IFA Programme 2016

SWEET DREAMS ARE MADE OF THIS...

Nigel Tilson reflects on Northern Ireland’s big adventure in France in the summer of 2016

free-kick - and planted a glorious header firmly into the back of the net. Ukraine keeper Andriy Pyatov stood almost motionless as the ball whizzed past him in the pouring rain. And the icing was firmly put on the cake when, deep into injury time, Northern Ireland doubled their lead. Sub Josh Magennis powered and tricked his way past a defender out wide and pulled the ball back to Stuart Dallas. His neat snapshot was parried by Pyatov but landed at the feet of another sub, Niall McGinn, who coolly slotted the ball home. The Green and White Army erupted. The stadium went bonkers. A famous victory had been secured. Next up were Germany, the formidable reigning world champions, and they produced a master class. They were a joy to watch. Afterwards Ollie Norwood said the Germans were the best team he had ever played against. And they were certainly on fire at the Parc des Princes in Paris. Their movement and their intensity were mindblowing. Although the only goal of the game, scored by German striker Mario Gomez, was a tad fortunate, there was no getting away from the fact that Michael McGovern was Northern Ireland’s star performer in the game. Time after time he thwarted the Germans, pulling off some incredible saves. A handful of the stops were world class. Behind the scenes, the Germans were also classy – polite and friendly. Bastian Schweinsteiger was full of praise for our fans, while Manuel Neuer wanted to swap his shirt with only one person: Michael McGovern. And Mats Hummels made sure he got hold of Will Grigg’s shirt because “I love the song”. Of course, the 1-0 reverse was enough to get Northern Ireland through to the Round of 16 and it was back to Parc des Princes to face Wales. The boys in white and green - they were wearing the away kit - controlled the game, with Jonny Evans marshalling Gareth Bale superbly and the

It would be easy to say it was worth the wait. And, yes, it certainly was. But one of the outcomes of the Northern Ireland team’s participation at their first major tournament in 30 years should be a collective push at all levels of the game to ensure it will not be as long until the next time. Euro 2016 was something else and something very special. From the players’ remarkable efforts on the pitch to the unstinting support provided by our fans in France and back home, the tournament provided a rich tapestry of amazing scenes and memories. The four games in which the team competed triggered a wide array of emotions. And they were all played in electric atmospheres largely created, nurtured and maintained (often long after the final whistle) by the Green and White Army hordes. Northern Ireland’s debut encounter at a European Championship finals was a bittersweet experience. Great to be there but not a great result. The Poles came flying out of the traps, caught us on the hop with their pace and power, and fully deserved their 1-0 win in Nice courtesy of an Arkadiusz Milik strike. The players were rattled, the fans disappointed, but a steely determination quickly developed within the squad to put things right in the next game. And boy did they deliver after making the relatively short journey from Chateau de Pizay, the classy team hotel during Euro 2016, to the Stade de Lyon where they faced Ukraine in their second game in Group C. After a tight first half the game sprang to life early in the second half when Gareth McAuley notched Northern Ireland’s first ever goal at a European Championship finals. It came in the 49th minute when Big G soared above Ukrainian defender Yevhen Khacheridi to get on the end of a fine Ollie Norwood delivery from a

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