On 5 April 1959, Tuohy scored his first goal for Ireland, the opening goal in a 2–0 win against Czechoslovakia at Dalymount Park. This match was a "preliminary round" qualifier for the inaugural European Nations' Cup, and so was the Republic of Ireland's first ever game in the competition. It has been reported many times since that Tuohy's goal was the first ever to be scored in a European nations' championship; however, a goal by Anatoli Ilyin in a September 1958 first round match for the USSR against Hungary predates Tuohy's strike.