YBIG 12
Ireland football fans are in for a treat with Eir Sports (14 games) and TG4 (6 games) showing old classic Ireland games from our illustrious past. The Irish broadcasters have 20 games in total, including the historical World Cup Italia 90, beating Romania on penalties to reach the quarter Finals at our first ever WC. Relive the immortal commentary lines from George Hamilton. “Timofte against Bonner” and “The Nation holds its breath!”.
Some of our younger fans will watch the Jack Charlton style of football for the first time and wonder has anything really changed in the 30 years? But they might get confused when watching two of Ireland’s greatest games at the 2002 World Cup, the stirring comeback against Germany and the ‘ohhh what could have been game’ v Spain for a place in the Quarter Finals against South Korea. That footballing renaissance proved to be a false dawn, as we have never qualified for another world cup since, and Mick McCarthy 2, alas wasn’t able to get his Ireland team playing anywhere near as good as the 2002 version.
Depending on your age and your circumstances at the time; some fans would have been lucky enough to attend the games, others tuned in from around the world and some would have travelled over to Dublin. For so many fans, the pub was the venue of choice watching these games and with the world in lockdown it’s nice to reminisce and look forward to visting some Dublin pubs again soon. These are incredibly hard times, so these games will be a welcome distraction of nostalgia. I can honestly say, I’m getting excited thinking about watching some of them. You can also share your thoughts with fellow fans on the ybig forum discussing these games.
Here is the Match schedules, some games are been shown by both broadcasters.
TG4 Schedule
Friday 1 May at 7.30pm WC 1990 Republic of Ireland v England
Friday 8 May at 7.30pm WC 1990 Republic of Ireland v Netherlands
Friday 15 May at 7.30pm WC 1990 Republic of Ireland v Romania
Friday 22 May at 7.30pm WC 1990 Republic of Ireland v Italy
Friday 29 May at 7.30pm WCQ 1993 Republic of Ireland v Northern Ireland
Friday 5 June at 7.30pm WC 1994 Republic of Ireland v Italy
Eir Sports Schedule of games (MOST dates TBC)
Sun 3rd May WCQ 1989 Rep of Ireland v Northern Ireland
TBC Friendly 1990 Rep of Ireland v Soviet Union
ECQ 1991 Rep of Ireland v Turkey
WCQ 1993 Rep of Ireland v Northern Ireland
ECQ 1995 Rep of Ireland v Portugal
ECQ 1990 Rep of Ireland v England
WC 1994 Rep of Ireland v Italy
WC 1990 Rep of Ireland v Romania
WCQ 1991 Rep of Ireland v Holland
WCQ 1989 Rep of Ireland v Malta
WCQ 1989 Rep of Ireland v Hungary
WC 2002 Rep of Ireland v Spain
WC 2002 Rep of Ireland v Germany
WC 1990 Rep of Ireland v Holland
Words Alan Phelan
