It’s Ireland! England! At bizarre o’clock in the afternoon! Of course, even if the players weren’t fully alive yet, Twitter never disappoints.
There was a huge cheer before the game kicked off, as 80-year-old Jack Charlton emerged from the tunnel to rapturous applause from both sets of supporters.
The @AVIVAStadium roars for the return of a #Legend #JackCharlton 🍀🍀🍀 #COYBIG #IREvENG pic.twitter.com/wH1aEmu3t9
— The Irishtown House (@IrishtownHseD4) June 7, 2015
Unfortunately there was a feeling that that might be as loud as the Aviva would get. At least the English are in fine voice.
Nice to have them back: English fans chant: "He paid for your ground, he paid for your ground, Sepp Blatter, he paid for your ground"”
— John O’Brennan (@JohnOBrennan2) June 7, 2015
🎶 Sepp Blatter, he paid for your ground 🎶 #IREvENG (via: @CJ_covblaze) 😂 😂 😂 http://t.co/6yqtQRSnHG pic.twitter.com/oNWIBxMmxR
— B/R Football (@brfootball) June 7, 2015
6mins: It’s clear there isn’t much of a crowd at Lansdowne Road this afternoon
https://twitter.com/jburns834/status/607519697689526272
9mins: Rooney is a big lad, see… #moralvictories
McCarthy and Wilson leave Rooney on the ground to the biggest cheer of the day. The Irish crowd are chanting about his weight now #IREvENG
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) June 7, 2015
14mins: Is Robbie Brady a Liverpool fan?
Robbie Brady minces Raheem Sterling. Raheem Sterling blames Liverpool #IREvENG
— Conán Doherty (@ConanDoherty) June 7, 2015
17mins: Oh yeah, there’s a game on
#ENG possession poor, #IRE much better currently at keeping the ball.@talkSPORT ON AIR LIVE
— Stan Collymore (@StanCollymore) June 7, 2015
23mins: Contract rebel Raheem Sterling is still getting booed by the pro-Liverpool elements of the Aviva crowd
Huge boos for @sterling31 from the home fans every time he touches the ball #IREvENG
— Matthew Nash (@mattnashmetro) June 7, 2015
Do the Liverpool-supporting Irish fans all sit together?
— John Brewin (@JohnBrewin_) June 7, 2015
@kenearlys neutral viewers abroad are probably thinking ‘wow Ireland’s kinda racist’
— Andy Mc (@andy_mcnally) June 7, 2015
26mins: This is a great laugh altogether
irish fans: "john delaney, you're a wanker, you're a wanker" english fans: "sepp blatter, he paid for your ground." both sides seem pleased
— Ken Early (@kenearlys) June 7, 2015
27mins: Daryl Murphy flashes a shot across goal to interrupt the day’s main chanting/booing activities.
Jack Charlton watching Westwood's punt, Hendrick's flick on and Murphy's shot wide thinking 'football hasn't changed much'
— Neil O'Riordan (@noriordan) June 7, 2015
28mins: France’s finest is given a big hand by the England support
"Thierry Henry, Thierry Henry" comes the chant from the England fans now.
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) June 7, 2015
37mins: Things are getting desperate in the press box
https://twitter.com/CaulkinTheTimes/status/607527154218344448
40mins: It really is that bad
When we said we wanted Ireland-England to pass off without incident, I think someone misunderstood
— Oliver Holt (@OllieHolt22) June 7, 2015
45mins: It’s been a good news, bad news type of first half. The good news is that it’s half-time. Bad news is there’s a second half.
Has anybody else noticed that this is not as good as last night's Champions League final?
— Football365 (@F365) June 7, 2015
Andrea Pirlo has just switched over to the Ireland v England game… #IREvENG pic.twitter.com/HB4DR2geEC
— John Bennett (@JohnBennettBBC) June 7, 2015
0-0 h-t. Wretched half of football. England wasteful in possession, unconvincing in defence. Irish better. End-of-season friendly.
