Well, I wasnt really a fan when this happened (I was 3 months old) but my favorite has to be David O'Leary's penalty and Packie stopping Timofte, what about you?
I was only about to turn 4 when O'Leary hit that penalty so I can't use that one. Either Houghton vs. Italy in '94 or McAteer againsshhht the Dutch in '01.
I have vague memories of the shootout against Romania, but at this stage I don't know if it's a real memory or just that I've seen it so many times that I've turned it into a fake memory in my head. If it is fake, I've also invented the fact that I was sitting on the living room floor with my back to the couch at the time Other than that, McAteer's goals against Holland in the WC '02 qualifiers stand out (both of the matches in general, really).
Ray Houghton's header against England and then hanging on for the rest of the game. Packie's save in the shootout and O'Leary knocking in the next. I was sure he was going to miss. Also we played well in the quarter final against Italy and people were not sad when we lost because it was such a great time in the country. Also beating Italy in Giants Stadium. Special times.
To tell the truth, my favorite Ireland moment that I can remember seeing during a match is Robbie Keane's penalty against Spain (the one match that really ignited my interest). I didnt watch the Germany game, or the Saudi game, but I was at my grandparents house, and later my cousins couldnt understand why I was so upset . My favorite moment since then is Given saving Okkas' penalty to keep the hopes we still had then alive
While Houghton's goal against Italy, O'Leary's pk/Bonner's save, Stuttgart '88 never fail to cheer me up, I'll keep my choices to moments I can clearly remember. I've chosen my three favourites in no particular order: McAteer vs Holland, 2001: I was with a crowd, listening to this on RTE radio. Gabriel Egan's commentary will forever me etched in my mind: "Ohhhh yes! Jason McAteer his paydirt for Ireland" Full Time vs Holland, 2001: It was at this point when I finally started to believe that Ireland would be going to the 2002 World Cup. Keane vs Germany: Watched it on television, went mad when the goal went in. A loss and I'm sure we would have been eliminated, as Cameroon and Germany could have played out a draw to ensure that both would go through. Robbie Keane changed all that and kept "Irish World Cup hopes alive." Hon. mention to the pk against Spain, but since we ended up losing that match I don't look back on it as favourably as these three. Also, even though I only watched it on French Television, seeing the Irish suporters invade the Stade de France was spectacular.
Saw a video on youtube that reminded me of another hilarious moment, though not directly related to following the team as such. The University here doesn't have frats, instead campus life is based around societies, which are generally departmental (German society, Biology society - and I'm part of the history society - for example). Every term there is a mixer crawl, in which we (the students) proceed from mixer to mixer all around campus. I was with a bunch of friends from the music society as we were walking through an overpass from one building to another, and they started singing Yellow Submarine. I sang along, only with "A team of Gary Breens" lyrics. Pretty soon, they caught on and sang it with me. When we got to the room we were going to, about 50 people picked it up - none of whom had ever even heard of Gary Breen. Class.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ykp9m_zG6K8&search=gary breen The video in question. Proves that the song has been sung all over the world.