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For Stephen Kenny’s men, they’ll be looking to extend an unbeaten run against our neighbours across the Irish Sea that stretches back to 1985. Since then the Boys in Green and The Three Lions have met seven times with one win and six draws in Ireland’s favour.
That win over England doesn’t need much explaining: Ray Houghton. Jack Charlton. Stuttgart. Euro’ 88. It was only the second time that Ireland had beaten the English and while scenes of Houghton wheeling away in the hot German sun are etched into the minds of many an Ireland fan, it was perhaps their first win over England 39 years prior to Stuttgart which was the greater shock.
September 21st, 1949. Ireland became the first foreign team to beat England on English soil.
The team that day: Tommy Godwin (Shamrock Rovers), Johnny Carey (C) (Manchester United), Tom Aherne (Luton Town), Willie Walsh (Manchester City), Con Martin (Aston Villa), Tommy Moroney (West Ham), Peter Corr (Everton), Peter Farrell (Everton), Davy Walsh (West Bromwich Albion), Peter Desmond (Middlesbrough), Tommy O’Connor (Shamrock Rovers).
In front of more than 51,000 at Everton’s Goodison Park, Ireland overcome an England team boasting the likes of Billy Wright, Tom Finney and Wilf Mannion, to win 2-0.
Ireland captain that day was Johnny Carey of Manchester United, who in that year had been awarded the FWA’s Footballer of the Year. He saw his team take a 33rd-minute-lead when Tommy O’Connor was felled in the box and Con Martin fired a penalty past Bert Williams.
The game was wrapped up when O’Connor played in Everton man Peter Farrell, whose lofted finish put the seal on a famous victory for the Boys in Green.
The result was rightly celebrated in the Irish media with much praise for the rear-guard efforts of Shamrock Rovers goalkeeper Tommy Goodwin. The shock win also drew admiration from the British press who spoke of the ‘wholehearted’ efforts of Ireland and a deserved win against the strong England side.
That win in Liverpool 71 years ago still remains Ireland’s last win over England on English soil. Could that draught end on Thursday night at Wembley?
