THE FALLOW YEARS OF IRISH FOOTBALL
A FREE-falling Republic of Ireland are in danger of chalking up their worst year in almost half a century. So far in 2018, Martin O’Neill’s underachievers have managed one win in eight games and are staring at relegation from the Nations League after a draw and two defeats. Including the World Cup play-offs against Denmark last November, O’Neill has overseen one win in 10 games. It’s the poorest return in his five-year reign and if he is unable to oversee a Nations League win against the Danes in Aarhus on Monday, it will equal the return of 1982 and 1985. The Danes are ranked 10th in the world, and few would give Ireland hope of turning things around. As Ireland’s sole win in 2018 was a low-key friendly, they are on course for the poorest year since 1971 when Ireland lost the only three games they played. 1971 All games: P3 W0 D0 L3 High: Holding World Cup finalists Italy level for an hour in Dalymount. Low: Being hit for six in a Euro qualifier in Linz. Managers: Mick Meagan/Liam Tuohy 1979 All games: P8 W3 D0 L5; Competitive: W2 D0 L2 High: Beating Denmark 2-0 in Dublin. Low: Losing 1-0 to the North in Belfast. Manager: John Giles 1982 *All games: P7 W1 D1 L5; Competitive: P3 W1 D1 L1 High: Clawing back from 3-1 down to 3-3 against Spain in a Euro qualifier. Low: Losing 7-0 away to a Brazil team bound for World Cup finals. Manager: Eoin Hand 1995 All games: P8 W2 D2 L4 High: Beating a fine Portugal side 1-0 in Dublin. Low: A scoreless draw against the parttimers of Liechtenstein. Manager: Jack Charlton *Friendly with England abandoned. 1996 All games: P11 W3 D3 L5; Competitive: P3 W2 D1 L0 High: Righting a wrong against Liechtenstein in five-goal romp Low: Roy Keane’s red card in 2-0 friendly loss at home to Russia. Manager: Mick McCarthy 2005 All games: P9 W4 D3 L2; Competitive: W2 D3 L1 High: Shay Given’s penalty save in 1-0 win in Cyprus. Low: Losing to Thierry Henry’s moment of magic in World Cup. Manager: Brian Kerr 2007 All games: P10 W4 D5 L1; Competitive: W3 D3 L1 High: Beating Wales in first football international at Croke Park. Low: Take your pick from San Marino away or Cyprus at home. Manager: Steve Staunton 2013 All games: P10 W3 D4 L3; Competitive: W1 D2 L2 High: Holding Sweden away to a draw in the World Cup. Low: Blowing a lead to lose to the Swedes in Dublin six months later. Manager: Giovanni Trapattoni 2018 All games: P8 W1 D3 L4; Competitive: W0 D1 L2 High: Alan Judge’s last-gasp winner against the US at Lansdowne Road. Low: The 4-1 Nations League calamity in Cardiff. Manager: Martin O’Neill