Not since Euro 2012. There was a notable fall off in quality between 2005 and 2008 also.
That’s recently mate… Ireland had decent teams in the 70s-80s-90s… A bit before your time
Yeah I’ve heard they were very unfortunate in a tough qualifying group with France, Belgium etc around 1982. It’s hard for soccer to compete with GAA in the rural areas.
It isnt though. Theres a soccer club in almost every village and town.
Soccer isnt coached properly outside Dublin and Cork.
Limerick have about 3 clubs doing things properly
sure kilbane was unreal in this
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Most soccer clubs in rural areas don’t have any underage section though
Quite a few villages in Carlow with no soccer teams. Wexford has a strong soccer structure with 9 or so men’s leagues to be fair.
I’ve heard Shane Clarke is a tremendous junior soccer player. Likes of Janesboro and Pike are very strong.
Rural Ireland is dying
Why focus on the part of the country that is dying and isn’t great at producing elite sport stars?
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Shane Clarke is handy. Couldn’t make the step up to LOI. Janesboro don’t coach properly underage.
Fairview, Pike and Aisling Annacotty are all doing the right things for years
I remember being in the Himalayas with my late Father. Everyone was asking us where we were from. We kept telling them Ireland and they kept saying UK, England?? We would say no, Ireland, but they would just stare at us.
My Father then said; Roy Keane, and they smiled and said oh Roy Keane, Ireland yes.
A few years later while travelling South America I took a wrong lane way in Bogotá and ran into a street gang. They surrounded me looking nasty and calling me Gringo.
I shouted Roy Keane and they all smiled and shook my hand. Roy Keane saved my life.
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I’m reliably informed if you use “Conor McGregor” you get the same reaction.
That made me smile as there’s truth in there… He was certainly a point of reference for Irish people traveling in the 00s.
Soccer is the universal language
Nobody mentions irwin while away though for the fear of getting a slap
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Jesus, lucky you didn’t shout Denis Irwin.
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The Himalyas was a great oul nightclub
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Roy Keane walking all over the Italians in Giants Stadium on now on Eir Sports 1.
good man 
robbed in the 80’s