Luck of the Irish was unfortunately a two way street

Rep. Of Ireland… 1

Canada… 2

Scoring very early in a match is quite often a poisoned chalice. There are occasions when such is not the case of course. Such as Ray Houghton’s goal against the US in 1994 or Colm O’Rourke doing something similar for Meath against Dublin in 1990 or Graham Geraghty doing likewise 11 years thereafter.

The other side of that coin, though, brings to mind the case of Damien Quigley and Limerick. Ironically also in ’94. The Na Piarsaigh clubman rifled two brilliant goals past the great Jim Troy of Offaly in that season’s All Ireland SHC final.

At one point, that left those then managed by Tom Ryan of Ballybrown clear by 2-04 to 0-02. The Shannonsiders still held sway as the match entered its dying embers until two goals in a minute by Johnny Dooley and Pat O’Connor turned the contest on its head.

A barrage of points for the Faithful County via mostly the Dooley brothers – Johnny, Joe and Billy – left their opponents as shell shocked as the rest of us.

Chances are a lot of the Irish soccer team who took on Canada on Wednesday in the Women’s World Cup weren’t even born when that most memorable of hurling finals took place. Yet the scenario which befell them as they made their competitive exit from the tournament in the most heartbreaking of circumstances was eerily similar.

Katie McCabe’s fortuitous (or sumptuous?) history-making goal in the fourth minute at the very least bore loose echoes of Ray Houghton’s lob against Italy 29 years ago in New York. However, just as much as that score had an element of good fortune to it, the Canadian equaliser saw the luck of the Irish absolutely turn rogue as Megan Connolly diverted the ball into her own net.

That was in the ninth minute of first half injury time and, as if that wasn’t disconcerting enough, the favourites shot past Courtney Brosnan again early in the second half and though Vera Pauw’s charges threw everything they had at the Maple Leaf to try and fashion an equaliser, the latter used the extra experience and artillery to see off the bravest of Irish challenges and thus quell the dream in green. For now.

In the aftermath of the defeat which ended their chances of advancement in the event, the Irish girls were, as only one would expect, crestfallen and tearful. Though disappointment will – naturally – cloud reactions to their exit immediately thereafter, they should hold their heads high. They have shattered the glass ceiling. It’s only just began for them.