A thing of beauty is a joy forever, so Shane Long’s goal on Thursday will be celebrated until the end of time, no matter how Ireland’s Euro 2016 campaign concludes. They could lose in Poland on Sunday and be knocked out in the play-off, but Martin O’Neill’s men will always have beaten Germany in a qualifier that the world champions were certainly going to win. Or so Joachim Löw’s side seemed to think.
Nearly two years into his reign, O’Neill finally has the landmark result he craved. And a generation of Irish players and fans have their own heroic performance to point to and file alongside famous wins over Holland in 2001, Italy in 1994 and England in 1988. Jason McAteer, Ray Houghton and now Long – goalscorers and staples of folklore.
Sure, Ireland were aided by a little luck on Thursday as one German stereotype was reinforced and another collapsed, the visitors seeming as arrogant as billed but a lot less efficient. Irish caricatures also had a mixed night – the fabled fighting spirit was in full effect, but kick-and-rush tactics were seldom seen despite Löw’s slightly sour post-match assessment and, of course, despite the nature of Long’s goal, a route one masterpiece.
Wes Hoolahan proved again that he does not do hoofball even if he works like a mule. It is doubtful that Mesut Özil or André Schürrle would deserve to get picked ahead of the man Irish fans call Wessi. Or, for that matter, ahead of Jon Walters.
It is also worth remembering that fortune had done Ireland no favours in the buildup, injury and suspension depriving them of several regulars, including Seamus Coleman, their only player unanimously regarded as top class. James McCarthy may play at the same club as Coleman but his 29 appearances for Ireland had not convinced many that he belonged in the same company: for his 30th cap, however, the Everton midfielder contributed to the downfall of Germany and won over many critics, as, in the second half in particular, he asserted himself against vaunted opponents with gumption and precision.
This felt like a coming of age for a whole team even if key players such as Hoolahan and Walters are in their 30s. There had been doubts about how best to frame O’Neill tenure but now at least one thing is undeniable: whereas the Derryman’s predecessor, Giovanni Trapattoni, based his entire approach on a belief that Irish players would embarrass themselves if they tried to express their creativity, O’Neill shows faith in his players’ abilities to venture beyond supposed limitations, while inspiring the same rigour that the Italian demanded. We will soon find out whether O’Neill can repeat Trapattoni’s feat of qualifying for the Euros – and then do much better once there. For the winner-takes-all match in Warsaw, Ireland will be boosted in terms of personnel and mindset. Coleman is expected to be fit, Glenn Whelan and James McClean are available after suspension and although Shay Given will not have recovered from the twisted knee that forced him off against Germany, Darren Randolph’s display on his competitive international debut suggested O’Neill need not worry about goalkeeping.
Of course, Poland will put that theory to a stringent test: they are the highest scorers across European qualification so far and, in Robert Lewandowski, have the continent’s most deadly striker. But Ireland rattled the Poles in March when, after falling behind in Dublin, they threw off the shackles and stormed back for a 1-1 draw, with their opponents clinging on in the end. This time Poland will have the support of the home crowd but perhaps also a smidgin more pressure, while Ireland have renewed assurance. “Now we’ve beaten Germany, we have the confidence of knowing there’s a freedom there, the play-offs are taken care of,” says John O’Shea. “They are fully aware of what we’ve done and the confidence we’ll get from beating Germany.”
What a turnaround since June, when a home draw with Scotland left Ireland fearing their campaign had petered out. Georgia’s victory over Gordon Strachan’s side in September revived hope and O’Neill’s team have seized their reprieve. “Scotland slipping up and giving us the chance to get back ahead, that was key for us and gave us the belief into thinking the play-off would be ours,” said O’Shea. “We have a great chance of automatic qualification now.” Beating the world champions was unforgettable but not necessarily unsurpassable.
