Sheedy's World Cup Derby
Kevin Sheedy, the Everton legend, has described the Republic of Ireland's World Cup opener against England at Italia '90 as feeling like "a real derby game." Sheedy, who won two League Championships and the European Cup-Winners' Cup with Everton, scored Ireland's first ever World Cup goal in the 1-1 draw in Cagliari on June 11, 1990.
Sheedy first arrived on Merseyside in 1978 with Liverpool but crossed Stanley Park to Everton in 1982. By the time of the World Cup, he faced familiar faces including former Everton teammate Steve McMahon, who had moved to Liverpool, and ex-Everton striker Gary Lineker, who scored England's opener.
The Goal
Speaking in 2022, Sheedy told the ECHO: "I still remember it well. I tried to play a pass through to Tony Cascarino, Steve McMahon had just come on as a sub and he intercepted it and tried to play a square pass to Gary Stevens which I then intercepted with the first touch and as soon as I hit it, I knew it was in past Peter Shilton's bottom left-hand corner." He added: "Scoring was a great moment for myself, my family and everyone who had helped me along the way."
Sheedy's 73rd-minute equaliser came after Lineker had fired England ahead in the ninth minute. The result helped Ireland progress from a group that also included Egypt and the Netherlands, with three draws earning them three points.
Advice Before the Penalty
Ireland advanced to the knockout stage after drawing lots with the Netherlands, and faced Romania in the second round. After a 0-0 draw, the game went to penalties. Sheedy, Everton's penalty taker, volunteered to go first: "I just said to Jack Charlton, 'I'll take the first one'. I'm not a believer in keeping your best penalty takers until the end." He scored, and three teammates followed, but with the score 4-4, centre-back David O'Leary stepped up for the decisive kick. Sheedy recalled: "I went up to David as he was walking up and said to him, 'hold your nerve, pick your spot, don't change your mind and hit it as clean as you can'. He thanked me afterwards for that piece of advice." O'Leary scored, sending Ireland to the quarter-finals.
End of the Fairytale
Ireland's run ended with a 1-0 loss to hosts Italy in Rome, where Toto Schillaci scored the winner. Sheedy said: "They were great memories though, not just for ourselves but the fans too. I was very fortunate to be going from a great Everton team to a great Ireland team."
