The 25 Memorable Irish Moments Of The Premier League's 25 Years

In this third installment of our "Top 25 of 25 Series" we had considered looking at our 25 favourite Premier League moments.

Yet, when we got beyond Keegan's rant, a Cantona kung-fu kick and maybe even an "AGUEROOOOOOO", we noticed that most of our moments were tinged with green.

As such, we have made a list of our Top 25 Irish moments in 25 years of Premier League football instead. There has been plenty of discussion, debate and outright dismay with some of the choices made, so let us know just how wrong we've gotten it and what particular moments you would have chosen instead.

25: Daryl Murphy vs Wigan, 2008

Daryl Murphy hasn't scored many Premier League goals - four to be exact. Still, this hit against Wigan for Roy Keane's Sunderland is as good a place as any to start a list of Best Irish Moments in the Premier League.

24: Kenwyne Jones, Glenn Whelan and a Pig's Head

Whether or not it was Glenn Whelan, one thing is for sure; someone put a pig's head in Kenwyne Jones' locker when both men played for Stoke City in 2013. Upon finding the item in question amongst his clothing, Jones - although it is undecided how - came to the conclusion that Whelan was the offending party. With that, Jones stormed out of the building and broke the windscreen on his teammate's car. With the full details of the "prank" still unknown, Jones did subsequent apologise to Whelan for the damage caused.

23: Shane Long Breaks Land Speed Limit

Shane Long might have struggled for Premier League goals in the last couple of years. However, he can still run exceedingly fast. In August 2016, the Tipperary native set the fastest running speed recorded during the Premier League era. Running upwards of 35km/h before Watford's Ben Watson pulled him down, he really is tremendously quick.

22: Stephen "Superman" Ireland

One member of our Balls team was adamant that Stephen Ireland had no place in any such list. While Ireland's sporadic and brief flame burned out a fair few seasons ago now, this "Superman" moment captured something of his enigmatic essence. Although Ireland would ultimately escape any sanction from the FA for his celebration, he was "reminded of his responsibilities to the game."

21: Robbie Keane Hits 100

When Robbie Keane sealed a 2-0 victory for Spurs against Roy Keane's Sunderland in January 2008, he didn't just increase the pressure on his national counterpart. It was this goal that made Keane the first Irish player to score 100 Premier League goals. Keane would eventually raise his Premier League to 126. In the unlikely event that he returns to the Premier League from Athlético de Kolkata, his record for an Irishman scoring Premier League goals is likely to stand for a long time yet.

20: Roy Keane vs Alf-Inge Haaland, 2001

Not a "best moment" or even a "favourite", but definitely memorable.

When Keane was released in 2002, the subject of Saipan was number one on the book's agenda. Slightly behind this increasingly tiresome topic was the far more muddied scenario of what had led Keane to hatchet down Manchester City's Alf-Inge Haaland so mercilessly in April, 2001. Having felt slighted by Haaland's suggestion that Keane had faked an injury a few years prior, Keane subsequently surmised that by the time he sought retribution in '01,

I'd waited long enough. I fucking hit him hard. The ball was there (I think). Take that you cunt.

I wonder if Mick McCarthy had been aware of Keane's reaction to such allegations when they rowed about a similar subject a few months after?

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19: Stephen Elliot vs Newcastle United

With Newcastle United 2-1 ahead in the Tyne-Wear derby, Mick McCarthy's Sunderland needed something special. Cue a 21-year old Dubliner called Stephen Elliot. He would only score twice for Sunderland during their brief season in the Premier League, but this one was a beauty.

18: Mick McCarthy, Funny Man

Mick McCarthy is a funny man. Unfortunately, he hasn't spent enough time managing the Premier League to explore the breadth of this humour. After Wolves had lost to Liverpool in early 2012, he delivered one of his funnier press conferences. Was he happy that Steven Gerrard had make his Liverpool come back against Wolves? Not quite.

17: Seamus Coleman Arrives

Described as 'immense' in the Guardian report of Everton's 2-2 draw against Spurs in December, 2009, Seamus Coleman's Premier League debut set the tone for what was to come. Replacing an injured Joseph Yobo after only fifteen minutes, Coleman would ultimately play a part in setting up both of Everton's goals. Not yet the poison chalice that it would become, David Moyes was quick to praise Coleman as having 'undoubtedly changed' the course of the match.

16: Robbie Keane Loves A Debut

Robbie Keane had already made his Irish debut by the time he first appeared for Coventry City in 1999. He'd already scored twice too. However, on his Premier League debut he demonstrated the kind of prolific scoring that would become common-place - for Ireland especially - over the following fifteen years.

