Ireland v France - Heroes & Villians

[TheWhiskeyBro]

I'm drowning my sorrows with appropriately enough 'writers tears' ... valiant and superb performance as 'Dunphy' says...

[jcskinner]

http://skinflicks.blogspot.com/2009/11/ ... heats.html

That's my final word on the matter. Corruption wins again.

[JohnM]

I'm drowning my sorrows with appropriately enough 'writers tears' ... valiant and superb performance as 'Dunphy' says...

I'm absolutely sickened. Been to every Ireland home game. Atmosphere in Croke Park was brilliant on Saturday and left thinking we still had a chance.

Never liked Henry, but I suppose we would have done the same in those circumstances, as Doyle said. I wouldn't like to win it that way. Linesman's fault, twice - a France player offside and interfering with play - Squillachi. Think Gallas was onside. Maybe he just bottled it. Thing is, these things NEVER happen to go in Ireland's favour. Duff dives all over the place, but I couldn't see him getting a penalty when if it came down to it. I just doesn't happen to Ireland.

My heart sank when I saw McShane come on. Always tries his hardest, but an accident waiting to happen. Does his best, though.

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

I don't think we should get overly hung up on the Fench goal. We had to score either way to go through as I did not see Ireland beating France on Penalties, but I suppose you never know.

Yes it was unsporting of Henry but Robbie Keane was at it all night too, flicking the ball with his hand. What would we say if it was the other way around, I don't think we'd care. Yes Keane got caught when he did it but in all fairness the Ref had no chance of spotting Henry's act and I'm not sure if the linesman had a good view either. Also remember the French scored a goal which could easily of been given.

I think on reflection Ireland deserved the win but the night should of been in our own hands but we missed too many chances and really that is the crux of the problem. Further we should of pre qualified on last nights performance, why did the team not preform over the qualifiers. Unbeaten yes but at times depressing to watch.

yes I'm gutted but I won't be venting any hatred towards the French or Henry.

I'll take the moral high ground on this and say we took defeat graciously and the french have nothing to smug or proud about.

ViVa L'Irlande

[John]

I started listening to the game on the radio in the car and I listened with a dispassionate disposition fearing that ultimately things (for whatever reason) would not go our way. When I got home (10 mins into the second half) I turned on the TV, succombed to the usual fever and in the usual fashion I became 'emotionally involved'. They created many wonderful chances and only capitalised on one of them. Some of our passing was terrible and we gave the ball away more than we should have. As exasperated as that made me I feel nothing but pride for the manner in which they played the game. They played like a team posessed, embued with a need for victory that, I'm sorry to say, I have not seen for a long while. In my mind, failure is not equated with loosing - it's with not trying and I mean that.

Despite the heart that was shown, the ultimate flaw that is at the heart of the FIFA-run sport was our undoing. The ball is kicked in - and despite FOUR FIFA officals watching what is going on; two players who are obviously offside are not noticed; and another guy who 'grabs' the ball with more fcukin vigour than a Kerry footballer is allowed to directly contribute to our exit from the World Cup. If ever there was a case for the use of a video-ref facility then this is surely it.

I am sick of hearing how the foul could be committed by anyone - that is irrelevant blather. If it's wrong it's wrong - doesn't matter who does it or when it's done. I'm also sick of hearing that it is the nature of sport that sometimes good teams are the victims of bad decisions - more guff if ever I heard it. Why have rules if you are; a) not going to enforce them, or b) incapable of enforcing them?? It is quite unbelieveable that in this day-and-age, when video systems are used so adeptly in many other sports (Rugby, American football, cricket, etc) that they have not been implemented at this level in what is probably the richest and most widely played sport in the world. Especially here, where the negative consequences of poor decisions have such a dramatic effect. Has the stature of World Cup 2010 been so enhanced by facilitiating the entry of a poor and poorly-regarded French team? I say no. Has the reputation of the game and its' administration been enhanced by rewarding cheating behaviour? I would suggest not.

At this stage, I have already commented on the FIFA website. Do I expect a response? Do I fcuk I do however expect FIFA, in the usual pedantic fashion, to bombard me with soundbites on why 'Fair Play' is so important to society and the game. In future, please spare me the bullsh!t.

[TheWhiskeyBro]

Well at least we now have our moment of national sporting outrage. At last we can challenge out neighbours across the water as they re-run Maradonna's 'Hand of God' moment and wistfully wonder at what might have been.

