LoI World Cup stars #2- Peter McParland
Credit: Extratime Team (ETPhotos)
For those of us who measure the history of the universe in World Cup intervals we tend to have an instant image, a picture of the tournaments in one solitary frame; 2006- Zidane’s head, 98- as previous, Italia 90- Maradona’s tears, 86-His goals, 78-KEMPES, 1970- Pele’s pass in Technicolor, 66- well.., 58- Pele again, aloft, in black and white. And that’s really where it stops. The 1958 tournament was the first broadcast to an international audience and the young 17-year-old Edison Arantes do Nascimento being held aloft in grainy monochrome will be forever the first real iconic World Cup moment. Pity Just Fontaine who scored 13 goals for France in that World Cup. No one has ever bettered the tally and it’s hard to see that ever happening. He’s not quite Pele though.
So what chance does Peter McParland have? The Newry born outside left is all but forgotten about, yet he too went to that World Cup and ended up bagging five for Northern Ireland on the way to the quarter-finals. Five goals in the tournament, the same as Romario and Baggio in 94, as Maradona and Careca in 86.A man from County Down who used to play for Dundalk.
McParland emerged in the 1949/50 season where he netted twice against Bohemians in the first round of the Leinster Cup- a tournament the Lilywhites went on to win after defeating St Patrick’s Athletic in the final. McParland was only 16 years old when that trophy was hoisted, his stellar pedigree a given even in those early days. His manager at the time, the Glaswegian Pat Gallacher held off on throwing the youngster into too many first team games but his protégé kept banging at the door, scoring ad lib in the reserve team; on one occasion netting six in an 8-4 win over Grangegorman.
It was in 1951 that McParland propelled himself onto the Dundalk first team after a friendly against Leeds at Oriel Park ended with the local press adding, “Peter McParland was as good as any and his goal was a beauty. He took down a centre from Glynn with his left, hit it with his right as it fell and from 20-yards gave the goalie no chance.” That season McParland got an extended run in the first team and finished off with an FAI Cup winner’s medal in his pocket.
The following August of ‘52 McParland scored a brace against Sligo Rovers in an FAI Shield game at Oriel. Aston Villa had two scouts watching from the stands and within days he was at Villa Park. He went on to become one of the finest players to ever cross the water and tallied 97 goals from 293 appearances in a ten season Villa career. He remains one of the few players who has scored in both an FA and League Cup final.
Yet McParland’s finest hour was to come in ’58. After coming through one of the toughest groups in qualification, overcoming Portugal and Italy to top Group 8 (holding on against the Italians in the final and decisive game to win 2-1 in Belfast) Northern Ireland under Peter Doherty were all but written off going into the finals and were viewed as the weakest of the four ‘home’ nations with England, Scotland and Wales also qualifying. England had in their ranks the likes of Bobby Charlton, Tom Finney and Billy Wright.
Northern Ireland were quick to silence the detractors when they defeated Czechoslovakia 1-0 in Halmstad in their opening game in Group 1. McParland was to prove instrumental; in the 21st minute picking up possession from Jimmy McIllroy before crossing with his left, chest high for Wilbur Cush to stoop and head past the stranded Bretislav Dolejsi in the Czech goal. The single goal settled it and Doherty’s men headed into the second game against Argentina buoyed by victory.
That fixture, three days later was again at the Örjans Vall stadium in Halmstad. The familiarity seemed to settle Northern Ireland and from the first whistle they attacked the Argentines with Danny Blanchflower dictating play in the middle of the park. Within four minutes he found Billy Bingham with a deft back heel. Latching onto the loose ball Bingham crossed. There to meet it, plum on the forehead, was McParland. Amadeo Carisso in goal was left plucking at air. One-nil it stayed until half time.
The Belfast Newsletter’s subsequent reports that Northern Ireland had “90 % of the first half’s possession” may have been somewhat generous but they did enjoy the better of the early exchanges. Argentina emerged rejuvenated in the second period however and left the ground with a 3-1 win; Corbatta, Menendez and Norberto Boggio goals giving the South Americans both points. West Germany awaited McParland and co in the final group game, NI needing a win to automatically qualify from the group. What followed in Malmo was to prove one of the games of the tournament and one of McParland’s finest games in a green shirt. The ex-Lilywhite scored both goals in a 2-2 draw in front of 35,000 spectators. The first he smashed home with a low drive after 18 minutes following a Bingham move and cross had found him in the box. Three minutes later the Germans came back, Helmut Rahn chipping Harry Gregg with the deftest of touches. McParland came close soon after knocking a through ball inches wide of Fritz Herkenrath’s goal.
