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Lansdowne Road, Dublin, October 14, 1981
Republic of Ireland 3 (Mahut og, Stapleton, Robinson)
France 2 (Bellone, Platini)
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Unlucky for some, a bumper crowd came to Lansdowne Road to watch Eoin Hand field a strong Irish side in what was his thirteenth match in charge since April 1980.
Current assistant manager Chris Hughton (pictured, left) made his twelfth of 53 international appearances in a defence also containing current Aston Villa boss David O'Leary, Birmingham full-back Dave Langan and former Dublin Gaelic footballer Kevin Moran.
Six-footer Jim 'Seamus' McDonagh, a former England youth international, took his placed between the sticks for the fifth occasion against France - the future European champions in 1984.
After just five minutes, a dangerous break by striker Michael Robinson saw French full-back Philippe Mahut direct the ball to his own net, in front of the lurking Frank Stapleton.
Bruno Bellone - who was to score the winner in the Euro final two years later against Spain - equalised three minutes later, firing easily past the dive of 29-year-old McDonagh.
O'Leary played Stapleton for Ireland's second on 25 minutes, and after the break, Leicester-born Robinson, who had made his debut against the same opposition in October 1980 - stole in on a poor Jean-Francois Larios backpass to make it 3-1.
With eight minutes left Michel Platini put a goal between the sides, and but for a superb save from honourary Irishman McDonagh from an injury time Didier Six shot - Hand could have lost out one of the best results of his five-and-a-half year reign.
Ireland: McDonagh, Langan, O'Leary, Moran, Hughton, Whelan, Martin, Lawrenson, Brady, Stapleton, Robinson. Sub used: Givens for Stapleton (87 mins).
France: Castaneda, Bossis, Mahut, Lopez, Janvion, Girand, Larios, Christophe, Platini, Couriol, Bellone. Subs used: Six for Bellone (62), Bracci for Mahut (70).