Europe On The March

7’s in Dublin this weekend with a ‘County Europe’ selection. We’ve fielded such teams in Hurling before but last year was the first year we got it together in football.

That wasn’t the smoothest of trips and most of us went away feeling it was less hassle than it is worth. It wasn’t necessarily anyone’s fault, just that it was all pulled together so close to the actual tournament. Trying to coordinate a Pan-Euro team and making sure everyone books flights etc can’t be easy. There is funding from the County Board for such weekends but because the flights were sorted late, that ate into it meaning there was nothing left for accommodation so we were scattered around Dublin in friend’s houses. Not ideal preparation.

This year Shay from Maastricht took the lead and has been plotting since early summer. That’s not to say it is much easier as the panel was only confirmed this week. And that was after we lost Stockholm’s Niall Scullion who injured his knee at the Belgian Tournament last Saturday. I haven’t seen him play that much but he looks quality, so will be a big loss.

Two of his fellow clubmen join the party; Colin Courtney and Mark O’Kane. We could claim they are more ours i.e. Belgium’s, than Stockholm’s though! Back in 2009, when the Swedish club was just a thought, they travelled to Copenhagen and played for us. Turns out Colin and myself have a mutual friend in Conor O’Brien. Small world. But we know that already.

The Hague contributes Shane O’Sullivan, Simon Malone and Paul Bradfield. From Malmo and Oslo (correct me if I’m wrong), come Michael Lynch and Billy Finn. We’ve never crossed swords but Shay tells me they are two of the shining lights up in Scandinavia. Then there is myself, Darragh and James from our club.

That brings us to ten players with Niall swapping playing duties to help on the line and Shay may well yo-yo between playing and managerial duties.

How we fare will largely come down to how fast we pick-up the nuances of 7’s football, like utilising the keeper, creating overlaps, working backwards and forwards en masse and retaining possession at all costs.

The first couple of times I played, I hated 7’s but the tactical aspects of it have grown on me. It being a game for young whipper snappers means that this may well be my final venture home for it.

We’ll be up against very well drilled sides; twenty of the thirty two County Junior champions of 2011 plus a host more quality teams. The clubs may be Junior but when you take the 7-10 best footballers out of a Junior team, you are talking about Intermediate and Senior level footballers. The task is huge but we have nothing to lose and I certainly plan to get as much out of the day as possible.

It’s also a good opportunity to meet up with some former Belgium players. Big Jim, Eoin and Gearoid Sayers should be knocking about. Rumour has it Eoghan Kelly is around too. All in all, it has the makings of a good weekend.