Drogheda celebrate 21st anniversary of Italia 90
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1990 was a special time for followers of the Irish football team. Under the leadership of a crotchety member of the English World Cup winning team of 1966 we had been transformed from noble losers into a team that had learned how to win.
We had made it to our first major finals two years previously when a goal from a Scotsman in Bulgaria sent us through to The European Championship finals in Germany. That summer the country ground to a halt as another Scotsman put the ball in the English net to give us an historic and cathartic win against the auld enemy in Gelsenkirken. Then Ronnie Whelan scored with a flying shin from 25 yards against the Russians and, finally, a wicked spinning fluke form Wim Kieft brought the party to a cruel end.
But we were only warming up. In June 1990 the Horseslips belted out across every nightclub in the land as Jack’s army headed off to Italy for our first ever World Cup finals. People stopped going to work, re-mortgaged their houses and maxed out their credit cards. It was Planes, trains and automobiles as every method of transport known to man was commandeered to get Jack’s army to Sicily.
We drew with England, thanks to Kevin Sheedy’s equaliser. Eamon threw his pen across the studio as we slugged out a 0-0 with Egypt. And then we engaged in an entante cordial with Holland as we strolled to a mutually beneficial 1-1 draw and qualification for the knock out stages.
We were terrified of Romania and their legendary playmaker Gheorge Hagi. But he had no answer to the bloody-minded determination of Mick McCarthy. We made it through to penalties and... well, you know the rest. Don’t you?
Walking out onto O’Connell street after the whistle was like being in Vanilla Sky. The city was entirely empty. Not ‘quite empty’, or ‘emptyish’, but totally and utterly empty. Five minutes later you couldn’t walk down the street for thousands of celebrating football fans.
Of course, Italy came next and Toto Schillaci put an end to it all. later, we would take our revenge and put him in a Smithwicks commercial, but we knew that a once in a lifetime experience had been and gone. After all, you can’t repeat a first, no matter how hard you try.
All of which is by way of introducing a novel idea being undertaken at Drogheda United. In memory of this most remarkable time in Irish football history, Drogheda will be celebrating the 21st anniversary of Ireland’s first ever World Cup Finals by hosting a series of events themed on Italia ’90.
On July 2nd the headline event takes place at Hunky Dorys Park when a team representing The Legends of Italia ’90 take on a team of League of Ireland Managers. The day before, July 1st, Tony Cascarino and Ken Doherty take part in a Texas Hold ‘em tournament at the City North Hotel in Gormanstown. To round off the event a celebration dinner will be held at the Boyne Valley Hotel in Drogheda.
The events will be run for the benefit of ABACAS school for children with autism & DUFC so, if it’s the kind of thing that floats your boat and you feel like indulging in a little bit of nostalgia, details can be found on the Drogheda website www.droghedaunited.ie. and at www.italia90drogheda.com.
We had made it to our first major finals two years previously when a goal from a Scotsman in Bulgaria sent us through to The European Championship finals in Germany. That summer the country ground to a halt as another Scotsman put the ball in the English net to give us an historic and cathartic win against the auld enemy in Gelsenkirken. Then Ronnie Whelan scored with a flying shin from 25 yards against the Russians and, finally, a wicked spinning fluke form Wim Kieft brought the party to a cruel end.
But we were only warming up. In June 1990 the Horseslips belted out across every nightclub in the land as Jack’s army headed off to Italy for our first ever World Cup finals. People stopped going to work, re-mortgaged their houses and maxed out their credit cards. It was Planes, trains and automobiles as every method of transport known to man was commandeered to get Jack’s army to Sicily.
We drew with England, thanks to Kevin Sheedy’s equaliser. Eamon threw his pen across the studio as we slugged out a 0-0 with Egypt. And then we engaged in an entante cordial with Holland as we strolled to a mutually beneficial 1-1 draw and qualification for the knock out stages.
We were terrified of Romania and their legendary playmaker Gheorge Hagi. But he had no answer to the bloody-minded determination of Mick McCarthy. We made it through to penalties and... well, you know the rest. Don’t you?
Walking out onto O’Connell street after the whistle was like being in Vanilla Sky. The city was entirely empty. Not ‘quite empty’, or ‘emptyish’, but totally and utterly empty. Five minutes later you couldn’t walk down the street for thousands of celebrating football fans.
Of course, Italy came next and Toto Schillaci put an end to it all. later, we would take our revenge and put him in a Smithwicks commercial, but we knew that a once in a lifetime experience had been and gone. After all, you can’t repeat a first, no matter how hard you try.
All of which is by way of introducing a novel idea being undertaken at Drogheda United. In memory of this most remarkable time in Irish football history, Drogheda will be celebrating the 21st anniversary of Ireland’s first ever World Cup Finals by hosting a series of events themed on Italia ’90.
On July 2nd the headline event takes place at Hunky Dorys Park when a team representing The Legends of Italia ’90 take on a team of League of Ireland Managers. The day before, July 1st, Tony Cascarino and Ken Doherty take part in a Texas Hold ‘em tournament at the City North Hotel in Gormanstown. To round off the event a celebration dinner will be held at the Boyne Valley Hotel in Drogheda.
The events will be run for the benefit of ABACAS school for children with autism & DUFC so, if it’s the kind of thing that floats your boat and you feel like indulging in a little bit of nostalgia, details can be found on the Drogheda website www.droghedaunited.ie. and at www.italia90drogheda.com.
About Simon O'Gorman
Simon O'Gorman began reporting for Extratime in 2010. He remembers Milltown and Flower Lodge and, back in the mists of time, saw Diego Maradona play at Lansdowne Road. He now lives in Co Kildare and … View Full Profile