Shamrock Rovers XI v Brazil
| Event | Friendly | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||
| Date | July 3, 1973 | ||||||
| Venue | Lansdowne Road, Dublin | ||||||
The Shamrock Rovers XI v Brazil association football friendly match was played in Lansdowne Road in Dublin, Ireland, on 3 July 1973 between the Brazil national team and a team billed as "Shamrock Rovers XI", made up of Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland international players. Brazil won the match 4–3; it was the first time in eight years that any team scored three goals against them.[1] The match is the only one played since 1950 by a team representing the entire island of Ireland, although the name "Ireland" was changed to "Shamrock Rovers XI" after objections from the Irish Football Association.
Background
The match was played at the height of The Troubles in Northern Ireland as a gesture of friendship and solidarity. Louis Kilcoyne, the owner of the domestic Shamrock Rovers football team, persuaded João Havelange of the Brazilian FA to include a match against an "Ireland XI" on the itinerary for their nine-match summer tour of Europe, reportedly promising him the Football Association of Ireland's (FAI) vote in the 1974 election for President of FIFA.[1][2]
Kilcoyne's brother-in-law and captain of the Republic team, Johnny Giles,[1] and Derek Dougan of Northern Ireland were friendly with each other. They supported the project and persuaded many of their respective teammates to participate.
The Irish Football Association (IFA) was opposed to the match, seeing it as setting a precedent which might encourage moves for the IFA to merge with the FAI. Further, the Republic of Ireland manager, Liam Tuohy, who also managed this team, subsequently disclosed that the FAI also had reservations. In deference to these concerns, the "Ireland XI" had to be called a "Shamrock Rovers" selection,[3] after the leading League of Ireland club connected to the Kilcoyne family. (In actuality, all the team played in the English League.[4]) Also, only the Brazilian national anthem and flag were sung and displayed, although A Nation Once Again was among the tunes in the pre-match entertainment.
Derek Dougan alleged that IFA President Harry Cavan instructed Northern Ireland manager Terry Neill not to pick him in future because of his involvement in organising this match, thereby ending his international career. However, Dougan had not appeared in any of Northern Ireland's five matches prior to the game in Dublin, had failed to score in any of the last ten international games in which he had played and, at 35, he was in the twilight of his career. Indeed, he was to retire from playing full-time football less than two seasons later.
None of the five other Northern Ireland players who played in this match suffered any adverse consequences for their international career. Three of them (Jennings, Hamilton and O'Neill) were subsequently to captain Northern Ireland, and Hamilton was also appointed manager.
Proceeds from the match went to UNICEF and the Irish Cancer Society.
The match was featured on the television programme, Monday Night Soccer, on 7 April 2008.[5]
Line ups
Shamrock Rovers XI
- Team photograph[6]
| Pos | Player | Club |
|---|---|---|
| GK | Pat Jennings | Tottenham Hotspur |
| DF | David Craig | Newcastle United |
| DF | Paddy Mulligan | Crystal Palace |
| DF | Allan Hunter | Ipswich Town |
| DF | Tommy Carroll | Birmingham City |
| DF | Liam O'Kane sub on for Carroll; 66 mins | Nottingham Forest |
| MF | Johnny Giles | Leeds United |
| MF | Mick Martin  | Manchester United |
| MF | Martin O'Neill | Nottingham Forest |
| MF | Terry Conroy | Stoke City |
| MF | Miah Dennehy sub on for Conroy; 88 mins | Nottingham Forest |
| FW | Derek Dougan | Wolverhampton Wanderers |
| FW | Don Givens | Queens Park Rangers |
| FW | Bryan Hamilton sub on for Givens; 66 mins | Ipswich Town |
| Manager | Liam Tuohy | Shamrock Rovers |
Brazil
| Pos | Player | Club |
|---|---|---|
| GK | Émerson Leão | Palmeiras |
| DF | Zé Maria | Corinthians |
| DF | Luís Pereira | Palmeiras |
| DF | Piazza | Cruzeiro |
| DF | Marco Antônio | Fluminense |
| MF | Paulo Cézar Caju  | Flamengo |
| MF | Clodoaldo | Santos |
| MF | Rivelino | Corinthians |
| MF | Dirceu | Botafogo |
| FW | Jairzinho | Botafogo |
| FW | Valdomiro | Internacional |
| Manager | Mário Zagallo | Flamengo |
References
- 1 2 3 All-Ireland Samba Shamrock Rovers All-Ireland XI 3 – 4 Brazil Lansdowne Road, Tuesday 3 July 1973 History Ireland, Issue 4 (Jul/Aug 2008), Volume 16.
- ↑ FAI abandons plans for minute silence in memory of Louis Kilcoyne due to fears of Shamrock Rovers fan protest Goal Ireland. Retrieved: 2013-11-04.
- ↑ Gaffers: 50 Years of Irish Football Managers By Trevor Kean pages 110 and 111,ISBN 978 1 85635 666 4
- ↑ http://www.dundalkfc.com/history/irish-football-time-capsule/all-ireland-xi-v-brazil-1973/shamrock-rovers-xi-v-brazil-friendly-international-1973/
- ↑ Jimmy Magee reports on the Shamrock Rovers XI v Brazil game 35 years on RTÉ Sport: "Monday Night Soccer", 2008-04-07.
- ↑ Murphy, Colm (13 February 2011). "Shamrock Rovers XI v Brazil – Friendly International 1973". www.dundalkfc.com. Dundalk FC. Retrieved 20 January 2013.
External links
- Brazil bring out united front from The Irish Times, 14 February 2004
- Brazil's return to Dublin's flair city conjures up memories from Scotland on Sunday, 15 February 2004
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