FROM THE ARCHIVE 1937:In 1937, Ireland entered a play-off with Norway. The prize was a place at the following year's World Cup finals in Paris. In October, Norway claimed the first tie, 3-2, in Oslo. The following month, 26,000 spectators lined Dalymount Park for the return. For the first time, the Irish line-up included Jackie Carey, who would soon become a legendary figure on both sides of the Irish Sea. Here is The Irish Times' report of the game.
IRELAND’S effort to reach the final stages of the World Cup failed at Dalymount Park yesterday for they could do no better than draw 3-3 with Norway, who by virtue of having won the previous match 3-2 at Oslo last month have qualified to go to Paris next Easter with 15 other successful nations.
The result was very flattering to us for the Norwegians were the better players in almost every respect and, but for missing several very easy chances in the second half, would have won with a couple of goals to spare.
As has so often been the case against continental teams, we were beaten for speed and it was only sheer grit that produced the equalising goal five minutes from the end; for the Irishmen were very weary on the heavy pitch long before the final whistle.
Height and weight proved distinct factors also. The Norwegians had tall, heavily-built full-backs and halves, and the former pair broke up attack after attack by skilful work in the air.
After his early goal, splendidly taken, Dunne was completely eclipsed by Eriksen, and Carey and Duggan, both small men, were seldom allowed any room at close quarters.
Every man on the Irish team worked himself to a standstill, but there was never the smoothness in attack which was demonstrated by the Norwegians, some of whose close-passing movements carried out at top speed simply riddled the home defence.
In 90 minutes of fast and exciting football, the Norwegian full-backs, Johanessen and Holmsen, hardly made a mistake, intercepting, tackling and clearing very coolly, while the wing halves were seldom drawn out of position and had the speed to cover up when they were beaten. Eriksen did his job to perfection in blotting out Dunne.
The real stars of the team, however, were Kvammeu and Martinsen. The big inside right, as fast as any man on the field, and showing delightful footwork and ball-control, fully lived up to his reputation. He has been the chief agent in Ireland’s failure, since he scored twice in Oslo and twice yesterday. He is as polished a footballer as I have seen at Dalymount Park.
The centre-forward Martinsen, who looks much older than his 25 years, positioned himself perfectly to take through passes near goal, and his bursts of speed, over 10 or 15 yards, frequently proved too much for Gorman and O’Neill. He spoilt an otherwise grand display by failing to score at very close quarters on a couple of occasions in the second half, once when the goal was completely empty.
Frantzen combined well with the other two, and the wingmen, if not brought into the game as much as one might have expected, were both fast and got their centres across quickly.
The Irish team were to be admired for the way they fought until the final whistle, but they were outplayed after the first 15 minutes. Only O’Flanagan. who made a successful debut on the right wing, could match the opposition for speed, for even though Foy was responsible for two of the goals, he was generally well held by Johannessen.
The halves stuck to a hard job bravely and Turner did capital work in the first half, but he was unable to keep up the pace afterwards, and as the same remark applies to Arrigan, the forwards lacked support at a time when Ireland were making a last desperate effort.
Arrigan’s tendency to wander might have been more dangerous to his side than was actually the case, and O’Reilly, by more orthodox methods, was the better wing half.
Although he miskicked on a few occasions, Gorman played a brilliant game at full-back.
He put body and soul into his work, seldom losing a tussle for possession and intercepting reallv cleverly, while in an effort to rouse the attack he brought off a couple of remarkable dribbles half the length of the field.
O’Neill saved some ugly situations by timely clearances in the first half, but he was beaten rather too frequently afterwards.
MacKenzie had his good and bad patches. He saved a certain goal by smothering Martinsen’s shot in the first half, but on two occasions in the second period he advanced riskily, and once, saw the ball sent across the empty goal by the centre-forward, instead of into it.
Ireland started with great fire, and O’Flanagan scored early on from a high pass into the goal-mouth, but was adjudged offside.
