Wembley a happy hunting ground for Irish teams – just not football ones . . .
Another famous Irish sporting victory at Wembley
Wembley Stadium was rocking to the strains of The Fields of Athenry on Saturday night as 63,000 Irish fans celebrated their cricket team’s historic win over England in the T20.
The victory was Ireland’s second famous sporting victory at the famous stadium.
Horgan’s heroes join hurlers in Wembley winners’ enclosure
In 1945, Ireland’s hurlers upset the odds to defeat England by a goal at Wembley in the first ever game between the two sides.
A plaque was erected outside the stadium to commemorate the occasion and it became a popular pilgrimage site for many GAA fans.
Now the cricketers have their own piece of history at the venue.
The win was a famous day for Irish cricket, finally beating our neighbours at their own game.
Ireland’s cricketers had a secret weapon – their supporters.
The 12th man
The green army of Irish fans created a wall of sound, and their passion and enthusiasm inspired the team.
The fans sang their hearts out, waved their flags and cheered on their team every step of the way.
They were the 12th man for sure!
The victory was a great day for Irish sport.
It showed that Ireland can compete with the best in the world, and it gave the nation a great sense of pride.
The win will live long in the memory.
Quotes
"It's a dream come true," said Ireland captain Andrew Balbirnie.
"We knew we had a chance to make history, and we did it."
“We’ve finally beaten our rivals at their own game,” said coach Andy Flower.
"It's a great day for Irish cricket.”
“The fans were incredible,” said all-rounder George Dockrell.
"They were the 12th man for sure.”
Reaction
The win was met with widespread praise from fans, pundits and politicians alike.
President Michael D. Higgins congratulated the team on their "historic victory".
Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said the win was a "great day for Ireland".
The win was also praised by former England captain Michael Vaughan, who said Ireland "deserved their victory".
Conclusion
The Irish cricket team's victory at Wembley was a historic moment for Irish sport.
It showed that Ireland can compete with the best in the world, and it gave the nation a great sense of pride.
The win will live long in the memory.
