Joe Carroll: What would the 2010 Leinster final ball fetch if put up for sale?

The thought occurred to me when I heard that the ball Maradona punched to the net in Argentina’s 2-1 win over England was to be sold: What would the ball Joe Sheridan threw over the line in the last minute of the 2010 Leinster final fetch if it were to be sold? Or the one Thierry Henry handled in France’s World Cup qualifier with the Republic of Ireland?

Given the name “The Hand of God” – by Maradona himself – the 1986 World Cup goal In Mexico City came in the first half. Maradona rose for the ball along with Peter Shilton and clearly got his hand to it, guiding it to the net.

Tunisian referee, Ali Bin Nasser, saw nothing wrong, however, and despite strenuous protests by the England players, allowed the goal to stand.

His sideline man closest to the incident was of the same opinion. Of course if it was today, VAR would be on the job and there’s little doubt the goal would have been disallowed.

Maradona was on the mark again in the second half, this time not only scoring a legitimate goal, but one that’s been voted the best in World Cup history. He went on the dribble, as we used say, and after winding his way past several defenders, put the ball beyond Shilton’s reach.

Gary Lineker pulled one back, but that wasn’t enough to foil Argentina, who, having won this quarter-final, went on to win the title, beating Germany in the final.

Surely Bin Nasser wouldn’t have had a future sale in mind when he went to retrieve the ball at full-time? But retrieve it he did, and it was he who is putting it up for sale on this week. It’s expected to sell for between £2.5 million and £3.0 million.

Even the upper figure would put it less than 50% cheaper than the record-breaking £7.1 Steve Hodge got for the jersey Maradona wore in the match.

The former Leeds, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest player was at midfield for England and must have been closest to the wee Argentinian at the full-time whistle, but wouldn’t have realised the windfall he was landing for himself when the jersey-swop happened.

And the ball Joe, let’s just say, dispatched to the net a dozen years ago? We’d hate down here to think that Martin Sludden took charge of it after blowing the full-time whistle, and if he did, benefitted in some way.

Which photo has appeared most often, Joe’s, Maradona’s or Henry’s? You’d have to think it was Maradona’s, because of the status of the game. It would have more international appeal.

It’s sometimes mistaken that Henry scored the goal which put Ireland out of the World Cup. But all he did – if it can be put like that – was to control the ball with his hand before placing William Gallas for the score, making it 1-1; but more important, putting France through on a 2-1 aggregate score. Again, had VAR been in operation, the goal wouldn’t have stood.

Maradona, Henry and Sheridan have been vilified over the years, unfairly, I would suggest. Had the referees or their assistants – Sweden’s Martin Hannson officiated in Paris – been on the ball, there would been no further mention of the three incidents.

And Ireland could have gone to the 2010 World Cup finals, England take the 1986 tournament – well, maybe not – and we might still be feasting at the table of a rare Leinster title win.