15: Stephen Hunt & Petr Cech

Wreckless and avoidable, or a horrendous accident? In truth, Stephen Hunt's clash with Chelsea's Petr Cech was all of the above. Still relatively fresh into his Premier League career with Reading, Hunt has subsequently spoke of his enthusiasm to impress and how this may have influenced events. That the incident occurred only 20 seconds into Reading's first clash against the Champions gives some validity to this argument. Ultimately, Cech would suffer a fractured skull and not appear for Chelsea again until 2007. He wears his protective helmet to this day as a result.

Hunt, on the other hand, was on the end of some very unfair José Mourinho words. Hunt later claimed Mourinho painted him as a "panto villain" over an accidental clash on the field of play.

14: David O'Leary and his Leeds United "Babies"

The soft-spoken O'Leary and his promising Leeds United team of the early 2000s once looked a viable threat to Alex Ferguson's all-conquering Man United. With a raft of academy graduates developing into first-team players almost instantly, Alan Smith, Lee Bowyer, Ian Harte and Harry Kewell were amongst the most gifted. When Leeds got as far as a Champions League semi-final in 2001, the future seemed incredibly bright. Unfortunately for O'Leary and Leeds, poor financial planning, the alienation of fans and the publishing of O'Leary's Leeds United On Trial during the 2001/02 season made his position untenable. Leeds have been on a steady decline ever since.

13: Roy Keane vs Jason McAteer, 2002

After the incident in Saipan a few weeks prior, Manchester United's trip to Sunderland could have come at a better time for Keane. Only United's third game of the season, Keane would encounter two firm "McCarthyites" in Niall Quinn and Jason McAteer.

While Quinn's diplomacy was unlikely to leave him looking for trouble, a coming together between Keane and McAteer did occur in the middle of the pitch just over an hour in. With both parties requiring partitioning after this initial clash, McAteer's repeated instruction to Keane is a firm "Fuck Off". Making direct reference to what perhaps remained the more pressing point at this stage, McAteer than signals toward Keane writing his autobiography and the presumed treachery in question.

Once again, Roy was red carded.

12: David Myler vs Alan Pardew

While not exactly Zinedine Zidane on Marco Materazzi, Alan Pardew's - lets say attempted - headbutt on Hull City's David Meyler is amongst the more notorious moments "Pards" has involved himself in. To be fair, Meyler does give Pardew a little shove as he attempts to retrieve the ball. Yet, as Jeff Stelling so vociferously put it on 'Soccer Saturday'; "Oh my goodness Alan Pardew, the book is about to be thrown at you!" He would serve a seven-game touchline ban.

11: Stephen Carr vs Manchester United

Stephen Carr is another Irish footballer who didn't score an awful lot of goals. Then again, he had an excuse. Having spent fourteen seasons as one of the Premier League's most reliable right-backs, Carr's opportunities to strike were few and far between. However, with the going-rate for a Kyle Walker now standing at £50 million, one wonders what Pep Guardiola would have made of a right-back who had this in his locker. Not to mention it was against the recently treble-winning Manchester United.

10: Steve Staunton vs Manchester United

Before the infamy of the Irish national job, Steve Staunton had had a stellar fifteen-year career in the English top-flight. Having won an F.A. Cup and "old" First Division with Liverpool, Staunton moved to Aston Villa - he would return to Liverpool again, and return to Villa again thereafter. A little reminiscent of Carr's classic above, Staunton's left foot leaves Schmeichel for dead.

This goal was also huge at the time as Villa were United's main rivals for the inaugural Premier League title. Balls.ie's PJ Browne is obsessed with this goal, constantly desribing it as the "nicest sounding goal ever", whatever that means.

9: Gareth Farrelly Saves Everton

After a £700,000 move from Peterborough United in July 1997, Gareth Farrelly's first season at Everton hadn't gone to plan. Indeed, nothing at Goodison Park had gone to plan. With Howard Kendall back for a third-stint in charge of the Toffees, expectations were high. Having been plying their trade in the top flight since 1954, Everton went into the last game of the season looking at the prospect of relegation. With a marginally better goal-difference than Bolton, Everton knew they would just need to match Bolton's result against Chelsea to be safe. After making very little impact all season, enter Gareth Farrelly.

8: Joe Kinnear's Opening Monologue

Until his permanent appointment to the position in 2009, Newcastle's Chris Hughton found himself in charge on a caretaker basis on two separate occassions. Standing in for Kevin Keegan when his second spell in charge failed to reignite the near-successes of the mid-1990s, it was the man who relieved Hughton of his brief spell in charge that made an instant impression; Joe Kinnear. Undertaking his first press conference, the former Wimbledon manager and Irish international wasted little time with pleasantries. He had one burning question that needed answering:
JK: Which one is Simon Bird? [Daily Mirror Football Writer]

SB: Me

JK: You're a cunt!

SB: Thank you.

