It had been hoped that 2004 would be the year that Ireland graced the European Championships but in the absence of tournament football, it may yet still prove to be one of the most important ever years for international football in Ireland.
It was a year of transition rather than revolution but now ten months since the opening international of the year — a scoreless draw with Brazil — Ireland manager Brian Kerr can be quietly pleased with the progress his side made.
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His predecessor Mick McCarthy admitted that, in hindsight, the foundations for Ireland’s 2002 World Cup were laid four years previously in 1998 when the likes of Damien Duff and Robbie Keane took their first steps in senior international football.
For Kerr, 1998 could also be described as the year that he first turned the sod for what would be his senior Ireland side as, in that famous year, he led the Ireland Under 16 and Under 18 sides to European Championship success.
While he may have turned the first sod six years ago, the foundations were laid in 2004 with many of the stars of those two sides making giant strides, and in some cases first strides, in senior international football.
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Elsewhere, Roy Keane too returned from international retirement, Kevin Kilbane re-invented himself as an all-action central midfielder, Andy O’Brien’s apprenticeship ended as he secured a place in the centre of defence while Robbie Keane broke the Irish goal scoring record.
But it wasn’t just individual performances which leave grounds of optimism. Over the year during which Ireland played 13 games never selecting the same side twice yet performances remained consistently high with a single defeat to Nigeria, the only blot on the copy book.
Of the other games, there was plenty to be encouraged by. In the early friendlies, Ireland beat the Czech Republic and the Netherlands while competitive draws away to France and Switzerland, combined with victories over Cyprus and the Faroe Islands mean that Ireland are top of Group Four ahead of the final six games for the World Cup qualifiers.
Whether 2004 will prove to be the launch pad for further success will not be known for a number of years but the early signs are certainly good and the revisionists are already sharpening their pens.
The year started with a friendly clash at Lansdowne Road with Brazil — Ireland’s first meeting with the World Champions since 1987. Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Roberto Carlos et al were all in town and Ireland earned a credible scoreless draw to start the year confidently.
Next up were the Czech Republic who arrived in Dublin at the end of March boasting an impressive 21-game unbeaten run, but they left with their tails between their legs as Ireland produced a controlled commanding performance to win 2-1 thanks to goals from Ian Harte and Robbie Keane.
A trip to Bydgoszcz to face Poland was supposed to be Roy Keane’s first back in the international fold though a hamstring injury forced him to withdraw minutes before getting on the plane though, even with an under strength squad, Ireland earned a battling goalless draw.
Keane did make his return at Lansdowne Road at the end of May however as Ireland beat Romania 1-0 thanks to a late Matt Holland volley though two days later, Ireland lost the opening Unity Cup clash in London 3-0 to Nigeria.
Pride was restored five days later when Graham Barrett earned Ireland a 1-0 victory over Jamaica, also in London, though the most impressive result of the summer was the 1-0 victory over the Netherlands in Amsterdam on June 5.
Robbie Keane scored the goal though it was Ireland’s superb performance that impressed most as an inexperienced Ireland side controlled a clash against a team that would eventually reach the semi-finals of the European Championships.
Ireland went off for their summer break in confident mood returning in mid-August for a friendly clash with Bulgaria at Lansdowne Road. It was Ireland’s final friendly before the World Cup qualifiers and they ended a draw thanks to Andy Reid’s first ever international goal.
Reid was again on the score sheet when the competitive action started in September with a wonder goal in a 3-0 win over Cyprus though it was Robbie Keane who stole the headlines as he equalled Niall Quinn’s Irish goal scoring record.
Clinton Morrison grabbed the other goal to end his longest ever scoring drought at international level and he grabbed another goal five days later in Basel as Ireland earned a 1-1 draw with Switzerland.
With four points from the opening two games, Ireland then travelled to Paris for what is universally thought to be one of the most difficult clashes in world football — away to France.
But a scoreless draw was well deserved by Ireland who played composed football and, with more luck, could have earned all three points.
A victory followed four days later when Robbie Keane broke Quinn’s record with two goals against the Faroe Islands and the striker grabbed his 24th international goal in a friendly with Croatia at the end of the year to ensure Ireland prepare for 2005 in confident mood.
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