The year was 2001, Celtic had just lost 3-2 in the Champions League and Balls.ie wasn't even a glint in its mother's eye.
54 minutes into their group tie with Juventus, Celtic trailed 2-0 and seemed all but beaten. Then, low and behold, Stilian Petrov pulls one back and as Barry Glendenning put it in his minute-by-minute, Celtic were 'sucking diesel.'
A few minutes later, Marcelo Salas is sacrificed for a defender as Juve begin to panic. Then Edgar Davids is sent off and the shit really hits the fan. Celtic are on top, Celtic are going for the jugular, Celtic have a penalty, Celtic have equalised! Henrik Larsson has made it 2-2 and the Bhoys could win this!
87 minutes: Nicola Amoruso comes on.
Amoruso immediately goes down in the box and wins a penalty that was never a penalty. The bastard dived. Glendenning describes O'Neill's reaction on the sideline:
Martin O'Neill goes berserk on the touchline and is banished from the dugout by the German referee. He is justifiably apoplectic with rage.
Amoruso then converts the spot-kick and Celtic lose 3-2. After the match O'Neill goes on ITV to give an interview. What we witness is a poor man who is beside himself with anger, but also with pride. His team had almost achieved the impossible, only to scuppered by the decision of one referee.
While it's a sad moment it's also brilliant. We get to watch a man who wears his heart on his sleeve, and a man who anyone watching couldn't help but feel for.
Happy birthday Martin.