Now we will be forever subject to Henry's 'Hand of Gaul' moment in Tv replays, chat shows etc.

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

Now that is a well penned tirade John ... I like I think you have many valid points in there and the question of Video reffing should deffinately be considered at least in very important decisions like Penalties and goals. Play is stopped anyway and these replays only take seconds.

[JohnM]

Don't want to split hairs, John, but there was deffinitely only one player offside. They kept saying too on RTE, despite their graphic showing there was only one. That doesn't matter, of course.

Many people are saying that they wouldn't mind going out if it we were beaten fairly, but I would still be disgusted if we were. I think this is the best way to go out, with our gander up and realy pride in the performance.

I would be very embarrassed if we got a replay.

My feeling about the Henry hand ball is that it was so blatant that it should not have been attempted and should have been noticed. With Keane the ball hit his shoulder, so he was so close to his chest that he nearly could have controled it anyway. It's a lesser offence. You would not be booked for it. While if you leaped in the air and caught a ball, you would. Henry would have been booked.

I feel very sorry for the ref, though. He had a good game, but missed this one.

[varizoltan]

now Henry retired from the french football team

[varizoltan]

he may join the handball team next year

[JohnM]

(ROSCOMMON, IRELAND) A drunken unemployed plasterer who was found urinating on the French loaves section of a large supermarket in protest at the infamous handball incident in the France vs Ireland World Cup qualifier, was this week given a suspended sentence, fined and bound over to keep the peace.

Frances “Smokie” Larkin, The Meadows, Killareagh, Co Roscommon pleaded guilty to the incident at Maher’s ValueStore supermarket, Killareagh, one week after the match which Ireland controversially drew after the French goal was deemed to have scored despite a blatant handball by French striker Thierry Henry.

Staff found the 46-year-old urinating on the Cuisine de France section of the bread shelves in Maher’s, shouting “this will teach ye, ye cheating French b*****dddds,” before he was taken away by local gardai.

Gardai Anthony Flanagan told the court that he had been called to the store at 11.15 on the morning of November 25.

“When I reached the shop, I was informed that Mr Larkin was causing a disturbance in the bread section and when I got there, he was urinating on the French bread section and stamping on a loaf. I later ascertained that the loaves were brioches, a sort of French bread.

“When he saw me, he tried to run away but I apprehended him and grabbed him by the arm. He said ‘that’s for Thierry Henry, guard. If you have any pride in your country, you’ll let me go.

“Then he said ‘that’ll teach them, the cheating French b*****dddds.’”

Addressing the court, Angela Roche, solicitor for the defendant said that her client had a problem with drink and that normally he was a placid character.

“It is when he mixes alcohol with his passion for sport that he gets himself into situations like this,” she said.

She said that Mr Larkin had become quite agitated with the result of the World Cup match and had worn an “I shot Thierry Henry” t-shirt that he had made up in a local t-shirt shop,” she said.

In evidence, Mr Larkin apologised to Mahers store and said that he “had no axe to grind with them,” but that they had been caught up in what he said was “friendly fire.”

He said that he wanted to make a grand gesture to show that the Irish were not going to take the controversial incident lying down.

“The French loaf is the symbol of France and so by doing what I did, I was standing up for Irish pride,” he said.

Mr Larkin had a previous conviction for setting fire to a tennis club shed in his teens, an incident from which he had earned the nickname Smokie.

In his summary, Judge Fergus O’Halloran said that what Mr Larkin had done was despicable and was also a threat to public hygiene.

“You did this without any thought to the consquences for the unfortunate shoppers who had to buy that bread.

“If it was in my power to recommend that you seek help for your alcohol addiction, I would do so and also suggest that you take some responsibility for your temper and inappropriate behaviour.

“We cannot have louts like yourself with half-baked ideas about national pride carrying out acts like this,” he said, before sentencing Larkin to six months in jail, suspended on condition he does not breach the peace for one year, fining €500 and ordering him to pay €1,000 to Michael Maher for the clean up of the bread shelf areas

[JohnM]

Doubt this story is true, by the way, but it's not bad. I think they would have named the court if it was real, and there are just too many puns.

[IrishWhiskeyChaser]

Doubt this story is true, by the way, but it's not bad. I think they would have named the court if it was real, and there are just too many puns.

You never know maybe that is normal carry on down in Roscommon

Where did you read it anyway?

[jcskinner]

Yeah, the village doesn't exist and neither does the judge.
Great spoof, though.