However, a goal was not long in coming, for Foy chased a pass to the back-line and centred high. Carey headed to Dunne, who judged his leap to perfection and sent the ball to the top of the net.
For a few minutes after this, Ireland were on top, and the Norwegians were kept busy defending; but then came Martinsen’s burst, which MacKenzie saved, and the equaliser followed rapidly.
Gorman intercepted a free-kick near the Irish penalty area, but, before he could clear, Kvammen nipped in and shot with great power, the ball going in off the underneath of the cross-bar. From then until 20 minutes of the second half, it was Norway’s game.
O’Neill just got across to smother Eeg, and a minute later, Kvammen went clear through from 30 yards out, beating the defence for speed to touch the ball past the advancing MacKenzie.
The second half was only a few minutes old when Martinsen cut through after the defence had been opened out by clever passing to score Norway’s third goal easilv.
At that stage, Ireland were playing a lifeless game, being beaten for speed all the time, but the crowd seemed suddenly to rouse them all to life, and they came back to the attack.
Foy lobbed in a perfect centre to the goalmouth and O’Flanagan hooked it in from a couple of yards out. However, the Norwegians kept cool heads, the Irish effort faded out with the half-backs unable to give full support, and the Irish goal escaped luckily on a couple of occasions.
A final burst brought Ireland the equaliser, and it was a capital goal. Turner sent Carey down the left wing and Dunne headed his centre back to Duggan, who drove well clear of Nordby.
Some of the crowd’s pleasure must have been spoilt by the dim light all through the second half, and it was a notable feature that in a match of such importance, there was not single stoppage for injury.
IRELAND: MacKenzie; O'Neill, Gorman; O'Reilly, Turner, Arrigan; O'Flanagan, Duggan, Dunne, Carey, Foy.
NORWAY: Nordby; Johannessen, Holmsen; Henriksen, Eriksen, Holmberg; Eeg, Kvammen, Martinsen, Frantsen, Hval.
IRELAND TEAM
George MacKenzie:Southend's most capped international with nine caps for Ireland. In all, he played 142 times in goals for the Shrimpers.
Willie O'Neill:While a player with Dundalk, he won 11 caps for Ireland, including being part of the famous 5-2 victory over Germany in 1936.
Bill Gorman:The Sligoman played for Bury and Brentford. He won caps with both the FAI and the IFA.
Joe O'Reilly:Twenty appearances for Ireland makes the former St James's Gate player the club's most capped international. Scored in his first international game, a 2-0 victory over Holland in Amsterdam in 1932.
Charlie Turner:Played 110 League and Cup matches for Southend United, before the Athlone man joined West Ham United. Also managed Shelbourne.
Tom Arrigan: This game was his first and last cap with Ireland. He was captain of the first Waterford United team to lift the FAI Cup in the 1937/38 season.
Kevin O'Flanagan: An outstanding athlete, who also played rugby for Ireland, as well as Gaelic football, and was an accomplished sprinter.
The physician spent most of his playing career with Bohemians, though also played with Arsenal.
Harry Duggan: The Dublin winger played with Leeds United and then Newport County. Another dual international, winning caps with the FAI and IFA. The Norway game was his final match in an Irish jersey.
Jimmy Dunne: In the 1930/31 season the Irish forward scored 41 league goals for Sheffield United. He moved to Arsenal and Southampton, before finishing his career with Shamrock Rovers.
Jackie Carey:One of the greatest defenders to ever wear the Irish jersey, the Dubliner spent most of his career at Manchester United, and was club captain for seven years. Carey also captained both the FAI and IFA international teams.
Between 1955 and 1967, Carey also served as team manager of the Republic of Ireland.
Tommy Foy:Another player to make his debut for Ireland against Norway, he was part of the Shamrock Rovers side that claimed back-to-back League of Ireland titles in 1938 and 1938.
