ITS A LONG WAY TO TIPPERARY

The latest “friendly” international between Ireland and England took place this afternoon with the Republic at home in the impressive Aviva Stadium in Dublin. The game, however, was worth missing especially after the delicacy served up last night in Berlin. The English performance was so inept, I left the England boys passing to green shirts and went and did the strimming.

The first international between England and Ireland was played at Aigburth CC in Liverpool. It was a “friendly” and the home team won 7-0. England played only three internationals a year at that time, with matches against Ireland in Belfast, Scotland and Wales.

The first game played at Lansdowne Road, Dublin had to wait until March 17^th 1900. 8,000 watched and England won 2-0.

In 1902, after a 1-0 victory, the England team had gone to the Empire Music Hall for a post game entertainment and they were not given a particularly hospitable welcome by the mainly Irish audience. Boos and “Irish Confetti” showered from the “gods”.

In 1904 a pitch invasion, after the Irish had scored, included two men with guns firing shots into the air and dancing! The team was greeted with a shower of bottles, stones and grass sods when they headed back to the hotel after the game having won 3-1.

Belfast remained the favourite venue until 1912 and even after the partition, matches were detailed against “Ireland” and played in Belfast. Through the Second World War there were no fixtures until 1945 when Northern Ireland appeared on the fixture card for the first time and the following year the Republic of Ireland hosted England at Dalymount Park on September 30th. Tom Finney scored in a 1-0 win.