International Head-to-Head –Part 18, Republic of Ireland and France (with a video Interview with Irish Freelance writer, Historian and Broadcaster Mr. John O’Carroll)

 

In this Blog Presentation with an interview, I look back at the past encounters between Republic of Ireland and France.

The Interview will be as a video link companion, while the Blog will be a presentation of the events.

 

The Interviewee is:

Irish Freelance writer, Historian and Broadcaster Mr. John O’Carroll

 

Mr. O’Carroll’s contact info:

Twitter: @JohnOCarroll17

e-mail: johnocarroll0@gmail.com

or on facebook under John O’Carroll

 

 

My contact information:

on twitter @sp1873 and on facebook under Soccernostalgia.

https://linktr.ee/sp1873

 

Listen on Spotify / Apple Podcasts:

https://open.spotify.com/episode/0yEDYSxjxjGYn7e8g3Z9nB?si=VoWTXhGkQpqL72AzYwTcig&nd=1&dlsi=d38d3677709f430c

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/international-head-to-head-part-18-republic-of/id1601074369?i=1000677698725

1930s

The Nations met for the first time in a friendly in Paris on May 23, 1937. The Republic of Ireland won (2-0), This would be the only away win for the Republic in the Series.

1950s

The sides met three times during this decade. On November 16, 1952, in a friendly at Dublin, the first match on Irish soil in the series, the match ended in a (1-1) tie.

On October 4, 1953, once again at Dublin, in a World Cup qualifier, France won (5-3), the first away win for the French.

In the return fixture, on November 25, 1953, at Paris, France won (1-0). The French would qualify to the 1954 World Cup.

Photo From: France Football, Issue 3099bis, September 2, 2005

(October 4, 1953, World Cup Qualifier, Republic of Ireland 3-France 5)

Photo from: Football Association of Ireland, 75 Years, Author Peter Byrne, 1996

(October 4, 1953, World Cup Qualifier, Republic of Ireland 3-France 5)

 1970s

It would be another two decades before the sides faced each other again. The sides were in two World Cup qualifying groups in this decade.

On November 15, 1972, at Dublin, the Irish defeated France (2-1).

In the return fixture, on May 19, 1973, at Paris, Republic of Ireland came away with an away (1-1) tie. In the end neither team qualified for the 1974 World Cup.

The sides faced each other again in the 1978 World Cup qualifiers. On November 17, 1976, at Paris, France defeated the Republic of Ireland (2-0).

In the return fixture, on March 30, 1977, at Dublin, Liam Brady scored Ireland’s winner (1-0).

France would qualify for the World Cup from this group.

Photo From: France Football, Issue 3099 bis, September 2, 2005

(November 15, 1972, World Cup Qualifier, Republic of Ireland 2-France 1)

Photo From: France Football, Issue 1390, November 21, 1972

(November 15, 1972, World Cup Qualifier, Republic of Ireland 2-France 1)

Photo From: World Soccer, October 1973

(May 19, 1973, World Cup Qualifier, France 1-Republic of Ireland 1)

Photo From: Mondial, old series, Hors-Serie, Issue 1, 1977

(November 17, 1976, World Cup Qualifier, France 2-Republic of Ireland 0)

Photo From: Mondial, old series, Hors-Serie, Issue 1, 1977

(November 17, 1976, World Cup Qualifier, France 2-Republic of Ireland 0)

Photo From: Mondial, old series, Hors-Serie, Issue 1, 1977

(March 30, 1977, World Cup Qualifier, Republic of Ireland 1-France 0)

Photo From: Mondial, old series, Hors-Serie, Issue 1, 1977

(March 30, 1977, World Cup Qualifier, Republic of Ireland 1-France 0)

Photo From: Mondial, old series, Hors-Serie, Issue 1, 1977

(March 30, 1977, World Cup Qualifier, Republic of Ireland 1-France 0)

1980s

For the third straight time, the sides were in a World Cup qualifying group.

On October 28, 1980, at Paris, France won (2-0).

In the return fixture at Dublin, on October 14, 1981, Republic of Ireland defeated France (3-2). This is the last Irish win to date.

In the end, France edged out Ireland to qualify to the 1982 World Cup along with Belgium.

The sides met in a forgettable scoreless friendly at Dublin on February 7, 1989.

Photo From: Le Livre d'or du Football 1981

(October 28, 1980, World Cup Qualifier, France 2-Republic of Ireland 0)

Photo From: Mondial, new series, issue 8, november 1980

(October 28, 1980, World Cup Qualifier, France 2-Republic of Ireland 0)

Photo From: Onze, Hors Serie 13, 1982

(October 28, 1980, World Cup Qualifier, France 2-Republic of Ireland 0)

Photo From: Mondial, new series, issue 20, November 1981

(October 14, 1981, World Cup Qualifier, Republic of Ireland 3-France 2)

Photo From: France Football, Issue 1854, October 20, 1981

(October 14, 1981, World Cup Qualifier, Republic of Ireland 3-France 2)

Photo From: France Football, Issue 2236, February 14, 1989

(February 7, 1989, Republic of Ireland 0-France 0)

2000s

It would be almost two decades before the sides faced one another again.

