WE DON’T LIKE dredging up bad memories but there’ll be no escaping that today is the fifth anniversary of THAT Thierry Henry handball in Paris.
You all know what happened when Henry’s ball control with his hand paved the way for William Gallas to head home a crucial goal to the Irish net.
Our hopes of going to South Africa for the 2010 World Cup went up in smoke and there was quite a fallout after the controversy. Relive it one more time here.
So we want to know where were you when that goal was scored and what are your memories of a seismic night for Irish football? Here’s a taster from our writers.
Paul Hosford
“I was in my mate Stan’s house. I remember being really confident about the game and being convinced we’d win it in normal time. We all copped the handball immediately and discussed it for at least 30 minutes after, devastated.”
Fintan O’Toole
“I was part of a Cork quartet watching on in a hostel in Cordoba in Argentina, grateful for ESPN Sudamericana beaming in the footage from Paris. We watched the game with four Dutch lads who jumped on the Irish bandwagon and a couple of Belgians who discovered French ancestral roots during the game.
“We got a bit excited when Robbie Keane scored but then came Henry’s intervention. It took a couple of minutes to realise amidst the high-pitch Spanish commentator’s scream and the Belgian lads roaring that he’d handled the ball.
“Being away, we missed the whole fallout afterwards with the Team 33 campaign and the politicians interventions. That was probably no bad thing.”
Adrian Russell
“I was watching from the desk of a national newspaper sports department. No one enjoyed getting those pages out afterwards as reports and reaction came in from France.
“And it turned out to be a busy week afterwards with talk of protests and 33 teams. What a time to be alive.”
Paul Fennessy
“I was studying for exams at the time, so I watched it at home with my Dad. As well as Ireland were playing, it seemed almost too good to be true. I had a horrible feeling throughout that something was going to go wrong.
“To go to a World Cup with the likes of Richard Dunne, Shay Given and Robbie Keane close to their prime would have been great, but on the bright side, Ireland’s misfortune did lead to moments of great comedy like this…..
Ruaidhri Croke
“I was in the pub with my dad (drinking coke and eating crisps given the fact that I was 14). I was also confident going into the match and when Keane scored I really thought we’d do it. When Henry handballed, it was devastating but most players would have done the same in that situation I believe.
“The next day in school we had French first class and, en masse, we told the teacher we weren’t doing French that day because of what Henry had done. That was pretty funny.”
Sean Farrell
“I watched it in my mates house. I had gone to the home leg and was confident that France would give us another schooling, but when Robbie put us ahead the World Cup was our oyster.
“I can’t remember being outraged at Thierry. I mean, I never trusted him in the first place. The most vivid memory of the game is all six of us jumping to our feet when Duff was clean through.
“Not one to be dramatic, when the chance went begging I collapsed in a heap on the floor like some flashy South American winger. After that, I was probably ready for disappointment and Henry and Gallas merely dished it up.”
Niall Kelly
“I was studying in Edinburgh at the time. I can’t remember why exactly but I had been at home for the first leg but didn’t go, watching it on the couch instead.
“I’d only been living in Scotland a couple of weeks at that stage but I had already managed to find the usual Irish suspects and a couple of us, along with some neutral friends from England and the US, headed out to an Irish pub in the city centre.
“I’m not really sure what I expected that night but when Robbie’s goal went in, there was pandemonium. Pints everywhere. The speaker system must have been broken or something because there was no commentary, and it took us a moment or two to realise exactly what had happened in the build up to the French equaliser.
“Eventually, shock turned to disbelief and pure rage. There were probably a few tears as well. Not a good feeling.”
Let us know where you were that night and what your memories are in the comments section below
- * This article was first published by 17 November at 8.30pm.
