Football

I missed the second goal as I was getting the dinner. Steak and chips :drool: More interesting then the game
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That was always going to come tbh.
We had a really good chance this time, we played well the first half but didn't defend well the second half after the French came out guns blazing. I'm not a big football fan but follow the Irish national teams and hope we learn more about this going forward.
 
We had a really good chance this time, we played well the first half but didn't defend well the second half after the French came out guns blazing. I'm not a big football fan but follow the Irish national teams and hope we learn more about this going forward.
Overall they did well over there given the players at their disposal, and those players gave it their all to be fair.
Once France got the equaliser, it became a total onslaught, and were it not for Randolph, Nash's prediction of 3 - 1 could have been doubled easy enough.
 
The early goal was a bit of a poisoned chalice, the French were always going to come out at a higher tempo in the second half when they needed to score. The players can come home with their heads held high anyway, like most Irish teams you couldn't fault the effort or commitment. It was just a bit much to ask the central defenders in particular to make the huge step up from the Championship standard they're used to. I'd be a lot more hopeful for the future than I was after the shambles of 4 years ago. At the end of the day we had our first win at the European Championships since 1988 and our first at any tournament since 2002. We also progressed to the second round for the first time since 2002. There's the backbone of a decent team there, the like of Randolph, Coleman, Brady, Hendrick. It was a tough baptism for Duffy but hopefully he will learn and grow from it. A pity Robbie Keane didn't get a run out for his swansong, I would be surprised to see him in a green shirt again. Likewise John O'Shea. Hopefully there's another campaign in Hoolahan and Walters, and we'll find a couple of young players somewhere to push on into the next campaign.
 
I know diddly squat about soccer and I'd only be a fair weather follower but Ireland did punch well above its weight this tournament. After all we only won one game.

The next qualifying tournament could be very rich from a soccer point of view, we could see a rerun of 1988 to 1990.

Above all else I hope Martin and Roy remain and keep these younger lads coming along.
 
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