The sides were once again in a World Cup qualifying group. On October 9, 2004, Republic of Ireland came away with a scoreless tie at St. Denis.

The first time since 1973 that Ireland had not lost on French soil.

On September 7, 2005, at Dublin, France won (1-0) with a brilliant Thierry henry strike. It was France’s first away win since 1953. Once again France qualified to the World Cup (2006), while Ireland missed out.

The most memorable clash between the Nations would be at the end of the decade, once again a World Cup place was at stake.

On November 14, 2009, France came away with a (1-0) away win at Dublin in the first leg of a World Cup qualifier.

The return fixture, days later, on November 18, 2009, at St. Denis, would be remembered for the Thierry henry handball that led to William Gallas’ equalizer in extra time (after Robbie Keane had leveled the tie with his goal). Franc qualified to the World Cup under controversial circumstances.

Photo From: Onze-Mondial, Issue 190, November 2004

(October 9, 2004, World Cup Qualifier, France 0-Republic of Ireland 0)

Photo From: Onze-Mondial, Issue 190, November 2004

(October 9, 2004, World Cup Qualifier, France 0-Republic of Ireland 0)

Photo From: France Football, Issue 3100bis, September 9, 2005

(September 7, 2005, World Cup Qualifier, Republic of Ireland 0 -France 1)

Photo From: France Football, Issue 3100bis, September 9, 2005

(September 7, 2005, World Cup Qualifier, Republic of Ireland 0 -France 1)

Photo From: Onze-Mondial, Issue 201, October 2005

(France squad, September 7, 2005, World Cup Qualifier, Republic of Ireland 0 -France 1)

Photo From: France Football, Issue 3319, November 17, 2009

(November 14, 2009, World Cup Qualifier, Republic of Ireland 0 -France 1)

Photo From: France Football, Issue 3319, November 17, 2009

(November 14, 2009, World Cup Qualifier, Republic of Ireland 0 -France 1)

Photo From: Onze-Mondial, Issue 251, December 2009

(November 18, 2009, World Cup Qualifier, France 1- Republic of Ireland 1)

Photo From: Onze-Mondial, Issue 251, December 2009

(November 18, 2009, World Cup Qualifier, France 1- Republic of Ireland 1)

Photo From: Onze-Mondial, Issue 251, December 2009

(November 18, 2009, World Cup Qualifier, France 1- Republic of Ireland 1)

2010s

The sides met for the first time in the Finals of an official Tournament. On Juen 26, 2016, France in its Euros, hosted the Republic of Ireland in the Second Round at Lyon. France won (2-1) to eliminate Ireland and advance to the quarterfinals.

The sides met for the first time since 1989 in a friendly on May 28, 2018, at St. Denis, with France winning this match (2-0). It is worth nothing that current England International Declan Rice played for the Republic on that day.

Photo From: France Football, Issue 3661, June 28, 2016

(June 26, 2016, UEFA European Championships, France 2- Republic of Ireland 1)

Photo From: L’Equipe, No 23317, May 29, 2018

(May 28, 2018, France 2- Republic of Ireland 0)

Photo From: L’Equipe, No 23317, May 29, 2018

(May 28, 2018, France 2- Republic of Ireland 0)

2020s

The sides were in a Euro qualifying group for the first time. On March 27, 2023, at Dublin, France once again came away with a (2-0) win, through a Benjamin Pavard strike.

In the return fixture, on September 7, 2023, at Paris, France won (2-0).

Photo From: L’Equipe, No 25063, March 28, 2023

(March 27, 2023, EC Qualifier, Republic of Ireland 0 -France 1)

Photo From: L’Equipe, No 25063, March 28, 2023

(March 27, 2023, EC Qualifier, Republic of Ireland 0 -France 1)

Photo From: L’Equipe, No 25226, September 8, 2023

(September 7, 2023, EC Qualifier, France 2-Republic of Ireland 0)

Conclusion

On balance, France clearly has the upper hand in the series. The sides have met one another mostly in World Cup qualifiers, with France edging ahead of the Irish on most occasions.

Ireland has only won once on French soil, the very first match in 1937.

France, on the other hand, has won multiple times at Dublin.

The November 18, 2009, match is the most memorable because of the sense of injustice, due to the Thierry Henry handball in the build-up to the equalizer.

 

Note:

1-Please refer to the video link at the top of this blog upload for the interview.