Two for the record books

LAST night at Lansdowne Road Robbie Keane became the history man, going where celebrated Irish footballing names like Givens, Stapleton, Aldridge, Cascarino and Quinn had never gone before.

And, for good measure, going there twice.

And to be truthful, it was never a question of if, but when.

France in Paris last Saturday had offered long odds on the Irish striker breaking Niall Quinn's all-time record of 21 goals.

And sure enough, a glancing header safely gathered by Fabien Barthez was about as close as he came in a game in which the most clear-cut Irish chance had fallen to John O'Shea who, for all his versatility, will never be mistaken for a predatory striker of the Keane kind.

But the Faroe Islands in Dublin here, surely, was what the pre-match headlines would inevitably call "a goal-den opportunity".

At just 24 years of age, the Dubliner had been knocking on history's door since the World Cup opener against Cyprus on September 4, when a penalty brought him level with the Mighty Quinn, the latter's record having stood since 2001.

Last night, it was fully expected that Keane would unlock that door.

The more optimistic even suggested he might smash it off its hinges. One goal for the record? Ah, to hell with it, it's only the Faroes why not two or three or four? Or, come to think of it, what about five? Yes, the famous five. Then he'd be a double record-breaker, beating Paddy Moore (v Belgium 1934) and Don Givens (v Turkey 1975) who'd managed (a mere) four apiece.

Which is all very well and good for those who are sitting in the stands or reclining in an armchair. Fantasy football comes easy in those positions. For the fellas who lace up the boots, the perspective is much more level-headed. Yes, Robbie Keane would have looked forward to the prospect of breaking the record, and not least because, as he'd quipped earlier in the week, it would finally put a stop to people asking him questions about the damn thing. But the really important goal last night, as the Irish camp had insisted all week, was the accumulation of three World Cup points to capitalise on the excellent work done at the weekend in Paris.

Yes, yes, the fans would reply, nodding in sober agreement. Very professional, very pragmatic. Good attitude. We like that. But still, Robbie will do it, won't he? I mean, it's only the Faroe Islands in Dublin. Surely one, at least. Or maybe two. Or And so we settled down and waited at Lansdowne Road. Waiting for Keano.

And we didn't have to wait long. Thirteen minutes into the game, Damien Duff went on one of those amazing runs into the box that can destroy the most heavily populated defence. Down he went. Almost before the referee could point to the spot, Robbie Keane was stepping up to the mark.

The record book won't show that a man called Jakup Mikkelsen got an arm to the shot. No matter. Destiny demanded that the ball would end up in the net. Keane set off on his trademark celebration, pursued by players, acclaimed by the crowd.

The PA boomed 'Congratulations'. Cliff Richard at Wimbledon is one thing but do we really need him at Lansdowne Road?

Still, you couldn't help but smile.

And on 32 minutes Robbie Keane was beaming. Duff was involved again, before Roy Keane drilled a ball across the box to create a moment of slapstick in the Faroe defence. Never one to stand still, the other Keane pounced for a poacher's goal.

In the second-half, his race through the record books was temporarily brought to a halt. Combining thrillingly with Duff, he was caught across the right ankle and felled.

But on this night of nights, Keane was determined to continue. After treatment on the sideline, he was soon back on the goal trail, this time seeking another personal best, his first hat-trick for his country.

He came close, not least through the conspicuous efforts of Damien Duff to put him in. And at one tantalising point, his goal-bound shot past Mikkelsen was stopped just inches from the target by covering defender Jon Roi Jacobsen, as the Lansdowne Road end tried to suck the ball over the line.

But, as they used to say, just two will do.

It's now 23 and counting.

They chanted "Keano" last night. Even though Roy was officially, and somewhat perplexingly, dubbed man- of-the-match, this time Cork really played second-fiddle to Dublin, as Robbie Keane cart-wheeled into history.