Northern Ireland v USA

DID YOU KNOW?

Words Marshall Gillespie

The closest Northern Ireland previously came to playing a full international against America was on 11 August 1948 when an Ireland X1 defeated a USA Olympic X1 5-0 in front of 15,000 spectators at Windsor Park. Johnny Campbell, of Belfast Celtic, opened the scoring on 10 minutes, Cliftonville’s Kevin McGarry put the home side two up a minute later, with Campbell hitting his second right on half time. Glentoran’s Sammy Hughes and McGarry completed the scoring in the second half. The visitors did have the ball in the net in the dying moments of the game only for it to be disallowed for offside.

A total of 15 players who have the same surname as an American President have been capped at full international level by Ireland/Northern Ireland since 1882. This includes two of the current squad, namely Conor Washington (George Washington) and Matty Kennedy (John F Kennedy). The others are: William Hayes (Rutherford Hayes) Tommy Jackson (Andrew Jackson) Damien Johnson (Lyndon B and Andrew Johnson) Peter Kennedy, Andrew Kennedy (John F Kennedy)

Brian Quinn is one of only two players born in Northern Ireland - Cecil Moore is the other - to have won a full international cap for the USA. Former Larne man Quinn played in the Irish League with his hometown club before spending a couple of years at Goodison Park with Everton. After being released by the Toffees he embarked on a new career in the NASL and played for several clubs including Los Angeles Aztecs, Montreal Manic and San Diego Sockers. He took out American citizenship in 1991 and in June of that year he won his first cap for the USA in a 1-1 draw with the Republic of Ireland in Boston. Quinn eventually went on to score one goal and chalk up 48 appearances for his adopted country.

Robert Nixon (Richard Nixon) Maik Taylor (Zachary Taylor)

Danny Wilson, Kevin Wilson, Henry Wilson, Matt Wilson, Robert Wilson and Sammy Wilson (Woodrow Wilson)

Northern Ireland have also played the USA three times at U15 Schoolboys level, suffering defeat on each occasion. The results have been: 24 April 2000: Northern Ireland 0-1 USA 27 April 2005: Northern Ireland 0-3 USA 27 April 2006: Northern Ireland 0-2 USA

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