Gavin Cooney
reports from the Puskas Arena, Budapest
Hungary 2
Republic of Ireland 3
TROY PARROTT WAS tearing through the bitter Budapest air with his shirt in one hand and a trail of delirious Irish players trailing in his wake like the notches on a kite and when you brought yourself out of the unimaginable, ludicrous Irish glee you were struck by the sudden silence through which Parrott ran. It was an awestruck silence; a dumbstruck silence. Parrott must have felt like he was screaming underwater.
For the Puskas Arena in Budapest had just had their latest World Cup nightmare delivered by the Belvedere boy, whose hat-trick vaulted him to world-class status and Irish legend but more pressingly sends Ireland to the World Cup play-offs and another shot at joining life’s banquet in the US next year.
The facts, if you’re interested, are that Parrott’s hat-trick dragged Ireland from 1-0 down to 1-1 and then from 2-1 down to 2-2 and then to 2-3 up so far into stoppage time it might have been Monday. But then you know these facts in your heart, for you were witness to one of the greatest moments in the mad and maddening history of Irish football.
The Hungarian players vanished quickly from the pitch at full-time as the Irish players lost themselves in their absurd glee. The Irish players cavorted beneath the steep stand, craning their necks to gulp in the joy rolling down from the Irish fans in the upper tier.
Hallgrimsson said he was tempted to stick with the starting XI from Thursday night and he gave into temptation almost entirely, with Jayson Molumby returning from suspension at Jack Taylor’s expense.
Hungary kicked off by attacking their legion of ultras – the black-shirted and heavily choreographed Carpathian Brigade – and immediately put Ireland under pressure. Hungary had a first free-kick within 20 seconds, a first corner within a minute, and another immediately after. Liam Scales should not have conceded the second corner, skewing his clearance behind him. Ireland, anticipating another Szoboszlai whip into the penalty area, promptly fell asleep and left Milos Kerkez unmarked by Szoboszlai.
The Liverpool duo exchanged passes before Szoboszlai hit a low stinger of a cross into the six-yard box, where Daniel Lukacs stooped to steer the ball beyond Kelleher. A VAR check confirmed Lukacs strayed just the right side of the offside line.
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Ireland were reeling but they slowly steadied their swaying vision. Troy Parrott dropped the anchor, winning a corner off Szoboszlai from which Ireland won the first contact and caused enough panic in the Hungarian box to take encouragement. Moments later, Dara O’Shea flighted a ball over the top of the Hungarian defence, onto which Ogbene sprinted. He looked to be bundled to the ground by Kerkez, but the VAR official was more interested in Attila Szalai’s kick to Ogbene’s foot.
The referee’s pitchside review would be another call to go in Ireland’s favour in this campaign. Thus up stepped Parrott.
Parrott is blessed with a courage pure and undistilled. Having missed his last two spot kicks at club level, he stepped up to the Budapest penalty spot to a mass, ear-splitting shriek of goading whistles, conducted on the pitch by Szoboszlai. It was so loud Parrott couldn’t hear the referee’s whistle, who had to gesture him forth to take the penalty. He then nailed it low to the goalkeeper’s right.
Ireland had hauled themselves back on terms but were determined to pace themselves in the chase of victory. Hungary took over, punishing any time Ireland tried to play themselves out of trouble. When Molumby was turned over, Ireland were blessed Alex Toth slammed his effort from the middle of the six-yard box right at Kelleher. His next goal kick went long.
Ireland, though, were dropping too deep, defending not a lead but merely the chance to chase one at some point. Their passivity was spectacularly punished. With Kerkez galloping down the flank, Barnabas Varga darted into the box before pulling on the brakes. Unfortunately Collins and O’Shea kept on running, Wile E. Coyote over the cliff face-style. Having dropped off outside the box, Varga took Kerkez’s cross on his chest before swivelling and firing an outrageous volley into Kelleher’s top corner.
That goal sent Varga level with Ronaldo as the group’s top scorer, and was proof of his awesome development at club level under his manager, er, Robbie Keane. Cheers Robbie.
Still, it would have been avoided had Collins not been so slow to charge down the shot.
Collins and Parrott in inquest after the second Hungarian goal. Ryan Byrne / INPHO
Ryan Byrne / INPHO / INPHO
The game’s flow ebbed back Ireland’s way, with Hungary allowing Ireland some possession. While Ogbene continued to torture the lumbering Szalai, Ireland struggled to create anything clear-cut, with O’Brien skewing a difficult chance at the back post well wide.
O’Brien was hooked at half-time for Ryan Manning, who went to left wing-back as Scales shifted across to the back three. Again, Ireland would be chasing their goals gently.
Hallgrimsson was quickly forced into another change, with Ogbene pulling up as he chased a clever Parrott through ball. It was a shattering blow for Ogbene and for Ireland, with Adam Idah introduced. Within minutes, Idah had the ball in the net but he was as out of position as the goalkeeper he deftly lobbed, as confirmed by an offside flag.