West Germany began to get the upper hand with their pressure game described at the time as ‘Power football’ but McParland was intent on spoiling any kind of domination being issued out. In the 59th minute he restored his sides lead. Cush won a corner and swung the ball across goal. McIlroy met it and nodded down to McParland who thumped home. Jubilation was followed by a German onslaught and, despite some heroic goalkeeping by Gregg, West Germany drew level 12 minutes from time when Uwe Seeler drove the ball home through a sea of bodies from 20 yards.
With their place in the last eight assured the Germans began to play down the clock but McParland wasn’t finished and in the 83rd he rose above the defence to head just over the bar. Ending 2-2 with West Germany going through Northern Ireland were still guaranteed a play-off spot after gaining the point. With both sets of supporters pleased with the outcome The Times noted “The stadium was a riot of cheers, rattles, bugles and whistles..”
Czechoslovakia were to be the play-off opponents in Malmo and a second encounter between the two sides was imminent. It was to be yet another master class from McParland; scoring twice in a 2-1 win. He threatened early on with a shot from distance, bringing the best out of Dolejsi. In an attempt to counter the physical Czech defence Peter Doherty moved McParland (who stood at 6’1) from his usual berth on the left wing to centre forward.
NI at stages were reported to look ’flat’ after their exploits against the Germans a few days previous. After 20 minutes Zdenek Zikan headed over stand-in keeper Norman Uprichard (Gregg was carrying an injury) to put the Czechs in front. It was McParland again, right on the stroke of half-time who was there, where it mattered. After Cush pulled a double save out of Dolejsi McParland ran onto the loose ball to strike past the keeper from the edge of the box.
Dominating the second half Northern Ireland couldn’t find the net thanks to some serious exertion from Dolejsi. With darkness descending the game moved in to extra-time. Finally, after seven minutes of the additional 30, McParland somehow managed to get his second and fifth goal of the tournament after a Cush free-kick was met by Blanchflower, who played in the inimitable Newry man. His volley was to be the decisive moment in extra-time and Doherty’s side was now on the way to meeting France in a prestigious quarter-final.
The French were playing some majestic football in the tournament having already notched up 11 goals in three group games with Fontaine grabbing six of those. His form, and that of the French were to prove too much and a brace for the ultimate top scorer helped France to a 4-0 victory in that last eight game in Norrkoping.
While England and Scotland went out in the group stages Northern Ireland, along with Wales had made the quarter-finals. Different times. Peter McParland’s five goal haul remains one of the most remarkable achievements from any ex-League of Ireland player.
He came back from the World Cup to continue his prolific Aston Villa career before going on to play for Wolves, Plymouth Argyle and the Atlanta Chiefs in the United States. He returned to Glentoran becoming player/manager at the club and in a stint of coaching work in Libya he had to return home after Colonel Gadaffi banned football in the country. His sporting life had come a long way from reserve games against Grangegorman.
So what chance does Peter McParland have? The Newry born outside left is all but forgotten about, yet he too went to that World Cup and ended up bagging five for Northern Ireland on the way to the quarter-finals. Five goals in the tournament, the same as Romario and Baggio in 94, as Maradona and Careca in 86.A man from County Down who used to play for Dundalk.
McParland emerged in the 1949/50 season where he netted twice against Bohemians in the first round of the Leinster Cup- a tournament the Lilywhites went on to win after defeating St Patrick’s Athletic in the final. McParland was only 16 years old when that trophy was hoisted, his stellar pedigree a given even in those early days. His manager at the time, the Glaswegian Pat Gallacher held off on throwing the youngster into too many first team games but his protégé kept banging at the door, scoring ad lib in the reserve team; on one occasion netting six in an 8-4 win over Grangegorman.
It was in 1951 that McParland propelled himself onto the Dundalk first team after a friendly against Leeds at Oriel Park ended with the local press adding, “Peter McParland was as good as any and his goal was a beauty. He took down a centre from Glynn with his left, hit it with his right as it fell and from 20-yards gave the goalie no chance.” That season McParland got an extended run in the first team and finished off with an FAI Cup winner’s medal in his pocket.
The following August of ‘52 McParland scored a brace against Sligo Rovers in an FAI Shield game at Oriel. Aston Villa had two scouts watching from the stands and within days he was at Villa Park. He went on to become one of the finest players to ever cross the water and tallied 97 goals from 293 appearances in a ten season Villa career. He remains one of the few players who has scored in both an FA and League Cup final.
Yet McParland’s finest hour was to come in ’58. After coming through one of the toughest groups in qualification, overcoming Portugal and Italy to top Group 8 (holding on against the Italians in the final and decisive game to win 2-1 in Belfast) Northern Ireland under Peter Doherty were all but written off going into the finals and were viewed as the weakest of the four ‘home’ nations with England, Scotland and Wales also qualifying. England had in their ranks the likes of Bobby Charlton, Tom Finney and Billy Wright.
