It’s 43 days from today until Euro 2012 kicks off, and today on our countdown we revisit the moment in Giants Stadium against Italy that Ireland started to believe.
John Sheridan stuck out like a sore thumb in Jack Charlton’s midfields as he was the exact type of player that Big Jack was sceptical of, a ball player.
A cult hero at nearly every club he was at, Sheridan was what would be called a “Rolls-Royce type player” whose cultured right-peg regularly hoisted him into double figures for his goals tally moat seasons.
This compilation video from his time at Leeds highlights that.
He also scored the sole goal in Sheffield Wednesday’s League Final win over Man United in 1991.
He was a non-playing member of the squad for the 1988 European Championships, but a couple of good performances for the national side prior to USA 1994 lead him to be selected and play in all four of Ireland’s games in that tournament.
Jack included him as part of a five-man midfield featuring Roy Keane, Andy Townsend, Steve Staunton and Ray Houghton against Italy in Giant’s Stadium. The thinking was that Sheridan’s intelligent passing would spare Ireland running some extra yardage in the tortuous New York summer heat.
There were many memorable moments from that match which we may hear about later, but Sheridan’s part was vital.
Sheridan played well and his pinpoint long range pass into the Italian box lead to Ireland’s sole goal of the game.
Yet everyone always remembers his second half shot against the crossbar that made everyone believe we could beat the mighty Italians who featured in their side some of the best players in the world.
It was the moment that made everyone think: “Christ, we might actually beat these guys!”
In case you don’t know, we did beat them – the side that finished runners up that summer.
Now Sheridan is busy managing League One side Chesterfield having lead them to promotion last season.
Maybe we might see him give inspiration to Ireland again as manager someday?
Scroll to 2.11 on the video below to hear Sheridan make the Italian crossbar ring.
Today marks 43 days to go until the start of Euro 2012, so stick with us every day as we present another memorable Irish soccer moment.
