1949 England Vs Ireland Football Match - Previous Games

Previous Games

During the 1940s there were in effect, two Ireland teams, chosen by two rival associations - the Northern Ireland-based IFA and the Republic of Ireland-based FAI. Both organisations claimed jurisdiction over the whole of Ireland, and selected players from the whole island. As a result several notable Irish players from this era, including six who played in this game, had played for both teams. The IFA XI had played England regularly since 1882, and claimed their first victory, by three goals to nil, on English soil at Ayresome Park, Middlesbrough on 14 February 1914, but this was only the second time England and the FAI XI had met. Despite this, several members of the FAI XI had played against England several times before while representing the IFA XI; striker Davy Walsh had previously scored three times against England.

The FAI XI had played England for the first time at Dalymount Park on 30 September 1946. A team, featuring Johnny Carey, Con Martin and Billy Walsh, were narrowly defeated 1-0 when Tom Finney scored the winner in the 82nd minute. Two days earlier, on 28 September, Carey and Tom Aherne had been included in the IFA XI that had been heavily defeated 7-2 by the same England side. The next time the IFA XI played England, on 5 November 1947, their team included six players - Carey, Martin, Billy Walsh, Peter Farrell, Davy Walsh and Tommy Eglington – who had previously played for the FAI XI. Davy Walsh scored the opening goal in a 2-2 draw at Goodison Park. Carey, Martin, Farrell and Walsh also played for the IFA XI in their 6-2 defeat to England at Windsor Park on 10 October 1948. Davy Walsh also scored both goals that day.