John Fallon: Red October for Ireland's heroes of 1974 Soviet sinking
For Liam Brady to bracket an occasion reaching its 50th anniversary today among his top three playing memories illustrates its significance.
October 30, 1974 and a throbbing Dalymount Park of 32,000 wasn't unusual for the era but throttling the Soviet Union 3-0 certainly was. The Russians had ended the previous European Championships as runners-up, losing out to West Germany in the final by Gerd Müller's solitary goal.
This was the story of Brady's debut, Don Givens's hat-trick and the promise of where Ireland could journey under player-manager John Giles. Philip Greene regaled his listeners with running commentary on radio, Jimmy Magee's words accompanying the television highlights.
Slaying the Soviets during the Cold War supplied the warmest of memories for a team that will mark the half-century milestone by reuniting in December.
Sadly, two of the starting XI (there was only sub allowed at the time, Terry Conroy) have passed away - striker Ray Treacy and Joe Kinnear, the latter only four months ago.
Anyone who's able to, along with others involved that year such as Gerry Daly, Eoin Hand and Mick Kearns, will assemble at Clontarf Castle for the event, as part of the Soccer Writers Ireland awards. In anticipation, they provided first-hand soundbites from their archives.
Let's start with the gaffer. " I wanted Liam (Brady) to come with us on our tour of South America earlier that summer but the FAI didn't do their job," said Giles of his midfield partner, a juxtaposition of young and old that endured for that decade.
"I wasn't going to let Liam wait any longer as I could see he was a class player. Eoin Hand missed out, but Liam was the future. He was born to play. I gave him the ball straight from the tip-off. It was a sign that I trusted him. He took to it like a natural.
"Everyone was on it that day and it showed what we were capable of with proper preparation and when all our top players were available."
Paddy Mulligan concurred: "Having a manager who knew how to pick a team was crucial.
"Mick Meagan started it, Liam Tuohy improved it, and Johnny Giles took it to another level.
"We had very decent players then and Giles not only organised us, but gave us the belief that we could compete.
"I went out with Ray Treacy for the warm-up and Dalyer was jammed. I said to Ray, 'This crowd expects us to perform.'
"Ray took all sorts of punishment from the Russians, but he kept them occupied and was the perfect foil for Don, who was a great out and out goal scorer."
Mick Martin, then of West Brom, knew all about the Dalymount Roar. "I'd played for Bohs, loved Dalymount, so it was a home from home for me. The atmosphere that day was something special.
"I started in midfield and played wide of John and Liam but when 'Henry' Mancini got sent off, I went back beside Paddy Mulligan.
"John and Liam dictated the game and Don Givens was immense up top. I played over 50 times for Ireland and that day stands out as the highest moment. I can't believe it's 50 years ago."
Brady's influence, at the age of 18, is rated alongside Givens' goals for importance within the recollection throve.
Jimmy Holmes noted: "I was left-back that day and my job was simple: give the ball to Liam in front of me and let him do the rest.
"I was 17 when I made my Irish debut, which was a record at the time. Liam was 18 making his. That day everyone could see he was a class apart."
Brady felt privileged to be learning on the job from an icon.
"A month previously, we played a friendly against Manchester United at Old Trafford," he recalls.
"I got half a game beside John, and thought afterwards there was a half a chance he might pick me at Dalymount.
"From the tip-off, he gave me the ball which showed his faith in me. That put me at ease.
"The first goal by Don was described by Jimmy Magee as a beautiful goal. John played a crossfield ball to Joe Kinnear and he played in a great cross for Don to score."
The second was sourced from a Steve Heighway throw-in, knocked on by Ray Treacy but Mancini – affectionately known as 'Henry' after the composer Henry Mancini of Pink Panther fame – couldn't resist the urge to knock a Russian out. Unfortunately, it wasn't behind the Iron Curtain.
"We had just gone two goals up and I went up for a corner," said the defender, who eventually moved from QPR to Arsenal.
"As the ball took a while to come back from the crowd, the Russian, ( Volodymyr) Kaplichny – I never forgot his name – punched me in the kidneys. I moved away to the far post. He followed me, and then did it again.
"This time, I reacted, and took half his nose off. The referee saw it and I knew I was off. Kaplichny went too as the linesman had seen what he'd done to me. I got a three-game ban, reduced to two. I never got another cap but it was a proud moment to be part of that team, on that great day."
A great day Brady circles in his reminiscences. His summary is apt. "Making my Irish debut was one of the three highs of my career - along with the 1979 FA Cup final with Arsenal and winning the Serie A for the first time with Juventus, when we beat Fiorentina."
Paddy Roche; Joe Kinnear, Paddy Mulligan, Terry Mancini, Jimmy Holmes; Mick Martin, John Giles, Liam Brady; Steve Heighway, Ray Treacy, Don Givens.
Terry Conroy.
Givens (23, 30, 70).
Michael Noonan scored for Ireland in yesterday's opening U17 Euro qualifier but talk of an imminent deal with Manchester City is premature.
England's Premier League four-in-row champions had the St Patrick's Athletic tyro and his family over for Saturday's game against Southampton as guests but no formal offer to player or club has been tabled.
There's no urgency either. Noonan only recently turned 16 and so under Brexit rules is almost two years away from being permitted to move to a UK club. He does have the option of emigrating sooner to a European suitor – even one of City's feeder clubs like Lommel, Troyes, Girona or Palermo – but may be minded to stick around.
City can conclude a pre-contract to move at 18 but, as it stands, Saints would only receive Fifa compensation for their latest first-team debutant. He's yet to accept professional terms, meaning amateur status prevents a transfer fee Transaction.
Mutual benefits for the parties could revolve around Noonan continuing to work under Stephen Kenny. Fellow teen Mason Melia finished school to undertake full-time training and City could be amenable for that arrangement, content their asset is blossoming in an appropriate environment.
After drawing against Lithuania 2-2, Ireland face hosts Northern Ireland on Friday and then Scotland next Monday to complete their group.
You mightn't have known it, but the Ireland amateur team were involved in Uefa qualifiers, coming up marginally short on Sunday.
Münster earned the right domestically to represent Ireland in the quadrangular tournament around Geneva.
A frustrating scoreless draw against the Georgian outfit Bridge left Ireland playing catch-up but they kept their ambitions of taking top spot alive by beating Northern Ireland 2-1 thanks to a winner from substitute Adam Delurey. Oddly, there were no national anthems played.
That result meant only victory over the hosts, Vaud of Switzerland, would suffice to snaffle a spot in the finals. Cian Murphy's equaliser wasn't enough as they had a penalty claim in stoppage time rejected.
Players had fundraised themselves to meet costs but coverage of the three-game mini-group by the FAI was non-existent.
This is the same governing body that trumpets the amateur game as integral to their pyramid aspiration.
Moreover, they'll be reliant on that sector to endorse a board edict of changing season formats to summer football. Temperature gauge feedback from the four provinces to date ranges from lukewarm to frosty.