From this point, things only got worse for the gathered journalists and an increasingly irritated Kinnear. When questioned about his decision to take his first day as Newcastle manager off, Kinnear had some harsh words for the indignant Bird:

It is none of your fucking business. What the fuck are you going to do? You ain't got the balls to be a fucking manager. Fucking day off. Do I want your opinion? Do I have to listen to you?

After threatening legal proceedings and a complete refusal to speak to all but two of the local Newcastle papers, Kinnear's spell in charge would run until April Fool's Day, 2009. Once more into the breach for the long-suffering Hughton then. You can listen to the interview in whole here.

He also called Newcastle's best player Johan "Kebab". Good old Joe.

7: John O'Shea, the Goalkeeper

O'Shea's positional flexibility was often portrayed as a hindrance to his nailing down of a starting position in the Man United side. Almost four-hundred appearances for the club in an eleven season spell would suggests a contrary argument. The true extent of his flexibility was demonstrated in 2007 however. With United cruising to a 4-0 victory against Spurs at White Hart Lane, all three subs had already been made when United's Edwin Van Der Saar suffered a broken nose. Although Rio Ferdinand initially seemed to fancy his chances in goal, O'Shea was the safer option. A little shaky perhaps, a one-on-one with his national counterpart Robbie Keane secured O'Shea's legacy as the essential utility player.

6: John O'Shea vs. Arsenal

2 in a row for JOS

In a match that would ultimately be remembered for what happened off the pitch, John O'Shea, with Man United leading 3-2 at Highbury, did the unthinkable. With a finish we may have previously associated with Eric Cantona or Matt Le Tissier, it is perhaps with O'Shea's nonchalant celebration that the most joy can be garnered.

5: Robbie Keane vs Arsenal, 1999

Having moved from Wolves to Coventry City for £6 million - then a British record for a teenager - early into the 1999-00 season, Robbie Keane began the season well. Seven goals in fourteen starts for the nineteen year old was a helpful return for a City side that had looked destined for relegation. Although the allure of Inter Milan would tempt Keane away from Coventry for twice the price within a year of his arrival, this goal against Arsenal (begins at 2.45) was enough to get Gordon Strachan out of his seat. We've been watching it all morning and still cannot grasp just how he has got this past Arsenal's David Seaman.

4: Damien Duff Winning Two League Titles With Chelsea

Six Irish players hold at least one Premier League medal. Perhaps a shade behind Roy Keane and Denis Irwin at Manchester United, Damien Duff was an instrumental part of Chelsea's back-to-back league winning side of the mid-2000s. Purchased for £17 million by Claudio Ranieri, Duff's experience under his replacement Jose Mourinho would be fruitful. When comparing his second Chelsea side with original, double-winning side of 2006, Mourinho singled out Duff as a player in possession of that necessary killer-instinct.

3: Dennis Irwin/Eric Cantona vs Spurs

Described in Ken Loach's Looking For Eric as Cantona's most beautiful memory from his United career, the involvement of Denis Irwin - perhaps understandably - goes overlooked in this wonderful team goal. The first name on Alex Ferguson's best XI he's ever worked with, Irwin played over 500 games for United, winning just about all there was to win in the mean time.

2: Paul McGrath, PFA Player of the Year

Only two Irish players have ever claimed the Player's Player of the Year award. Man United's eighteen-point league winning margin in 1999-00 secured the award for Roy Keane. However, as United claimed the first Premier League title in 1992/93, it was a former United player who stood out amongst his peers. Frequently lauded by fans and former teammates alike, McGrath was instrumental in Aston Villa's title challenge under another former United figure, Ron Atkinson. Despite already being in his early 30s, McGrath would go on to play over one hundred more Premier League games for Villa before moving to Derby County in 1996.

1: Roy Keane vs Patrick Vieira

[Watch Video]

Very little epitomised the Manchester United/Arsenal rivalry better than Roy Keane and Patrick Vieira's on-field battles. While the individual brilliance of a Beckham or Giggs, an Henry or Pires often decided the outcomes of these heated affairs, few could disagree with the dueling sources driving each respective team on. In a wonderful documentary conducted with ITV in 2013, Keane described "going to battle with Arsenal" and provided an insight into his mentality ahead of a match with their primary rivals:

The parts of my body that I'd had previous injuries on... they would be aching me, and I knew it was just because my body knew that I was going to be going into battle, and it was almost as if, I knew I was going to suffer.

In 2005 however, as the validity of the rivalry weakened in light of Roman Abramovich's financial influence at Chelsea and the introduction of Jose Mourinho, the on-field battle morphed into something else. Having subsequently admitted that he started the row in the Highbury tunnel, Vieira kicked off proceedings by intimidating United's "weakest link", Gary Neville. What developed thereafter is best watched above.