Why We All Owe Steve Staunton An Apology

Following Ireland's 2-1 hammering of San Marino in February 2007, Steve Staunton had to face an ungrateful media pack and justify the result.

During the course of his edgy press conference performance, he tried to reassure the unimpressed journalists by telling them 'we're usually strong in March'.

The comments were heavily lampooned, most notably on the usually staid Late Late Show, where they had a UK body language expert on to discuss public figures and bodily giveaways. But the crowd couldn't stop laughing at Staunton calming the press corps by telling them Ireland are usually strong in March when the clip was played.

As, it happened Ireland did have a good March in 2007. They beat both Wales and Slovakia 1-0 in Croke Park. Was his claim justified or was it ludicrous? After all, in England there is discussion about the fact that the English team always seem to be in good shape around autumn and then in a state of disarray around May and June (that'd be around the time of the World Cup).

Well, it turns out that the answer is a resounding... kind of.

Ireland do have a decent record in the month of March and haven't lost in the month in over three decades. By contrast, Ireland have lost numerous matches in September and October.

However, this comes with the proviso that there are more games in those months, with matches played in September in both odd and even years.

Graphic and full list of results back to 1970 below.

2013

Ireland 2 - 2 Austria

2011

 2009

Ireland 1 - 1 Bulgaria

2007

Ireland 1 - 0 Slovakia

2005

Israel 1 - 1 Ireland

2003

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QT_UImU_RZU

Georgia 1 - 2 Ireland

2001

Cyprus 0 - 4 Ireland

Andorra 0 - 3 Ireland

1995

Ireland 1 - 1 Northern Ireland

1993

1991

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_CDao09fwEk
England 1 - 1 Ireland

1989

Hungary 0 - 0 Ireland

1983

Malta 0 - 1 Ireland

1981

Belgium 1 - 0 Ireland

1977 

Ireland 1 - 0 France

Balls Remembers The Day Ireland Drew With A Mountain Top