It seemed an unlikely prospect after the first window back in September, when Ireland imploded in shocking fashion in Yerevan and were fortunate to only lose 2-1, the ashen-faced manager admitting afterwards that they would need a miracle to progress from the group.<\/p>\n
The miracle arrived in the past week, with Ireland turning over Portugal and Hungary, Troy Parrott’s winning goal at the death triggering a wave of euphoria back home.<\/p>\n
“The scenes you saw on the pitch was just pure emotion and joy,” Dubliner O’Shea told Marie Crowe on RT\u00c9 Radio 1’s Inside Sport<\/a>.<\/p>\n “It’s something that a lot of us haven’t really ever felt. I’ve been playing with a lot of the lads since I was young and have come through the age groups with them. To have a moment like that was special. Lots of the lads’ families were there, and my Dad was out there. There were the away fans up in the heavens.<\/p>\n “It’s powerful, it really is and even watching back the videos myself, it almost makes me emotional seeing the happiness and the pride that people have. It’s amazing.<\/p>\n “As a kid you grow up supporting Ireland and you get a few of them moments. I remember when I was there in [Euro] 2016 and Robbie scored that goal against Italy, and I suppose the moment I had on Sunday was the closest feeling I had to that since then.<\/p>\n “I understand how everyone feels, I’m a fan first and foremost. It’s amazing how a moment like that can lift the nation and bring everyone together.”<\/p>\n Amid all the videos floating around, the FAI released one of Hallgrimsson speaking to the players in the dressing-room where he spoke about the importance of looking back at those who supported them at tough moments during the qualification campaign, observing that “we all have a lot of friends when we win.”<\/p>\n The 2-1 loss in Armenia was uppermost in his thoughts, and O’Shea admitted that it was a career low.<\/p>\n “That Armenia away game was probably one of the toughest moments I’ve had on a football pitch. And probably the worst I’ve felt afterwards too.<\/p>\n “[It was] really challenging for us as a group, you know. It’s hard to not hear the noise around on social media and people writing us off and stuff like that.<\/p>\n “It’s tough to take at times, but also I think us as a group, we’ve almost used that as our motivation too.<\/p>\n “Football’s easy when you’re winning games. It’s tough when you’re losing games and it takes a lot for a team to come out of that mentality of losing games and to turn it on its head and turn it into a positive.<\/p>\n “I’m really proud of everything that the management and the players have done in this campaign to get where we are.”<\/p>\n O’Shea said he was in awe of the manager’s cool disposition, saying he deserved the result as much as anyone.<\/p>\n “[He’s] really calm, honestly. I think it’s kind of certified more for me now after the win how calm he was, still.<\/p>\n “He deserves this too. Obviously, after that Armenia game, there was a lot said about everyone.<\/p>\n “He’s found a way to get that confidence back within ourselves. I think it’s been amazing.<\/p>\n “All the lads are loving playing for their country right now and a lot of that’s down to him too.”<\/p>\n Cristiano Ronaldo is given a red card after a VAR review for an elbow<\/p>\n Mimicked tears, a clash with the Ireland manager and an all-time send-off from the crowd follow. Dublin is no longer “lovely” for him<\/p>\n \ud83d\udcfa Watch https:\/\/t.co\/XnOP6grnB7<\/a><\/p>\n \ud83d\udcf1 Live updates https:\/\/t.co\/TgtjK2dsDN<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/E6IjPgPvaf<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 RT\u00c9 Sport (@RTEsport) November 13, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n Three days prior to the win in Budapest, O’Shea was a key figure in one of the centre-piece moments of the shock 2-0 victory over Portugal<\/a>, when Cristiano Ronaldo lashed out an elbow at the Ipswich Town defender and was subsequently sent off following a VAR check.<\/p>\n Since the incident, O’Shea admits he has attracted the attention of the Portuguese star’s army of online fans, though it wasn’t a cause of much distress.<\/p>\n “Yeah, not the best. Ronaldo’s not the player to mess with. You know all about it on the phone afterwards!<\/p>\n “But it is what it is. It’s football. Look, I think he understands that himself, first and foremost. The game’s the game.<\/p>\n “I was trying to do whatever I can for my country. I think at the time we were really frustrating him and them as group.<\/p>\n “So, yeah, the less I say, the better maybe…”<\/p>\n Watch the FIFA World Cup play-off draw on Thursday from 12pm on RTE Player and the RT\u00c9 News Channel. Follow a live blog on the RT\u00c9 News App and on rte.ie\/sport<\/p>\n ![\"Dara](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/002381d6-614.jpg\"\/)
\nDara O’Shea (L) was also a child GAA star for St Pius X National School in Terenure<\/p>\n![\"16](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/002381d0-614.jpg\"\/)
\nCaoimhin Kelleher embraces Heimir Hallgrimsson after full-time in Hungary<\/p>\n