Pic of Day: Not since the win over Italy at Giant's Stadium in 1994 has Irish soccer scaled such unexpected Olympian heights. The Republic's World Cup dream seemed over and done with just a week ago but then came the extraordinary 2-0 win over Portugal at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. Hungary in Budapest quickly followed and it seemed like a Mount Everest of a challenge for the Boys in Green. But they met the challenge with a stunning injury time winner that now sends the Republic into a World Cup qualification playoff next spring. The final result was 3-2. All five Irish goals in the two games were scored by Troy Parrott who is pictured here after the Budapest win. Full report in this week's print/digital issue of the Echo. Inpho photo by Ryan Byrne.
