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IT'S a goal that has largely been forgotten, even though it was one of the best scored by Ireland in the modern era.

- BY KIERAN CUNNNGHAM

Maybe that’s because Italy got what they wanted from their trip to Croke Park - a draw to secure qualification for the 2010 World Cup.

The game finished 2-2 and Glenn Whelan’s opening strike is remembered, if at all, as a footnote.

But it’s worth digging out the footage as it was something special from a player often pigeonholed as a steady, predictable holding midfielder.

Under Giovanni Trapattoni, setpieces became an obsession.

It was one of the reasons why he often played John O'Shea and Kevin Kilbane in the fullback positions.

He wanted big men to both defend and attack setpieces.

On October 10, 2009, just eight minutes had passed when Liam Lawrence stood over the ball in the shadow of the Cusack Stand.

Robbie Keane had tumbled to the ground after a clumsy challenge by Nicola Legrottaglie to win a free-kick in enemy territory. Trapattoni and his assistant, Marco Tardelli, ushered O'Shea and Kilbane forward. Lawrence had plenty of big targets in the box with Richard Dunne, Sean St Ledger and Kevin Doyle in there too.

Whelan had been left to mind the house 30 yards out in case of a quick Italian counterattack.

As Lawrence considered his options, Keith Andrews jogged across to have a quick word in his ear. Lawrence took a moment to take a deep breath, then disguised his intentions, pulling the ball back to Whelan - and the Dubliner arrowed his shot past Gianluigi Buffon with stunning precision.

Whelan’s reaction illustrated just what it meant to him, as the tears flowed freely as he raced towards Hill 16 to celebrate.

It was the most unexpected intervention by Whelan in an international career that saw him win 91 caps - no Irish central midfielder won more.