scene of delirium in Budapest, scenes replicated in homes and pubs and football clubs (those with the facilities anyway) around Ireland.
“Tears of joy,” Parrott said as he spoke to RTÉ’s Tony O’Donoghue afterwards.
His voice trembled, his eyes were glassy, but he had already shattered Hungary’s dreams and made the rest of us at home dare to dream some of the wildest imaginable.
Troy Parrott’s tears of joy encapsulated a day to cherish as the love affair with the Irish football team deepens.
Thursday’s win over Portugal inspired renewed hope and belief and just when it looked like it would end with the most desperate feeling of regret, Ireland delivered a moment like that.
Earlier, seeing Chiedozie Ogbene limp off with a pulled hamstring after such a rousing performance felt symbolic of a sorrowful exit.
Eight minutes into the second half, trailing 2-1 and in desperate need of inspiration, Ogbene sought to be the one to provide it with another lung-bursting run onto a pass from Parrott that could have sent him through on goal.
The Corkman instantly knew his hamstring had gone. It seemed like Ireland’s chances had too, but maybe things are going to be different now, because what happened next was a combination of character and class.
Finn Azaz’s lofted pass, Parrott’s touch and finish for the second goal a sublime piece of combination play.
This victory, just four days after beating Portugal, means for the first time since Fifa began ranking its members, Ireland have won back-to-back competitive games against higher-ranked opponents.
Ireland now feels reenergised by the possibilities of reaching the World Cup for the first time in almost a quarter of a century.
A film about Saipan is coming out here in time for Christmas as the rancour which flowed from the Western Pacific continues a relentless deluge on our consciousness, and culture.
But the overriding sense after this stunning 3-2 win – one in which Ireland fell behind twice – is that anything could be possible now.
Beating Portugal had already changed so much, yet this reinforced it. What this week has shown us is that this Ireland team is one like so many of the past: it has the capacity to surprise us.
If Thursday was a chance to laugh at one of the game’s icons and truly enjoy a memorable 2-0 win, this was a victory of a completely different kind, one in which you felt sick with worry and then lightheaded with an unimaginable thrill.
This was not just a standalone night for the Ireland team. The true context can only be given when you consider what did happen against Portugal. It will never be forgotten, not least for Cristiano Ronaldo’s red card. This is a man who has probably been to more countries than he can remember.
He’s conquered the game, he’s an icon of the game, the first player billionaire player. Yet he will never forget Dublin. He will never forget Ireland. Lansdowne Road left an indomitable mark on Ronaldo’s psyche, and when he’s old and grey, if he allows himself to turn old and grey, he will close his eyes and think of Dublin.
He will see the faces of Nathan Collins and Dara O’Shea smiling back at him; he might just see the face of that Ireland fan returning the crying eyes. He’ll hear the laughter of Irish fans.
Budapest will hear them sing now and tomorrow and forever. Viktor Orban will no doubt even ensure Fairytale of New York is banned from the airwaves this Christmas.
Finally, there is something truly tangible to use as a means to altering the Irish mentality, of sharpening focus so that such a ragged performance like Armenia away cannot be tolerated while this group of players are together.
It almost derailed this campaign but Heimir Hallgrímsson, the Ireland manager, was able to help inspire a turnaround.
Ireland could so easily have collapsed after conceding early against Hungary but instead showed a maturity that allowed them draw not once, but twice, through Parrott.
Just when you thought events on Thursday could not be topped, the boy from Buckingham Street in north inner city Dublin showed he is indeed a man for the big occasion. He may well make the biggest of all at the World Cup his stage next summer.
There will be more dour, sour nights in Dublin and beyond; sure the history of Irish football has told us that because it has been littered with them.
The last four days have awoken something that has been dormant in so many supporters, in so many former players, everyone really. And that is belief. A sense of togetherness now pervades.
That’s what international football is. It’s actually making sure that the countrymen and women feel represented by those on the pitch. That extra, sometimes intangible, quality is connection.
This was a great day, a special day, one which offers hope of some of the greatest days for a generation of Irish supporters’ lives at next summer’s World Cup.
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