Ireland refuses to surrender in Budapest
“Half an hour ago we were discussing who’s going to be Ireland’s next manager.”
RTE One announcer 20 minutes after Ireland shocked Hungary with a winning goal in the 95th minute.
With a miraculous goal in the final seconds of its game in Budapest this morning (11.16.25), Troy Parrot, a 23-year-old Dubliner, rewrote the recent narrative of Irish soccer and kept hope alive for a return to World Cup competition. Parrot was a tiny baby the last time Ireland made it to the World Cup in 2002.
To make it in 2026, Ireland will now have to win two more games during the last week of March against opponents determined by a draw in Zurich to be held Thursday morning (11.20).
So, as a loyal fan of the Ireland Men’s Team, should you enter the lottery for World Cup tickets in June in the U.S., Mexico and Canada? As time ticked down in Budapest it would have been an easy NO since a 2-2 tie with Hungary would have totally destroyed Ireland’s World Cup hopes. But when Parrot scored the tie breaker in the 95th minute, his third goal of the day and fifth in four days, everything changed. This was a MUST WIN game for Ireland.
WHAT HAPPENS NOW?
It’s kind of complicated, but with the win in Budapest Ireland qualifies for one more gamut of games: the play offs. They must win two games.....draws won’t do.....to make the World Cup. As near as I can tell, there will be teams from 16 European nations competing for four more UEFA World Cup spots. (Twelve UEFA countries are already in.) Because there will be 48 nations competing instead of 32 in this World Cup, some thought Ireland was sure to get in.Hardly.
That draw in Zurich will determine who Ireland must beat to advance. CHECK FOR DETAILS IN THURSDAY’S PDX HIBERNIAN INDEPENDENT.
With 15 minutes to go and the game tied at 2-2, I began writing about Ireland once again not making the World Cup and that as minor consolation anyone who supports (or just follows) The Boys in Green could look forward to the movie Saipan, a new film charting the explosive fallout between Roy Keane and Mick McCarthy during Ireland's 2002 World Cup preparations.Saipan is scheduled to open early next year in America. What happened in Saipan obviously didn't stay in Saipan. It was the beginning of the end of Ireland World Cup appearances. Until (maybe) now.
I tore up that version because Troy Parrot never gave up.
MAN OF THE MATCH - Troy Parrot scored five goals for Ireland in the last two games. Two against Portugal. Three against Hungary. He's a native Dubliner who plays for a team called AZ in the Dutch pro soccer league Eredivisie.