We are martyrs to the moral victory.Over the years, they have sustained Republic of Ireland football fans through many episodes of heartbreak. And over the last two days in the Dáil, almost all members of the Opposition had the scant consolation of a moral victory against the Government in debates seeking the abandonment of Ireland’s forthcoming Nations League matches against Israel. It was also a rare occasion when Independent Ireland found itself in agreement with the Coalition, advocating that the games should go ahead. The party argued it was unfair on the players to expect them to carry the can for what is a political argument.On Tuesday night, Sinn Féin tabled a motion urging the Government to support a boycott of the matches. There was an instant replay on Wednesday morning when the Social Democrats brought forward a similar motion, calling on the Government to support Israel’s exclusion “from all sporting competitions as long as the genocide and illegal occupation of Palestinian territory continues”.This was followed by a brief outbreak of handbags on the issue between the Taoiseach and the Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald, after Leaders’ Questions, with Ceann Comhairle Verona Murphy doing her best to referee the shemozzle.In the end, Mary Lou’s microphone was switched off because she wouldn’t stop interrupting and then Micheál Martin sat down in a huff because he couldn’t get a word in edgeways.[ Ireland should not play against ‘genocidal regime’, says TD and former League of Ireland playerOpens in new window ]In sporting terms, the two Dáil ties were a bit of a walkover for the Opposition parties and Independents. Not one Coalition deputy – apart from a brace of junior ministers whipped in on both days to flag the Government’s opposition to the proposals – showed up to speak. Minister of State for Sport Charlie McConalogue looked particularly miserable.TDs from his side rarely pay much attention to Opposition motions, but some occasionally turn up to talk on a matter of interest. Football is a topic which would usually have them belting into the chamber. RTÉ is another.But it was Tumbleweed Central on Tuesday and Wednesday. Not one Government TD ventured in to talk about the Team Ireland playing Israel on the international stage. “Benches of Shame!” intoned Mary Lou McDonald on the first night, lambasting the “Pontius Pilate routine” on the other side of the House. After the second motion was debated on Wednesday, the Soc Dems spokeswoman on sport, Sinead Gibney, commended her cross-party colleagues for “incredible ... impassioned, well-informed and evidence-based” contributions which showed how unified the Opposition benches are in their message to stop the games.[ FAI and Government warned of judicial review over football fixtures with IsraelOpens in new window ]“And what a shame that those contributions fall on – not just deaf ears, there’s no ears here.” At this point, Charlie could have piped up “I’m ear”. But he didn’t, because he wore the expression of a man who didn’t want to be ‘ear. “There’s barely any representation from Government,” continued Sinéad, which won’t have improved the humour of the junior minister.But then, Charlie was probably still trying to get over the sliding tackle she apparently committed on him during Tuesday’s opening leg. At the time, she said if he is expecting football governing bodies such as the FAI, Uefa or Fifa to make a decision on playing Israel, he’ll be waiting a while. [ FAI understood to have settled on moving Ireland v Israel to neutral venueOpens in new window ]Instead, she argued, Ireland must start the process, standing in solidarity with the people who are being killed in Palestine, Gaza, the West Bank and now in Lebanon.“So you need to grow a pair, as a Government, and do this, and stop the game,” she declared, glancing down as she gathered up her speaking notes. The acting Chair, Fine Gael’s Micheál Carrigy, ruminated on these remarks while Labour’s Duncan Smith was speaking. Then he leapt to poor Charlie’s defence. “Before I move on, I just want to point out to Members – the comments of Deputy Gibney at the end ... that’s unparliamentary that was directed towards the Minister ... Your comments at the very end,” he burbled.Mary Lou McDonald was intrigued. “Which one? What was unparliamentary?”“What was it?” wondered Sinéad. “At the very end. Your comments ...”The women sought clarity. “I’m not going to repeat it. I just ask you that these comments, not in this House, please, so thank you,” stuttered Micheál, scandalised into incoherence. He tried to move on. “I thought it was a most appropriate comment,” said Mary Lou. “No, it’s not, not in this House it’s not. It’s unparliamentary language to use in this House and directed personally towards a member of this House,” countered Micheál, a TD for Longford Westmeath and Chairman of the Fine Gael parliamentary party.That came as news to Sinéad. “I said ‘the Government’ actually.”Charlie was sitting there, oblivious, like Fr Dougal.But Deputy Carrigy had made up his mind. “No, no. It was directed towards the Minister so it’s unparliamentary to use that comment.” Those FG PP meetings must be a hoot. Sinn Féin’s Darren O’Rourke is also a stand-in Chair. He was filling in on Wednesday morning for round two of the Opposition attacking invisible Government TDs for saying nothing about the upcoming fixtures against Israel. His colleague Thomas Gould got very worked up, as is his wont. He urged the Government to the have the “guts” like RTÉ, to “say no to genocide” and stop the game. It isn’t the job of athletes or fans or sporting organisations to do it, he argued.Hands and script aflutter, Thomas roared across at the non-existent Government TDs who have been crying “crocodile tears” in the chamber for the last few years.“Don’t come in here and talk again unless you are willing to stand with this Bill.”Party colleague Pat Buckley followed on with more references to crocodile tears and the “zero” contribution from benches opposite. “What I will say here is the Government – and I’m going to be very blunt – just don’t have the balls to stand up to genocide,” he declared as an anguished squeal followed by a dull thud was heard beyond in the Fine Gael offices and an urgent call went out for smelling salts for the party chairman.And who was the Government this time? Mercifully, poor Charlie had yet to arrive so it was the Minister of State, Noel Grealish, absorbing the Opposition’s ire. Galway Independent Noel is impossible to insult.Darren O’Rouke, who isn’t as windy or sensitive as Micheál Carrigy, said nothing about unparliamentary language. Not that Noel would have noticed anyway. It was a good debate, marked, as Sinéad pointed out, by many passionate and compelling contributions. None more so than the one from Daniel Ennis, her new Dáil colleague who chose this occasion to deliver his maiden speech. Deputy is a former league of Ireland player and his words carried extra resonance. Not that any of it really mattered. The Opposition may have clinched a moral victory but was on a hiding to nothing.The Government, with its far bigger team, won the vote.