Hallgrimsson made his play on the hour mark: Johnny Kenny came on for his senior debut alongside Festy Ebosele, with Coleman and Molumby making way. Ireland now had three strikers on the pitch with the back of midfield held together by Azaz. Marco Rossi reacted by freshening up his midfield and pushing Szoboszlai higher, presumably to exploit any space left by Azaz.
Ireland were not hogging possession but were invited to do so by Hungary, and so their bloodless passing went nowhere. Hungary created the best chance when Azaz stumbled over the ball in midfield and lost it, but Scales recovered well to block Varga’s shot. Moments later, Kelleher had to claw a fizzing Sallai shot over from a narrow angle. Szalai then planted a header right at Kelleher. Hungary were not scoring but they were the game’s protagonists at precisely the time Ireland needed to be. . . until Parrott burst into flight.
There were two separate moments of Irish genius: first, Azaz scooped the ball over the Hungarian defence and then Parrott ran onto the ball, killed it dead, and then lifted over the goalkeeper.
The silence that fell like a sodden blanket over the Puskas Arena was stunning. Hungary have a tortured history with the World Cup – the heartbreak of losing two finals; the ignominy of not qualifying since 1986 – so could Ireland really be their latest nightmare?
Szoboszlai was determined to defy that weighty history, springing forward to force Kelleher into an angled save that somehow evaded the Hungarian player at the back post.
Ireland found late territory for a siege, with Manning’s deliveries wreaking havoc. The first of those crosses led to a penalty box-pinball that saw O’Shea’s side-footed effort hacked clear from in front of the goal line, and then a splayed Dibusz saved magnificently from Kenny.
There were five added minutes, in which Ireland hemmed Hungary into their own box, leaving them clinging on for their lives.
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It was into the last of those minutes that Hungary’s tenuous grip finally slipped, and the boy Troy prodded in another airborne pass in at the post. The net rippled and Ireland erupted.
Hungary will never live this down and Ireland have instructed us all on the right way to live.
Hungary: Denes Dibusz; Loic Nego, Attila Szalai, Willi Orban, Milos Kerkez; Alex Toth (Bendeguez Bolla, 75′), Andras Schafer (Bence Otvos, 63′), Dominik Szoboszlai (captain); Daniel Lukacs (Callum Styles, 63′), Barnabas Varga, Roland Sallai
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Parrott's magnificent hat-trick sends Ireland to play-offs in amazing comeback win
Hungary 2
Republic of Ireland 3
TROY PARROTT WAS tearing through the bitter Budapest air with his shirt in one hand and a trail of delirious Irish players trailing in his wake like the notches on a kite and when you brought yourself out of the unimaginable, ludicrous Irish glee you were struck by the sudden silence through which Parrott ran. It was an awestruck silence; a dumbstruck silence. Parrott must have felt like he was screaming underwater.
For the Puskas Arena in Budapest had just had their latest World Cup nightmare delivered by the Belvedere boy, whose hat-trick vaulted him to world-class status and Irish legend but more pressingly sends Ireland to the World Cup play-offs and another shot at joining life’s banquet in the US next year.
The facts, if you’re interested, are that Parrott’s hat-trick dragged Ireland from 1-0 down to 1-1 and then from 2-1 down to 2-2 and then to 2-3 up so far into stoppage time it might have been Monday. But then you know these facts in your heart, for you were witness to one of the greatest moments in the mad and maddening history of Irish football.
The Hungarian players vanished quickly from the pitch at full-time as the Irish players lost themselves in their absurd glee. The Irish players cavorted beneath the steep stand, craning their necks to gulp in the joy rolling down from the Irish fans in the upper tier.
Hallgrimsson said he was tempted to stick with the starting XI from Thursday night and he gave into temptation almost entirely, with Jayson Molumby returning from suspension at Jack Taylor’s expense.
Hungary kicked off by attacking their legion of ultras – the black-shirted and heavily choreographed Carpathian Brigade – and immediately put Ireland under pressure. Hungary had a first free-kick within 20 seconds, a first corner within a minute, and another immediately after. Liam Scales should not have conceded the second corner, skewing his clearance behind him. Ireland, anticipating another Szoboszlai whip into the penalty area, promptly fell asleep and left Milos Kerkez unmarked by Szoboszlai.
The Liverpool duo exchanged passes before Szoboszlai hit a low stinger of a cross into the six-yard box, where Daniel Lukacs stooped to steer the ball beyond Kelleher. A VAR check confirmed Lukacs strayed just the right side of the offside line.
Ireland were reeling but they slowly steadied their swaying vision. Troy Parrott dropped the anchor, winning a corner off Szoboszlai from which Ireland won the first contact and caused enough panic in the Hungarian box to take encouragement. Moments later, Dara O’Shea flighted a ball over the top of the Hungarian defence, onto which Ogbene sprinted. He looked to be bundled to the ground by Kerkez, but the VAR official was more interested in Attila Szalai’s kick to Ogbene’s foot.
