If you put a bet on wintry weather stopping play at Euro 2016 in France, you’ll probably be rolling in money in the Bahamas somewhere right now.
Nobody could have foreseen that crazy arctic weather would bring a halt to a game at the summer tournament.
But that’s exactly what happened mid way through the Northern Ireland vs Ukraine game in Stade des Lumieres.
The Northern Irish side had just taken the lead when hailstones the size of snowballs began pelting down from the sky.
The referee was forced to suspend the game while the ground was buffeted by huge chunks of falling ice.
HAIL STOPS PLAY! Don't see this often. Severe hail forces two teams off for break #UKRNIR #EURO2016 https://t.co/WqTYfqNXMT
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) June 16, 2016
https://twitter.com/TelegraphDucker/status/743492211480870912?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
The game quickly got back underway, but football fans couldn’t help having a wee joke…
https://twitter.com/cooneyjerry23/status/743493680066076672
Game stops for giant hailstones.
What do the Northern Ireland fans do? Take their tops off and sing Will Griggs on Fire! Love it. #UKRNIR— Jon Blower (@jonblower) June 16, 2016
I remember a night at Fivepenny where the hailstones were so bad, I couldn't lift my head to face the play. Didn't stop the game!
— Domhnall Macsween (@sweenyness) June 16, 2016
Heavy downpour with hailstones. Ran around my house closing windows … argh!!! 😕 pic.twitter.com/CJuEdlPvMQ
— ANGEL ON ASSIGNMENT (@MS_Isaiah54_17) June 16, 2016
Hailstones in France = football match stopped. Hailstones in N Ireland = don't even bother taking the washing in #gawa
— Siobhan McGuigan (@siobhanmcguigan) June 16, 2016
https://twitter.com/Alan9269/status/743493511459246085
A certain Mr Grigg will be able to melt the hailstones #NIRUKR #NIR
— Shaun Dyas (@Shaunnyboy85) June 16, 2016
in my day we'd be glad of some hailstones to heat us up!
— Paul Burgoyne (@pburgoyne75) June 16, 2016
https://twitter.com/Islandhopper74/status/743493164120563712
Roy Keane would have eaten those hailstones 😂
— Gerry Ward (@G3WRD) June 16, 2016
Are golf balls getting smaller or do people exaggerate that much about the size of hailstones? #UKRNIR
— Chris Shenfield (@shenfield_chris) June 16, 2016
Hailstones??…. Mothers in Ireland and NI would be sending their kids outside to play in worse! Thats Summer weather for us! #EURO2016
— Elaine McDonald (@Elaine_Mc) June 16, 2016
https://twitter.com/daniel21war/status/743492906711945221
Lol gotta love Irish commentary. "That's nonsense. It's just hailstones man, give me a break." Read my mind. #EURO2016
— hasasimo (@hasasimo) June 16, 2016
Bet the lads feel at home now! #hailstones #GAWA
— Shane Pearce (ATSUS) (@ShanePearce) June 16, 2016