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) June 7, 2015
Oh, by the way Henry, WE DO NOT JOKE ABOUT JACK GREALISH
If he’s watching this, Jack Grealish must be tempted to see if he can declare for Scotland. *joke*
— Henry Winter (@henrywinter) June 7, 2015
Meanwhile, English viewers are being treated to another classic performance from Andy Townsend.
Thought Andy Townsend buggered off last night? I WAS TOLD HE HAD BUGGERED OFF!! Shouldn't play with people's feelings on stuff like this 🙁
— Michael Graham (@Capt_Fishpaste) June 7, 2015
https://twitter.com/liamandrewsmk/status/607525789848903680
49mins: Brutal first touch from Rooney when clean through earns a decent cheer, maybe half a Jack Charlton.
https://twitter.com/arseblog/status/607534323101782016
53mins: Sterling fires wide after brief sight of goal. Fans forget to boo.
56mins: Jon Walters is sprung from the bench. With added hair!
The most exciting development of the day – Jon Walters' hair pic.twitter.com/vKXiqjAXSw
— SportsJOE (@SportsJOEdotie) June 7, 2015
59mins: The gravity of what we’ll have to pay for this later begins to sink in
People have had arguments with their other halves to watch this on a sunny Sunday afternoon……….
— Tony Barrett (@TonyBarrett) June 7, 2015
61mins: SHOT! Hairy Jon Walters hits a rasping drive straight at Joe Hart.
65mins: Sterling is replaced. More boos. The young lad mustn’t know if he’s coming or going.
Boos echo around the Aviva Stadium as Raheem Sterling is replaced by Andros Townsend.
— Simon Peach (@SimonPeach) June 7, 2015
70mins: Thoughts turn to how big a cheque Fifa will have to write to ensure this match is never mentioned again
The fans who shelled out decent money for this might have grounds for a compensation case. Always worth a try.
— Daniel McDonnell (@McDonnellDan) June 7, 2015
74mins: We’ve reached the point where delirium is setting in
https://twitter.com/jennings_182/status/607540522387959808
77mins: #PrayforMedia
Good luck to all those about to write 850 word match reports on this for tomorrow
— Neil Custis (@ncustisTheSun) June 7, 2015
79mins: Finally, a positive to take from this – the best description we’ve ever read of Phil Jones
Watching Phil Jones make a forward run is like watching cow that believes it's a horse. Then suddenly realises it is actually a cow.
— Michael Hann (@MichaelAHann) June 7, 2015
82mins: Ireland v England – football’s aspirin washed down with a Lucozade.
This Ireland-England game is the perfect antidote to last night's gripping Champions League final. I am firmly back on an even keel
— tariq panja (@tariqpanja) June 7, 2015
84mins: There’s a serious point in here that should concern the FAI…
It's occasions like this which make kids fall in love with rugby
— Neil Custis (@ncustisTheSun) June 7, 2015
87mins: The Guards are the real winners
Only folks happy with this dross are the Gardai (@GardaTraffic). Hard to riot when you're asleep in the stands.#IREvENG
— Andy McGeady (@andymcgeady) June 7, 2015
90mins: Why???
The crowd are booing the man who put three minutes up.
Irish demanded 1.
— Jon Rogers (@jonrogerswriter) June 7, 2015
92mins: The crowd get into the game for the first time as Hairy Jon Walters is very harshly judged to have fouled the collapsing deckchair that is Phil Jagielka on the edge of the English penalty area.
Phew! The slightest hint of excitement at the end there with Jagielka tumbling over, but the ref gave a free kick. Thank goodness #IRLvENG
— Chris Groves 🫧 (@OtpChris) June 7, 2015
93mins: It’s over. Thank God. On to more important things…
Hired Goons out in force at Aviva, stewards move in to take 'Delaney Out' banner off paying supporters. Transparency and accountability?
— Aidan Fitzmaurice (@fitzmaidan) June 7, 2015
Finally, some in-depth analysis:
Ireland v England: Heat map of the action at Aviva Stadium pic.twitter.com/3snm9KNBVA
— Liam Happe (@liamhappe) June 7, 2015
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