ONLY A GAME? - Joxer goes to Poznan and then Gdansk...

Before I set out for work every morning I usually listen to BBC Radio 5 Live but yesterday was a little different. With a broad smile on my face I searched for my Christy Moore Live at the Point album, selected track 13 and turned the volume way up.

‘Joxer Goes to Stuttgart’ is my favourite Republic of Ireland song. As Christy reached the part where ‘Ray Houghton got the ball and he stuck it in the net’ I could feel the hairs on the back of my neck prick up.

On Friday evening the Republic of Ireland found out who they’ll play in next summer’s European Championships in Poland and Ukraine.

Giovanni Trapattoni’s ‘Boys in Green’ are in Group C along with current world and European champions Spain; they will also be joined by Italy and Croatia.

Former Denmark goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel and Holland striker Marco van Basten carried out the draw on behalf of UEFA; who knew such a thing could be so entertaining.

As soon as it was confirmed that Ireland had been drawn into Group C I fist pumped the air like an overgrown child on Christmas morning.

The reason for my happiness was quite simple. All of the teams in Group C will play their games in the Polish cities of Poznan and Gdansk.

To put it in perspective, had Ireland been drawn into one of the groups due to play their games in Ukraine it would have been much more expensive and difficult to get to for the fans.

There’s approximately 300 kilometres between Poznan and Gdansk so it looks like that the group stage of the European Championships will not be as arduous as many had predicted.

Some fans appeared disappointed to have been drawn against Spain; at present, they are ranked the world’s number one team. But the whole reason Ireland worked so hard to qualify was because they wanted the chance to go up against the best teams in Europe.

I’m sure players such as Keith Andrews and Glenn Whelan will relish the chance to go up against the likes of Spain’s Xavi, Iniesta and Fabregas.

Ireland’s first game is against Croatia on Sunday June 10 in Poznan; the mouth-watering clash with the Spaniards is in Gdansk on June 14 and it could all come down 0to do their final match against Italy in Poznan on June 18.

As the fixtures and venues were confirmed a symphony of fingers hitting keyboards, bank balances being checked and credit cards being produced could be heard all over Ireland.

Some couldn’t wait and paid hundreds of pounds for flights and accommodation - can you blame them?

Certain low budget airlines have unapologetically cashed in on the frenzy. Ireland’s a country with rising unemployment, pay freezes and job losses - how do these airlines expect Joe Public to find £450 to fly to Poland? It’s just madness.

They say that necessity is the mother of invention so if, like me, you can’t afford to pay vast sums of money for flights and accommodation then perhaps it’s time to get the thinking caps on.

As I continued to think about how I am going to get to Poznan and where I’ll stay when I get there, Christy reached the part where ‘Joxer climbed right over the top and the next time he was seen. Was arm and arm with Jack Charlton, singin’ revenge for Skibbereen’. I wonder would I get away with that if I did it to Giovanni?

Whilst Christy’s song is a celebration of Ireland’s against all odds victory over England in Stuttgart in 1998 it’s ultimately about the good times that Irish fans experienced when they travelled to West Germany to support their team.

It’s going to be the same next summer.

It’s fantastic that Ireland have been drawn into the same group as Spain, Italy and Croatia; just think what it’ll be like sharing a city with their fans, it’ll be amazing.

Like every Ireland fan, I want Ireland to win every single game they play but for me, next summer is about experiencing the trip of a life time. It’s about doing something that I, and so many others, may not get the chance to do ever again.

And like Christy says in his song, the craic will be 91 and who knows the big man from Cork might get out his guitar and scribble down another fine tune but this time he’ll call it ‘Joxer goes to Poznan and then Gdansk’.