1. Friendly International
Date: Saturday 18th February 1882
Venue: Bloomfield, Belfast.
Attendance: 2,000-3,000**
Umpires*: William Pierce Dix (Sheffield F.A.); Samuel Sinclair (Distillery F.C.)
Referee: Robert M. Kennedy (Ireland)
Ireland (0) 0
England (5) 13 Vaughton (3,?,?,?,?). (J) Brown (8, ? ), (A) Brown (15,?,?,?)), Cursham (?), Bambridge (?)
Ireland: James Hamilton (Knock/1-0), John McAlery*** (Cliftonville/1-0) (capt), David Rattray (Avoniel/1-0), Donald Martin (Cliftonville/1-0), Jack Hastings (Knock/1-0), Billy McWha (Knock/1-0), Dr. John Davison (Cliftonville/1-0), Jack Sinclair ****(Knock/1-0), Sam Johnston (Distillery/1-0), James Buckle (Cliftonville/1-0), Alex Dill (Knock/1-0).
* Until 1891 Umpires were appointed to take charge of the match, one for each half of the field. The referee stood at the half-way line and was only consulted when the Umpires were in dispute over a decision.
** Attendance unconfirmed. Bloomfield was the ground shared by Distillery and North Down FC. Bloomfield was 5 minutes walk from the Mountpottinger Tramway Terminus. Also the Belfast and Down Railway ran a train to Bloomfield.
*** John McAlery, a prominent businessman and an excellent cricketer, was Secretary of the I.F.A. and is credited with introducing organised Association Football to Ireland.
**** “Jack” Sinclair, nickname “Fox” and Sam Sinclair were brothers. Jack Sinclair presided at the first meeting of the Irish Football Association and was appointed the Belfast Water Commissioner in 1912.
NB: Team line-up was 2-2-6 formation until 1884.