THE WAY IT WAS
With no live sport to cover, we look back at what used to go on this time of year...
MAY 18, 1996
EXACTLY 24 years ago today, Lansdowne Road hosted an unprecented international encounter between Murray Kidd’s Ireland XV and the Barbarians in a special ‘Peace International’ (the brainchild of former Irish internationals Hugo MacNeill and Trevor Ringland) with all proceeds going to Co-Operation North and the Ireland fund to help cope with the aftermath of the Troubles in Northern Ireland. It was a tremendous concept, cause and occasion but the Baa-Baas were in no mood for leniency and blitzed the unfortunate Irish 70-38. New Zealand Sevens star Eric Rush, Philppe Sella (right, evading Jonny Bell) and Rory Underwood were several levels above the hosts and ran riot.
MAY 18, 1997
PACKIE BONNER, who turns 60 next week, is widely regarded as the finest goalkeeper to have turned out for the Republic of Ireland football team. He was adored by Irish supporters and they turned out in their thousands at Lansdowne Road for the Donegal man’s final farewell on this day 23 years go when Ireland took on Bonner’s beloved Celtic in a special testimonial match. Into his late 30s, Bonner knew it was time to call it a day when he only played one match of Ireland’s unsuccessful qualifying campaign for Euro 1996, Alan Kelly supplanting him as first choice in the No1 jersey. Bonner ended his career as Ireland’s most capped keeper, with 80 appearances for his country, before that record was overtaken by fellow Donegal man Shay Given.
MAY 18, 2002
WHEN he touched down in Saipan to an enthusiastic welcome from the locals, a garlanded Mick McCarthy could not have foreseen how quickly things would go wrong for Ireland on their island training base prior to the World Cup in Japan and South Korea. The Republic of Ireland manager would soon be embroiled in the biggest story to have hit Irish sport as his best player, midfielder Roy Keane, quit the camp and the World Cup due to his frustration at the training facilities and fallout from damning interviews on the subject. McCarthy still oversaw a commendable campaign that saw Ireland only eliminated after losing a penalty shoot out to Spain in the last 16, but even after 18 years (and a second stint as Irish boss) Saipan still haunts Big Mick.