Knife incident mars Ireland win

Ireland midfielder Kevin Kilbane said he was hit on the arm by an open pen-knife during the 2-1 Euro 2004 win over Georgia in Yerevan.

The incident came moments before Georgia scored in the 61st minute to cancel out Damien Duff's 18th-minute goal.

Also during the game, Gary Breen was hit by a ball bearing, Duff was struck by a plastic drinks bottle and a glass vodka bottle smashed against Shay Given's post, the BBC reported.

"It was a six-inch pen-knife and it was open," said a stunned Kilbane.

"It hit me on the arm and I didn't realise what it was until I picked it up.

"When it fell on the floor it was open. I couldn't believe it really and I have never experienced anything like it before.

"You expect an intimidating atmosphere but that was serious - thank God it wasn't more serious".

Manager Brian Kerr, however, attempted to play down the incident saying it had been "just a small pen-knife. "But I suppose it would have been unsettling for the players."

Kerr said that the win had given fresh impetus to Irish hopes of reaching the finals in Portugal next year.

"We were the better side and made the clearcut chances although we had a sticky patch in the middle of the second half," Kerr said..

"Their goalkeeper made two or three fantastic saves and Lee Carsley's chance early in the second half could have wrapped the game up.

"Probably if Damien Duff's headed chance had come to someone else, we would have had another goal as well.

"But in the last quarter of an hour we began to pick it up again so we deserved the victory".