Thanks Robbie.

A lot of people have been sharing their memories of Robbie Keane in an Ireland jersey, and one that pops up again and again is the last minute equaliser against Germany in the group stages of the World Cup in Japan in 2002.
Tales range from Leaving Cert papers being sat, to celebrations in pubs across Ireland, to being in the stadium itself to witness the finish.
My own memory of that finish is a little longer than 140 characters. I had finished a graduate diploma in Computer Engineering in UL, and, having graduated with a degree that had no jobs following the dot-com bubble bursting, was working in what was the Limerick Inn hotel on the Ennis Road with my father.
The hotel had been sold recently to the Radisson-SAS group and was being completely renovated. Everything was being torn out, every room renovated, every piece of furniture replaced.
Management were well aware the game was on, and that plans had been discussed between the workers on where to go to watch it, so a bargain was struck. The televisions from the hotel were being kept on site in storage, possibly the only decorations from the original hotel layout that were going to be reused, and a signal was still being received in the building. If we could get a TV set up in one of the bigger rooms, then they would allow us time off to watch the game, and provide soft drinks and finger food.
My dad had the key for storage, and we recruited a Polish worker to help us move the largest TV onto a hastily put together shelf in the corner of the room. Incidentally that shelf was probably the fastest job completed during the renovation!
With the TV working, and Bill and the lads providing the build up, some rolled up carpets were brought into the room so we'd have somewhere to sit, and as promised, the tables lining the edges of the room were piled high with sausages, chicken wings, sandwiches, bottles of coke, 7up, etc.
I don't remember much about the game itself, apart from the two goals. We had conceded early in the first game against Cameroon, and didn't want to repeat the mistake against the Germans, but a miscommunication between Staunton and Harte left Klose with space to plant a header beyond Given. At the time, I had thought it was Staunton's fault, but in the analysis Dunphy pointed out Staunton pointing at Klose to Harte, indicating he was the man for the full back to cover.
I genuinely don't remember anything of the rest of the game, apart from a feeling that we were never out of the tie, but were missing something up front to get a result.
At the 90 minute mark, I was looking into my safety helmet, wondering how I'd have the motivation to go back to work and finish what I had left for the rest of the day.
In my mind's eye, I can still recall looking back up at the screen just in time to see the ball leaving Finnan's boot, being flicked on by Quinn and Keane making half an inch of space for himself, and that's all he needed.
Queue chaos in the room. Food, drink, all being flung around in celebration of the goal. Suddenly I felt I'd be able to go back to work.




Thanks Robbie.