Éire Óg Greystones
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Weekly Notes - 1st June 2005

The air of nonchalance that attended the demeanour of our intermediates as, resplendent in their new Delgany Inn-sponsored polo shirts, they exited the dressing rooms in Aughrim on Saturday evening, gave little hint of their titanic effort in the just concluded championship game versus Dunlavin. One might have expected a more overt display of satisfaction after what was an altogether unexpected victory. Perhaps management had tempered their euphoria with a reality check related to a swallow and summer. On the other hand we the supporters – the few of us in attendance - were unshackled by such inhibition and could indulge our joy, unconfined. We had travelled to the game much more in hope than in expectation, Dunlavin having had a ten point victory over Valleymount who in turn had given Éire Óg a bit of a lesson in the league. Championship is championship, however, and with it comes a steeling of resolve that often makes a mockery of league form. And so it was with our lads on Saturday. Their commitment and never-say-die determination raised spirits that had flagged in the victory-less, lustreless campaign of 2004.

A strong wind prevailed, so strong indeed that the kick-out ball often assumed a boomerang-like trajectory, and the cliché ‘game of two halves’ echoed around minds. Early on in the game Dunlavin were picking off their points and the ball struggled to cross the half-way line. On the few occasions it did there were signs that our speedy inside forwards had the legs on the opposition backs. This was where the conditions came to our aid: the strong wind in their favour drew the Dunlavin backs out the field and left acres of space behind their last line of defence. As Éire Óg’s play gradually came to terms with the contrary wind more and more forward-favouring ball was finding its way into this area and the potential for an increased number of one-on-one scenarios emerged. In attempts to avoid such situations the Dunlavin defence conceded two penalties that were duly dispatched with conviction and accuracy to the net by Johnny Barry. The piece de resistance of the game was a beautifully taken goal by the same player after an exciting up-field sweeping movement initiated by Craig Smullen. Unbelievably Éire Óg were 3-1 to 0-8 ahead at half time.

For most of the second half the Éire Óg goals were under siege but defending that could only be described as heroic confined the opposition’s scoring rate to a trickle. Yet still the situation was worrying: the gap was closing, we weren’t getting within an ‘ass’s roar’ of their end. But hark! see Darren Hayden breaking from our massed defence - as a hare from cover pursued by despairing hounds - in an immaculate solo run of nigh on sixty metres that he finished off with a spectacular point. We knew then that God was in his heaven and that all was well with the world.

We will hear much during the summer –feel the hype – about million-euro earners running beautiful angles etc. with ball in hand but I doubt they will have the aesthetic content of some of Darren’s sallies. His pirouettes, his lightening changes of direction and his balanced running while simultaneously juggling ball from hand to foot were grace personified.

At the end, however, this was a victory fashioned on unselfish co-operation and workmanlike effort on the part of every player. Maith mar a dhein sibh, lads, go leanfaidh sibh leis.

The intermediate victory offered some sólás in a week that saw our u-12s and u-14s fall at the final fence in their respective leagues. In both cases the retribution was inflicted by Bray Emmets.

The u-12 match was won and lost in the first ten minutes when Bray ran in 4-2. The Éire Óg supporters were stultified. Thankfully the players were not and they fought back with a determination of which they and their manager Barry O’Reilly can be proud. For the rest of the half they held Bray scoreless while scoring 1-5 themselves. At one stage in the second half the deficit was reduced to a goal but luck had deserted them and they lost by two goals.

Our Féile flyers’ pride suffered a severe clout on Wednesday when they were comprehensively beaten by the same opposition in Newcastle. Never mind, life is full of ‘days like these’ and their acceptance a stepping-stone on the road to maturity. Best wishes for a quick return to the fray by Conor Daly who was injured during the game.