The drama and excitement in Prague took me back to my scratchy wireless in Harold’s Cross when we would listen intently to Philip Greene’s every word

The Irish players celebrating Troy Parrott’s goal with travelling supporters in Prague before they suffered defeat in a penalty shoot-out. Photo: Pavel Lebeda/Sportsfile

To Ciarán Fitzgerald and George Hamilton can be attributed two of the most widely-used expressions in the history of Irish sport. The “pride” which ‘Fitzy’ referred to was of course en route to a long overdue Triple Crown in ’85, while Hamilton’s “breath” was a collective reflection in that never-to-be-forgotten highlight of highlights at Italia ’90.

I was present at one, wasn’t for the other. Forever and a day I so wish it had been the other way around. You see growing up in working-class Dublin in the ’60s, association football was the be-all and end-all to our childhood existence.