13 January 2052 – Ah, sweet Éire, rising from the ashes like the Phoenix of myth, striding into the European Championship of 2052 with all the swagger of Cúchulainn at the ford. Ireland have topped Group I, leaving Italy – those ancient Romans who once thought themselves masters of the world – gnashing their teeth in second place. The table does not lie: eight victories, two draws, no defeats. Forty-eight goals scored, a mere eight conceded. Glory written in emerald ink.
It was in the green fields of qualification that Ireland’s warriors made their stand. Albania were swatted aside 4-0, with the names of Wormull, Gaughran, McGrath and Lunney etched into the record as scorers. Across the sea, Liechtenstein were sacrificed upon the altar of Italy’s might in a 10-0 drubbing, but even that spectacle could not shake Ireland’s iron grip on top spot. Malta and Greece, gallant but outmatched, were little more than stepping stones on Ireland’s path to Valhalla.
The squad itself is a tapestry of heroes and journeymen. Captain Darren Kelly, still marshalling the defence at 32 with 104 caps, stands like an oak in the back line. Vice-captain Kenny White of Reading lends steel to the midfield, while Philip Parke, Madrid’s jewel and Ireland’s key talisman, bestrides the centre like a colossus. His 25 goals in 89 caps whisper of greatness already attained, with more to come.
European Championship Qualifying – Group I (2052)
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st | Ireland | 10 | 8 | 2 | 0 | 48 | 8 | +40 | 26 |
| 2nd | Italy | 10 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 46 | 7 | +39 | 23 |
| 3rd | Greece | 10 | 6 | 0 | 4 | 25 | 11 | +14 | 18 |
| 4th | Albania | 10 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 15 | 36 | -21 | 5 |
| 5th | Malta | 10 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 46 | -41 | 4 |
| 6th | Liechtenstein | 10 | 0 | 1 | 9 | 5 | 61 | -56 | 1 |
Up front, Aaron McGrath of Valencia carries the torch of flair, his recent rating of 8.78 in qualification proof of artistry and endeavour. Mark Bonner-Rudden, representing Manchester City in the Premier League, adds further top-flight quality. From Espanyol, Gavin Graydon brings guile, while Gerry Higgins of Saint-Étienne provides ballast in goal. Each man a thread, together woven into a banner of green and white, destined to be unfurled in Germany this coming summer.
Manager Morad Artz, a Dutchman of quiet resolve, has orchestrated this renaissance with tactical nous and a dash of daring. A 4-3-3 DM wide system, executed with precision, has turned Ireland from plucky underdogs into titans of the group stage. The Aviva Stadium roared with approval, and Dublin dreams of continental conquest.
It is all the more remarkable given Ireland’s barren decades of disappointment. Once the nearly-men of Europe, cursed with gallant failures and qualification heartbreaks, the Boys in Green now stand transformed. Where past generations stumbled at hurdles both great and small, this crop has vaulted clean over, landing on the road to glory.
So let the bards tune their harps, for the Boys in Green march once more into Europe’s great theatre. Whether they fall like Icarus or triumph like Odysseus remains to be seen. But for now, Ireland basks in the golden glow of qualification, and the tale of 2052 is theirs to script.
— Brendan