TONIGHT’S ENCOUNTER BETWEEN Ireland and Holland will be the 22nd time the teams have met in international football.
And while the two countries are certainly overly familiar with each other at this stage, that hasn’t stopped them producing a number of entertaining affairs from down through the years…
1. Ireland 2-1 Netherlands — 10 September 1980
With Eoin Hand having recently taken over, goals from Gerry Daly and Mark Lawrenson were enough to earn Ireland an impressive win, after Simon Tahamata had given Holland the lead.
2. Netherlands 2-1 Ireland — 22 September 1982
A first-minute Dirk Schoenaker goal coupled with Ruud Gullit’s 64th-minute strike saw Holland win, with Gerry Daly’s effort 10 minutes from time proving little more than a consolation.
3. Ireland 2-3 Netherlands — 12 October 1983
Gary Waddock and Liam Brady put Ireland ahead at Dalymount Park, but a brace from Ruud Gullit and a Marco Van Basten goal completed Holland’s comeback.
4. Ireland 0-1 Netherlands — 18 June 1988
Jack Charlton’s side needed just a draw to progress from their Euro 88 group, but Wim Kieft broke Irish hearts with a fortuitous 82nd-minute strike.
5. Ireland 1-1 Netherlands — 21 June 1990
A draw that was ultimately enough to send both sides through in the 1990 World Cup group stages, as Ruud Gullit’s 10th-minute opener was cancelled out by Niall Quinn’s opportunistic goal with just under 20 minutes remaining.
6. Netherlands 0-1 Ireland — 20 April 1994
A poacher’s finish from Tommy Coyne gave Ireland a confidence boost in Tilburg as they prepared for the 1994 World Cup.
7. Ireland 0-2 Netherlands — 4 July 1994
Ireland struggled in the heat as they exited the 1994 World Cup, thanks to goals from Dennis Bergkamp and Wim Jonk.
8. Ireland 0-2 Netherlands — 13 December 1995
A highly talented Dutch side proved too good for an ageing Irish outfit in the Euro 96 Anfield qualification play-off, with a young Patrick Kluivert getting both goals, ending Jack Charlton’s reign as Ireland manager in the process.
9. Netherlands 2-2 Ireland — 2 September 2000
Robbie Keane and Jason McAteer efforts put Ireland in control, but a late Dutch revival saw goals from Jeffrey Talan and Giovanni van Bronckhorst earn their side a point in this 2002 World Cup qualifier.
10. Ireland 1-0 Netherlands — 1 September 2001
What’s left to say about one of the most famous games in Irish football history? Jason McAteer’s spectacular finish enabled 10-man Ireland to claim an unlikely win, thereby paving the way for qualification for the 2002 World Cup, which Mick McCarthy’s side ultimately secured via a two-legged play-off against Iran.
11. Netherlands 0-1 Ireland — 5 June 2004
One of Ireland’s best results under Brian Kerr, even it was just a friendly, Robbie Keane’s stunning strike handed the Boys in Green a rare away win in Holland.
12. Ireland 0-4 Netherlands — 16 August 2006
The last time the teams met was an ominous sign of things to come for the Steve Staunton regime, even if it was only a friendly. A brace from Klaas Jan Huntelaar, as well as goals by Arjen Robben and Robin van Persie completed a miserable evening for the Irish.
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Can’t remember if it was the day of my grandfathers funeral or the removal but that game in 2001 when McAteer scored was on. My da, uncles, cousins all had tickets for the game. Had to give them up for obvious reasons. Anyway they eventually stumped up the courage to ask my granny could they watch the match as it was ‘an important one’. Her only condition was no swearing and no shouting or else the telly was going off.
McAteer scores, the house erupts into a huge roar, everyone hugging each other and falling over the coffee table.
Its what my grandad would have wanted
Nice story to share Carl Thank you. There’s a feeling that the Irish national team stirs in us that club games just can’t match. It brings us all together
Gullit seemed to like playing against us
The wiem keft goal in ’88 is one of my earliest memories of anything never mind sport, the pain is seared into my mind, went around the gable end of the house kicking the ball against the wall in pure abject misery
Ireland had a very if not completely inexperienced team in that final game
I remember the game. I think McGeady was one of our more experienced players on the pitch in that game.
I also remember Alan O’Brien showing his electric pace to get one on one with the keeper and screwing it up. And he was never seen again…
It was played 3 or 4 days before the Premier League kicked off so none of our bigger players were let take part. Paddy Kenny was in goals as well, we all excused him conceding 4 because of the opposition but he didn’t get away with it 2 months later in Cyprus
Holland are actually our biggest competitive rivalry. They dumped us out of the 1924 Olympics, the 1948 Olympics, the 1994 World Cup, and the Euro 96 play offs. We knocked them out of World Cup 2002 qualifying. And we met them in Euro 88, World Cup 1990 and our first ever World Cup qualifying campaign in 1934.
I was at the 1980 game when Daly and Lawrenson scored. Small enough crowd. Stand our memory was a Dub in the crowd screaming at Chris Hughton to kick that black b……rd Simon Tahamata – completely forgetting that Hughton was also black!