It’s been a good night for Irish footballers in Europe.
Irish champions Dundalk record a historic 1-1 draw away to AZ Alkmaar, the first points earned by an Irish side in the group stages of European football.
Stephen Kenny’s side were trailing the Dutch team, and had been reduced to 10 men following Stephen O’Donnell’s second yellow card after 71 minutes.
However, Ciaran Kilduff scored an equaliser in the 89th minute, to net Dundalk €120,000 and get their campaign underway with a very credible result.
Ciaran Kilduff shoves his man out of his bloody way and heads Dundalk into history https://t.co/lkPPvhXM64
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) September 15, 2016
Over on the south coast of England, Shane Long started for Southampton in their comfortable 3-0 win over Sparta Prague.
Charlie Austin scored a brace and Jay Rodriguez got the third, but Long ended a streak that lasted too long for Irish players in European club football.
The Tipperary striker is the first Irish player to be on the winning side in European group competition since James McCarthy and Aiden McGeady, two Glaswegians of Irish descent, were part of the Everton team that beat Wolfsburg on November 27th, 2014 in the Europa League.
The last Irish-born player to be on the winning team in the group stages of European club competition before Long is Anthony Stokes. The Dubliner was part of the Celtic team that beat FC Astra Giurgiu in the Europa League on October 23, 2014.
Hopefully Irish players won’t have to wait for the best part of two years for a victory in European group football again, and Dundalk can continue their impressive form in Europe this season.
Stephen Rochford chats with Colm Parkinson on The GAA Hour, heated Lee Keegan debate, and Barry Cahill is outnumbered by Mayo backers. Subscribe here on iTunes.
