Ireland and Molumby show tears of joy after remarkable Hungary win 

It was as dramatic as you could get as Troy Parrott’s 96th minute goal helped steer Ireland to second in Group F and a playoff spot ahead of World Cup 2026 as Heimir Hallgrímsson’s side came from two goals down to record a magical win against Hungary on Sunday last.  

After a brilliant win over Portugal at the Aviva Stadium on the previous Thursday thanks to two Parrott goals, the striker turned on the style in Budapest three days later as he grabbed an incredible hat-trick to keep dreams of qualifying for the World Cup finals alive.  

For Waterford’s Jayson Molumby, he missed out on the remarkable win over group winners Portugal in Dublin, but the West Brom Albion midfielder came back into the starting eleven for the trip to Hungary before been replaced by Johnny Kenny with an hour on the clock.   

The 26-year-old was a bundle of emotion at the final whistle as he showed tears of unbridled joy as the Irish will now have to wait until Thursday’s draw to see who they’ll face in March’s playoff clash.   

Ireland came themselves a slight chance of securing a playoff spot after that brilliant home win against Portugal, but after Hungary raced into a lead, they looked in trouble, only for Troy Parrott to level from the penalty spot after a VAR intervention for a foul on Chiedozie Ogbene.  

But with eight minutes remaining in the first-half, Hungary regained the lead through a fine Barnbas Vargo half volley that gave Ireland keeper Caoimhín Kelliher no chance at all that left Hallgrimsson’s men needed a mountain to climb in the second-half.   

The Irish boss rang the changes inside the opening 15 minutes of the second period with Adam Idah, Johnny Kenny and Festy Ebosele entering the fray and when Finn Azaz turned provider for Parrott ten minutes from time.  

Commenting after the game, the Ireland boss said: “I hope we can look back in 10 years saying these players started something special for Irish football. I know where we are as a team and what this means, not only for this group.  

“This is an opportunity for growth. I think if we keep on growing by the team winning, that will help the FAI financially. It, in turn, helps all Irish football, including the women's team.  

“Success is not that we won this game here, it’s a constant journey in the right direction.  “It's not a place and a moment and. Let's enjoy this moment but don't forget where we are and where we're going.”   

He will now have to wait for Thursday’s draw where Ireland will be one of the 16 nations in the draws where four will four will emerge from the semis and finals next March with golden tickets to the expanded 48-nation showpiece co-hosted by USA, Canada and Mexico.  

Adding to the reason for the late victory, Hallgrimsson added: “Hungary got scared in the end, so they dropped off. They were probably better than us on the day today, especially in the first half when we struggled.  

“Our players kept on believing and we kept on knocking and took chances. Portugal was the biggest game in an Ireland shirt for these players, but this was bigger. The playoffs will be the biggest.  

“We need to use this moment to understand what created this, to look back on everything and give thanks to the people that have supported these players along the journey.  

“In these moments, you will have a lot of friends but that's not the friends that will call you and pick you up and give you energy when you lose games. They deserve the credit.”  

For Molumby and his Irish teammates, the dream is still alive of booking a ticket to the finals. Incredible really when it looked all doom and gloom after that horrid loss away to Armenia in the second game of the group.   

Football can be a very funny game and there can be no doubt of that.