Coming together to make history

FEATURE:An All-Ireland team seemed improbable during the Troubles, but it became reality, writes Gavin Cummiskey

THERE WAS a moment during the 2006 World Cup coverage when Martin O'Neill seemed to be imploding live on the BBC. It was during one of those meandering, yet cosy Gary Lineker, Alan Hansen and Leonardo chats that he turned to the Brazilian and informed him of the European Cup medals he won with Nottingham Forest in 1979 and 1980.

It became a moment of hilarity that exhibited O'Neill's keen sense of humour. Leonardo clearly had no idea who he was. He could also have informed the Brazilian of another achievement from even earlier in a distinguished football career.

After a couple of television interviews on the picturesque back lawn of the Radisson SAS hotel, Stillorgan, yesterday, O'Neill climbs the stone steps to speak with print journalists.

Less than 48 hours ago his Aston Villa charges were ripped asunder by Manchester United, making it three defeats on the bounce and a fading hope of claiming a Uefa Cup berth. But he knows this media session will be a relief from the present day Premier League problems.

It is about a unique match he played 35 years ago that prompted the late Séamus Devlin in The Irish Times to write: "The outstanding player to my mind was Martin O'Neill in the middle of the field." A compliment that is enhanced considering the 21-year-old was alongside Johnny Giles of Leeds United.

Something special happened on July 3rd, 1973. O'Neill joined 11 out of a possible 13 team-mates yesterday who represented a Shamrock Rovers XI against Brazil at Lansdowne Road. The closest this island has come to a united football team since the FAI broke ranks in 1921. It was the brainchild of Louis Kilcoyne, Nothern Ireland captain Derek Dougan and Giles.

The IFA disassociated themselves from the event so there was no flag or Irish anthem, although St Patrick's Brass and Reed band did belt out A Nation Once Again before kick-off.

Rovers actually trailed 4-1 on the hour mark before goals from Dougan and Terry Conroy, adding to Mick Martin's earlier effort, brought the 34,000 crowd to life.

The remains of the most aesthetically pleasing team to play the beautiful game (the 1970 world champions) won 4-3. It would have been five if Pat Jennings had not denied Paulo Cesar a hat-trick from the penalty spot late on.

The fixture is a glimpse at what might have been. O'Neill conjured up images of Liam Brady and Frank Stapleton fitting seamlessly into the Northern Ireland side that rocked the hosts en route to the quarter-finals of España 1982.

"We would have been phenomenal. We had a great old spirit among ourselves at that time but you can imagine what it would have like to add one or two of those players.

"But if everybody wanted it to happen, why couldn't it? I think the (players') viewpoint would generally be like that. I mean, George Best always cried out for a united Ireland side."

Dougan passed away last year so O'Neill highlighted the sacrifice he made to ensure this match saw the light of day. "He knew what he was taking on, with the game being played against the particular political/religious backdrop of the time, and his own Northern Ireland career suffered as a consequence." He was never picked again.

Jennings was also on site yesterday. Still an imposing figure, he remains attached to Tottenham, as twice a week he belies his 62 years to put aspiring goalkeepers through their paces.

"The Doog has gone into print as saying that he didn't get a great hearing when he went with the idea to the Irish FA and I suppose the fact that none of them turned up on the night, and that we had to go under the banner of Shamrock Rovers, it's obvious that everybody wasn't giving it their backing. But from the players' point of view it was just a great occasion to play football against Brazil. We all understood what the occasion was and what the possibilities were - but then it's never been a players' problem, has it?

"I remember playing in the game because I was playing alongside Johnny Giles," adds O'Neill. "It was an historic occasion and it sticks in my memory as one of the great privileges I had."

That says it all really.