In the summer of 2002, the Ireland football team appeared to be in disarray after Roy Keane left the pre-World Cup training camp in Saipan.
However, as the debate as to who was in the right raged on, the rest of the squad dusted themselves down and successfully negotiated a tricky-looking group which featured eventual finalists Germany as well as Cameroon and Saudi Arabia.
Mick McCarthy's side finished as runners-up in the group which led them to a last-16 meeting with Spain and what followed, naturally, was a glorious defeat. To be fair, we bossed our illustrious opponents for large periods of the game and had Ian Harte converted his penalty in normal time, who knows what would have happened?
An oft-quoted theory is that Ireland would have easily dispatched co-hosts South Korea in the next round to set up a return meeting with the Germans in the semi-final. Having already drawn with them in the group, we clearly would have gone one better before playing Brazil in the final and, well, anything can happen in a final.
Back in the real world, Ireland's clash with Spain is being shown on eir Sport 1 tonight, allowing us all to relive one of Ireland's most heartbreaking sporting moments.
https://twitter.com/eirSport/status/1274726578220666884
All things considered, Ireland's performance on the night is up there with our best showings in major tournaments and you can relive it in all its glory from 9.30pm. Just have the tissues ready for the ending.