The referee’s pitchside review would be another call to go in Ireland’s favour in this campaign. Thus up stepped Parrott.
Parrott is blessed with a courage pure and undistilled. Having missed his last two spot kicks at club level, he stepped up to the Budapest penalty spot to a mass, ear-splitting shriek of goading whistles, conducted on the pitch by Szoboszlai. It was so loud Parrott couldn’t hear the referee’s whistle, who had to gesture him forth to take the penalty. He then nailed it low to the goalkeeper’s right.
Ireland had hauled themselves back on terms but were determined to pace themselves in the chase of victory. Hungary took over, punishing any time Ireland tried to play themselves out of trouble. When Molumby was turned over, Ireland were blessed Alex Toth slammed his effort from the middle of the six-yard box right at Kelleher. His next goal kick went long.
Ireland, though, were dropping too deep, defending not a lead but merely the chance to chase one at some point. Their passivity was spectacularly punished. With Kerkez galloping down the flank, Barnabas Varga darted into the box before pulling on the brakes. Unfortunately Collins and O’Shea kept on running, Wile E. Coyote over the cliff face-style. Having dropped off outside the box, Varga took Kerkez’s cross on his chest before swivelling and firing an outrageous volley into Kelleher’s top corner.
That goal sent Varga level with Ronaldo as the group’s top scorer, and was proof of his awesome development at club level under his manager, er, Robbie Keane. Cheers Robbie.
Still, it would have been avoided had Collins not been so slow to charge down the shot.
The game’s flow ebbed back Ireland’s way, with Hungary allowing Ireland some possession. While Ogbene continued to torture the lumbering Szalai, Ireland struggled to create anything clear-cut, with O’Brien skewing a difficult chance at the back post well wide.
O’Brien was hooked at half-time for Ryan Manning, who went to left wing-back as Scales shifted across to the back three. Again, Ireland would be chasing their goals gently.
Hallgrimsson was quickly forced into another change, with Ogbene pulling up as he chased a clever Parrott through ball. It was a shattering blow for Ogbene and for Ireland, with Adam Idah introduced. Within minutes, Idah had the ball in the net but he was as out of position as the goalkeeper he deftly lobbed, as confirmed by an offside flag.
Hallgrimsson made his play on the hour mark: Johnny Kenny came on for his senior debut alongside Festy Ebosele, with Coleman and Molumby making way. Ireland now had three strikers on the pitch with the back of midfield held together by Azaz. Marco Rossi reacted by freshening up his midfield and pushing Szoboszlai higher, presumably to exploit any space left by Azaz.
Ireland were not hogging possession but were invited to do so by Hungary, and so their bloodless passing went nowhere. Hungary created the best chance when Azaz stumbled over the ball in midfield and lost it, but Scales recovered well to block Varga’s shot. Moments later, Kelleher had to claw a fizzing Sallai shot over from a narrow angle. Szalai then planted a header right at Kelleher. Hungary were not scoring but they were the game’s protagonists at precisely the time Ireland needed to be. . . until Parrott burst into flight.
There were two separate moments of Irish genius: first, Azaz scooped the ball over the Hungarian defence and then Parrott ran onto the ball, killed it dead, and then lifted over the goalkeeper.
The silence that fell like a sodden blanket over the Puskas Arena was stunning. Hungary have a tortured history with the World Cup – the heartbreak of losing two finals; the ignominy of not qualifying since 1986 – so could Ireland really be their latest nightmare?
Szoboszlai was determined to defy that weighty history, springing forward to force Kelleher into an angled save that somehow evaded the Hungarian player at the back post.
Ireland found late territory for a siege, with Manning’s deliveries wreaking havoc. The first of those crosses led to a penalty box-pinball that saw O’Shea’s side-footed effort hacked clear from in front of the goal line, and then a splayed Dibusz saved magnificently from Kenny.
There were five added minutes, in which Ireland hemmed Hungary into their own box, leaving them clinging on for their lives.
It was into the last of those minutes that Hungary’s tenuous grip finally slipped, and the boy Troy prodded in another airborne pass in at the post. The net rippled and Ireland erupted.
Hungary will never live this down and Ireland have instructed us all on the right way to live.
Hungary: Denes Dibusz; Loic Nego, Attila Szalai, Willi Orban, Milos Kerkez; Alex Toth (Bendeguez Bolla, 75′), Andras Schafer (Bence Otvos, 63′), Dominik Szoboszlai (captain); Daniel Lukacs (Callum Styles, 63′), Barnabas Varga, Roland Sallai
Republic of Ireland: Caoimhín Kelleher; Seamus Coleman (Festy Ebosele, 60′), Jake O’Brien (Ryan Manning, HT), Nathan Collins (captain), Dara O’Shea, Liam Scales; Chiedozie Ogbene (Adam Idah, 52′), Josh Cullen (Jack Taylor, 80′) Jayson Molumby (Johnny Kenny, 60′), Finn Azaz; Troy Parrott
Referee: Espen Eskås (Norway)
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