Northern Ireland were quick to silence the detractors when they defeated Czechoslovakia 1-0 in Halmstad in their opening game in Group 1. McParland was to prove instrumental; in the 21st minute picking up possession from Jimmy McIllroy before crossing with his left, chest high for Wilbur Cush to stoop and head past the stranded Bretislav Dolejsi in the Czech goal. The single goal settled it and Doherty’s men headed into the second game against Argentina buoyed by victory.
That fixture, three days later was again at the Örjans Vall stadium in Halmstad. The familiarity seemed to settle Northern Ireland and from the first whistle they attacked the Argentines with Danny Blanchflower dictating play in the middle of the park. Within four minutes he found Billy Bingham with a deft back heel. Latching onto the loose ball Bingham crossed. There to meet it, plum on the forehead, was McParland. Amadeo Carisso in goal was left plucking at air. One-nil it stayed until half time.
The Belfast Newsletter’s subsequent reports that Northern Ireland had “90 % of the first half’s possession” may have been somewhat generous but they did enjoy the better of the early exchanges. Argentina emerged rejuvenated in the second period however and left the ground with a 3-1 win; Corbatta, Menendez and Norberto Boggio goals giving the South Americans both points. West Germany awaited McParland and co in the final group game, NI needing a win to automatically qualify from the group. What followed in Malmo was to prove one of the games of the tournament and one of McParland’s finest games in a green shirt. The ex-Lilywhite scored both goals in a 2-2 draw in front of 35,000 spectators. The first he smashed home with a low drive after 18 minutes following a Bingham move and cross had found him in the box. Three minutes later the Germans came back, Helmut Rahn chipping Harry Gregg with the deftest of touches. McParland came close soon after knocking a through ball inches wide of Fritz Herkenrath’s goal.
West Germany began to get the upper hand with their pressure game described at the time as ‘Power football’ but McParland was intent on spoiling any kind of domination being issued out. In the 59th minute he restored his sides lead. Cush won a corner and swung the ball across goal. McIlroy met it and nodded down to McParland who thumped home. Jubilation was followed by a German onslaught and, despite some heroic goalkeeping by Gregg, West Germany drew level 12 minutes from time when Uwe Seeler drove the ball home through a sea of bodies from 20 yards.
With their place in the last eight assured the Germans began to play down the clock but McParland wasn’t finished and in the 83rd he rose above the defence to head just over the bar. Ending 2-2 with West Germany going through Northern Ireland were still guaranteed a play-off spot after gaining the point. With both sets of supporters pleased with the outcome The Times noted “The stadium was a riot of cheers, rattles, bugles and whistles..”
Czechoslovakia were to be the play-off opponents in Malmo and a second encounter between the two sides was imminent. It was to be yet another master class from McParland; scoring twice in a 2-1 win. He threatened early on with a shot from distance, bringing the best out of Dolejsi. In an attempt to counter the physical Czech defence Peter Doherty moved McParland (who stood at 6’1) from his usual berth on the left wing to centre forward.
NI at stages were reported to look ’flat’ after their exploits against the Germans a few days previous. After 20 minutes Zdenek Zikan headed over stand-in keeper Norman Uprichard (Gregg was carrying an injury) to put the Czechs in front. It was McParland again, right on the stroke of half-time who was there, where it mattered. After Cush pulled a double save out of Dolejsi McParland ran onto the loose ball to strike past the keeper from the edge of the box.
Dominating the second half Northern Ireland couldn’t find the net thanks to some serious exertion from Dolejsi. With darkness descending the game moved in to extra-time. Finally, after seven minutes of the additional 30, McParland somehow managed to get his second and fifth goal of the tournament after a Cush free-kick was met by Blanchflower, who played in the inimitable Newry man. His volley was to be the decisive moment in extra-time and Doherty’s side was now on the way to meeting France in a prestigious quarter-final.
The French were playing some majestic football in the tournament having already notched up 11 goals in three group games with Fontaine grabbing six of those. His form, and that of the French were to prove too much and a brace for the ultimate top scorer helped France to a 4-0 victory in that last eight game in Norrkoping.
While England and Scotland went out in the group stages Northern Ireland, along with Wales had made the quarter-finals. Different times. Peter McParland’s five goal haul remains one of the most remarkable achievements from any ex-League of Ireland player.
He came back from the World Cup to continue his prolific Aston Villa career before going on to play for Wolves, Plymouth Argyle and the Atlanta Chiefs in the United States. He returned to Glentoran becoming player/manager at the club and in a stint of coaching work in Libya he had to return home after Colonel Gadaffi banned football in the country. His sporting life had come a long way from reserve games against Grangegorman.
