DESPITE THE MANY, many historical links between the two countries, there have been a real limited number of significant Irish and American sporting clashes down the years.
On the soccer pitch, our eight run ins with the Americans have yielded four wins and two draws, although unless you’re counting the US Cup as a major tournament, all of our meetings have been relatively meaningless.
Likewise in rugby, while we’re eight out of eight against the USA Eagles, it would be pretty small of us to include any of these as “great victories”, although we can take some comfort in our biggest ever win being against them, the 83-3 win in 2000 holding that record by 10 points.
This weekend though, we should get to see a major sporting contest between Ireland and the land of the free, as Conor McGregor and Chad Mendes step into the octagon for at UFC 189 for the Interim Feartherweight championship.
With that in mind, we’ve taken out our history books and looked back through some of the more memorable Irish victories against our American cousins.
Steve Collins and Roy Jones Jr ultimately never got into the ring together, so Kevin McBride’s TKO win against Mike Tyson in 2005 will have to do.
Tyson may have been well past his best at 38-years-old, but 32-year-old McBride was also in the latter stages of his career at 32.
Tyson gave up six rounds into the pair’s fight, announcing his retirement shortly after, the win remaining a defining moment of McBride’s career, who won just two of his next eight fights, the last of which came in 2011.
Nobody will try to argue that McBride took down a vintage Tyson, but stopping a Hall of Fame fighter is a scalp any boxer will remember forever.
Padraig Harrington’s summer of 2008 was as good as any Irish sportsperson’s before or since.
After winning a second consecutive Open Championship weeks previously, he came into the PGA Championship in Michigan in great form.
It looked ominous early in his opening round as he birdied his first three holes, but faded to sit on five over par after the second day’s play.
However, Harrington looked like a new man over the weekend, shooting back to back rounds of 66, as the rest of the leaders flirted with par.
Harrington was four shots back from leader Ben Curtis with 11 holes to play in his final round, before eventually winning by two and picking up his third major championship in six starts.
If there’s one sport the Irish are exceeding themselves in over the last decade, it’s golf.
Since 2007, four Irish golfers have shared nine major title between them, the last of which was a big victory against the USA.
Rory McIlroy may stuttered early in his final round at Valhalla when Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler were sniffing his heels, but the now four-time major winner showed his class on the back nine to all but secure his title with a birdie on 17, parring the last as the sky turned black to take a second Wanamaker trophy.
Sheamus, or Stephen Farrelly to use his actual name, has been a big hit with the Americans in the WWE, primarily because he’s Irish, has red hair, pale skin and plays up to every conceivable Irish stereotype.
The Dubliner has also been a big hit in the ring, defeating American John Cena on two separate occasions to win the WWE Championship, as well as winning the Royal Rumble in 2012.
Great days for the parish.
Sheamus celebrates his World Heavyweight win against Daniel Bryan at WrestleMania XXVIII. AP / Press Association Images
AP / Press Association Images / Press Association Images
Brenda Fricker > Julia Roberts
The original Mrs Brown, Brenda Fricker took home one of two Oscars for My Left Foot at the 60th Academy Awards in 1989 for her performance as Christy Brown’s mother Bridget.
PA Archive / Press Association Images
PA Archive / Press Association Images / Press Association Images
Fricker beat three Americans to the Best Supporting Actress gong, with another Irish victory on the night for Daniel Day Lewis, who won est Actor as Christy himself.
However, Brenda gets bonus points for also helping catch the Sticky Bandits in Home Alone 2.
Cathal Pendred’s explosive UFC debut
Yes, I’m well aware that Cathal Pendred was born in Boston, but there’s no doubting he’s an Irishman.
Pendred had a pretty spectacular debut in the UFC last summer, with a second round stoppage of Mike King at UFC Fight Night 46 in Dublin last summer.
On top of that, the pair won the Fight of the Night bouns of $50,000, all of which ended up in the pocket of Pendred after his opponent failed a drugs test.
A win on your UFC debut, Fight of the Night, and the feeling that even a drugged-up opponent couldn’t stop you. Quite a night for Pendred.
Kevin McBride, Joe Lapira and 5 other great Irish wins against the USA
DESPITE THE MANY, many historical links between the two countries, there have been a real limited number of significant Irish and American sporting clashes down the years.
On the soccer pitch, our eight run ins with the Americans have yielded four wins and two draws, although unless you’re counting the US Cup as a major tournament, all of our meetings have been relatively meaningless.
Likewise in rugby, while we’re eight out of eight against the USA Eagles, it would be pretty small of us to include any of these as “great victories”, although we can take some comfort in our biggest ever win being against them, the 83-3 win in 2000 holding that record by 10 points.
This weekend though, we should get to see a major sporting contest between Ireland and the land of the free, as Conor McGregor and Chad Mendes step into the octagon for at UFC 189 for the Interim Feartherweight championship.
With that in mind, we’ve taken out our history books and looked back through some of the more memorable Irish victories against our American cousins.
Kevin McBride knocks out Iron Mike
Steve Collins and Roy Jones Jr ultimately never got into the ring together, so Kevin McBride’s TKO win against Mike Tyson in 2005 will have to do.
Tyson may have been well past his best at 38-years-old, but 32-year-old McBride was also in the latter stages of his career at 32.
Nobody will try to argue that McBride took down a vintage Tyson, but stopping a Hall of Fame fighter is a scalp any boxer will remember forever.
Harrington’s storms to Oalkand Hills win
Padraig Harrington’s summer of 2008 was as good as any Irish sportsperson’s before or since.
After winning a second consecutive Open Championship weeks previously, he came into the PGA Championship in Michigan in great form.
It looked ominous early in his opening round as he birdied his first three holes, but faded to sit on five over par after the second day’s play.
Harrington was four shots back from leader Ben Curtis with 11 holes to play in his final round, before eventually winning by two and picking up his third major championship in six starts.
Rory fends off Phil and Rickie at Valhalla
If there’s one sport the Irish are exceeding themselves in over the last decade, it’s golf.
Since 2007, four Irish golfers have shared nine major title between them, the last of which was a big victory against the USA.
Joe Lapira and Éamon de Valera
Back off, Americans.
They’re ours.
Sheamus, begorrah!
Sheamus, or Stephen Farrelly to use his actual name, has been a big hit with the Americans in the WWE, primarily because he’s Irish, has red hair, pale skin and plays up to every conceivable Irish stereotype.
The Dubliner has also been a big hit in the ring, defeating American John Cena on two separate occasions to win the WWE Championship, as well as winning the Royal Rumble in 2012.
Great days for the parish.
Brenda Fricker > Julia Roberts
The original Mrs Brown, Brenda Fricker took home one of two Oscars for My Left Foot at the 60th Academy Awards in 1989 for her performance as Christy Brown’s mother Bridget.
Fricker beat three Americans to the Best Supporting Actress gong, with another Irish victory on the night for Daniel Day Lewis, who won est Actor as Christy himself.
However, Brenda gets bonus points for also helping catch the Sticky Bandits in Home Alone 2.
Cathal Pendred’s explosive UFC debut
Yes, I’m well aware that Cathal Pendred was born in Boston, but there’s no doubting he’s an Irishman.
Pendred had a pretty spectacular debut in the UFC last summer, with a second round stoppage of Mike King at UFC Fight Night 46 in Dublin last summer.
A win on your UFC debut, Fight of the Night, and the feeling that even a drugged-up opponent couldn’t stop you. Quite a night for Pendred.
Originally published at 18.30
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Cathal Pendred Inferiority complex Joe Lapira Kevin McBride Padriag Harrington Rory McIlroy sheamus o'shaunessy UFC 189