Match Report: Ladies 3rds V Swords
Where do I start?? First of all for those of you who, like us, go out week after week
with only 11 willing and most times able bodies today was just great. We had 15
players lining out for our Cup match against a tough and very hungry Swords team,
who incidentally are leading the league above us.
It was like the battle of the Alamo or something like that. Firstly our captain got
upended and banged her noggin, so off she trots and on comes Amy. Grainne fell
back into left back position and Amy into left mid. Did I say Grainne fell back? Well
that is exactly what happened a little later and then later and yet again later. It’s not
that we are quiet and retiring and genteel girls but Swords were pulling no punches.
Did I say they are a league above us??
Somehow a ball went into the back of our net and the umpire awarded a goal, much to
the disgust of Ali Geoffroy. I always thought she was such a quiet girl. With Niamh
off the pitch it was left to me to be the bully and inform the umpire that I had
temporarily taken over the Captaincy duties. Thanks says he, but I wasn’t done I
politely told him that if a ball hits an attacker in the face from her own player surely it
should be a free out. Yeah right, he didn’t see it. I yet again real polite like asked him
to consult the other umpire, which he reluctantly did. Yipee!!! Kate O’Connor
showed she knows a thing or two about umpiring (where did she pick that up from, I
wonder !! ) and he gave the correct decision, a free out. Well there was short corner
after short corner against us, but of course the infamous Catherine Kennedy can still
do it. Personally I thought we gave her a good work out.
Half time and it felt like we had all done a round or two with Mike Tyson. Hands up
any of you who did not come away with at least a bruise or two. Let me see who else
got floored or walloped or dumped. All of us. The big man on the side line was
working his socks off encouraging us, that would be Paul Kennedy. With abut five
minutes or so to go I just had to have a break. Am I getting too old for this? Yes, but
will it stop me? Probably not. So off I trot to catch my breath and see if my legs are
still in one piece. Doesn’t feel like it. Minutes to go and no-one wants extra time or
penalty strokes. Voice going, nerves on edge, it was awful. Swords at this point
were all over us with practically the whole team back defending, but that didn’t stop
us trying finally we got the ball down to their circle and win a short corner, much to
the delight of the side line support. Paul says this will go in, as the girls were
practising for a good while last Wednesday. Niamh Byrne hits a sweet ball out to
Grainne ——— who cool as a cucumber puts it in the back of the net, much to the
dismay of the Swords team. World cup celebrations or what? Guess what less than 2
minutes later the final whistle goes and we go through to the next round.
Many many thanks for all you great girls who came out and played your hearts out.
To the ladies of the seconds who stayed to watch us also thanks. It was so cold I am
sure you must all still be frozen. Player of the match for this week went to Catherine
Kennedy, but honestly there were plenty of candidates and any one of us was worthy
of this glorious accolade.
Nuala Gillick
