Great sporting comebacks

Compiled by MARY HANNIGAN

Rugby

The Heineken Cup final, 2011

When Fiji came back from 28-0 down to beat Tonga 41-38 in the Pacific Nations Cup last year, Radio Fiji hailed it as “the greatest comeback in rugby history”. Margin-wise, it’s certainly up there, but they’ll forgive us if we now move Leinster to the top of the list. The big question, though, is: did any Leinster fans leave at half-time?

Soccer

Champions League final, 2005

As RTÉ’s George Hamilton put it, “I don’t think it’s a cup of tea Liverpool need at half-time, it’s smelling salts.” True, a miracle was required in Istanbul after Liverpool trailed 3-0 to AC Milan at half-time, more than a few of their disgruntled supporters heading for the exits. But three goals in six second-half minutes made it 3-3, and Liverpool went on to win, miraculously, on penalties. Gobsmacking.

Hurling

All-Ireland Hurling Final, 1994

After 65 minutes Limerick led Offaly by 2-13 to 1-11 – what happened next accounts for why the game is known as the “five-minute final”.

A Johnny Dooley goal from a free kick-started the comeback for Offaly, Pat O’Connor adding a second a minute later. Five more unanswered points completed an amazing turn-around.

Snooker

World Championship Final, 1985

It was dubbed the “black ball final” after a 68-minute deciding frame ended with Steve Davis missing the pot that would have given him his third title in a row. Dennis Taylor took a very deep breath, steadied himself, and put the black away, prompting a celebration that involved hip-wiggling, finger-wagging and cue-waving. What’s mostly forgotten, though, is that Taylor had trailed 8-0 in the final.

Tennis

Australian Open Final, 2002

There have been more than a few epic comebacks in tennis over the years, but Jennifer Capriati’s recovery against Martina Hingis in Melbourne was up there with the most dramatic. She was 4-6, 0-4 down, saving four match points along the way, her mood not helped by cameras gathering near her to snap Hingis in her moment of victory. Then she won the second set tie-breaker and took the third 6-2, no doubt throwing the camera people a wink as she raised the trophy.

Cricket

The Headingley Ashes Test, 1981

With Australia needing just 129 to win the third Test in the series, the bookies famously offered odds of 500 to 1 against England denying them. And then “The Miracle of Headingley” occurred, Australia losing seven wickets for 19 runs after a bright start. Ian Botham and Bob Willis were the heroes, although Australians Rod Marsh and Dennis Lillee had some consolation: they’d backed England at 500 to 1 because they thought the odds were so ridiculous in a two-horse race.

American Football

NFL play-offs, 1993

The game between the Buffalo Bills and the Houston Oilers is simply known as “The Comeback” after the Bills came from 3-35 down two minutes into the third quarter to win 41-38 in overtime. The Oilers fired their defensive coaches the next day, the Bills went on to lose the Superbowl to the Dallas Cowboys – but what’s remembered is the greatest comeback in NFL history.

Golf

US Masters, 1996

Trailing Greg Norman by six shots going into the final round at Augusta, Nick Faldo can hardly have expected to claim the green jacket. Norman’s calamitous round, though, one that included three straight bogeys on holes 9 to 11, combined with Faldo’s 67, saw the latter win by five strokes.