Kevin Sheedy, Ray Houghton, Andy Townsend, Tony Cascarino, Dave O’Leary.
Robbie Keane, Matt Holland, David Connolly, Kevin Kilbane, Steve Finnan.
The 10 men who have stepped up to the mark for the Republic of Ireland in the two penalty shootouts in the country’s major tournament history.
The first delivered a glorious victory over Romania at Italia ’90, the second a bitter defeat in Japan.
As Ireland face into their first knockout game since losing to Spain on penalties in 2002, the subject of penalties was bound to come up.
Manager Martin O’Neill said the squad have been practicing penalties since before their departure for France, and he also said that he knows there are three players who definitely won’t be taking spot kicks if it comes to it here at Parc Olympique Lyonnais on Sunday afternoon, where Ireland face hosts France in the last 16.
Centre-half Richard Keogh was sat beside O’Neill when he ruled out the unnamed trio and it is difficult to tell by his shifty expression and smile whether or not he was among them.
“We have been practicing and in the course of it we have done it quite a number of times, right back to when we started,” said O’Neill.
“Even in training before we arrived here in Paris. So if we do get to penalties I know there are at least three players who won’t take them. They haven’t been able to hit the target too often.
“I shall not name them,” added the Ireland boss.
Not long after O’Neill spoke, Poland converted all their spot kicks to squeeze past Switzerland in the first shootout of Euro 2016 – Arsenal’s new midfielder Granit Xhaka the only man to miss, skewing Switzerland’s second kick badly wide.
The best players can miss, but not everyone can even step up to the spot, according to O’Neill.
“I have seen great players in the past, Great players, really great players. Players who on the field, when it comes to shootouts in European Cup finals down tools and don’t take them. So, I think it will depend on who is on the pitch at the the time if it comes to that,” he said.
“We have practiced them pretty well consistently but in all honesty replicating that in a training ground when all players want to take them, all of them, including the goalkeepers. Everyone wants to take a penalty. I wonder what it might be like when we get to the shootout.”
Ireland have a number of competent penalty takers in their squad, however regulars such as captain Robbie Keane and Jon Walters are unlikely to start against France. Others, like Robbie Brady, Ciaran Clark, Jeff Hendrick and Shane Long should be reliable.
But as O’Neill says, you really don’t know until the moment of truth arrives.
