You can't beat this time of year. County Finals happening all over the country. Every day, the papers are full of great stories about the clubs and individuals involved.
I only played in one, against Ilen Rovers in 2001. I've told the story of the game and the context previously so won't go over old ground.
The run-in to such a game is a fantastic experience. The parochial nature of G.A.A. makes for a fiercely intense build up. If I remember correctly, we had a few weeks between our semi-final win against Adrigole and our date with Ilen.
Lots of things happen between the semi and the final. Signs and bunting are put up around the town. You have people up watching training. There is the media night. There'll be someone from the Divisional Board come down and give you a ‘motivational’ talk at training. You can expect a bit of new gear along the way too.
Generally speaking, all anyone around town wants to talk to you about is the match - team selections, form, injuries etc.
As a player, you'd have been following the teams progressing through the championship. You'd know their form inside out. I was in UCC at the time and the GAA network there would make sure you were well informed.
We knew from day one that to win a County that year, we would have to beat Ilen. Their team was high profile with nearly all of them having represented Cork at some level. Belief is key in that situation. You just have to be completely convinced that you are up to the job. That's not something which you can switch on and off. It is built up on the journey to the final.
That year, we'd come through some massive battles, all the way from the first round against Valleys. We scraped and fought through each round. We overturned a 0-7 to 0-1 half time deficit in the South-East final against Courcies. We beat Mitchelstown in a replay and then toppled a fancied Adrigole side in the Semi. That is where the belief comes from, knocking teams down, one by one.
Final day throws some last minute distractions into the mix. The programme has a few more pages than normal. The warm-up can be thrown off kilter by having a curtain raiser. Then there is the pipe band. Jesus, the first beat of the drum always sends a shiver down my spine. National anthem. The whistle to start the game and before you know it your hearing it again to bring a close to proceedings.
What happens it between is linked to a lot of things; how you've prepared mentally and physically, how you've managed your nerves, how you've been able to focus in on the game plan and your role in that, whether you truly believe you can do it, whether you are really, truly willing to push yourself to your very limits and of course, whether you were good enough.
We ticked a lot of those boxes in '01, led at half-time but simply couldn't live with their class in the end.
We don't have a County Final as such in Europe. The Championship is played over three rounds with a tournament format in each round. Points are awarded depending on where you place. Based on results, ourselves and Guernsey are the main contenders. Maastricht in two weeks time, is the closest we have to a County Final.
The lads are enjoying the run in now. I’d stepped away from the social side of things for much of the year but since the Pan-Euros got going, I've pretty much just thrown myself into everything. In five years, I've never seen a group with such a bond – across both panels.
For the first time in a couple of years we are in with a shout of winning it out. We don't need to be warned that Maastricht promises to be the most competitive round in the history of the Pan-Euros. Everyone will arrive loaded and with eyes on finishing the season on a high.
I read a good quote from the Castlehaven manager in the build up to the Cork County Final yesterday. He said you don't go to a County Final just to march behind the band. The sentiment was simple and clear. Forget everything else and focus on the job in hand.
Just under two weeks and four sessions to go now...
Monday, October 29, 2012
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Vienna Win Opens Door
It’s important to remember that in defeat, you’re probably never as bad as it seems and similarly, in victory, you’re probably never quite as good as some may lead you to believe.
The Shield team finished 8 out of 9 on Saturday. It was hard to imagine after a thunderous start against Paris/Lyon when they fired over points for fun. Soon after, holes began to open up and once again, the concession of goals derailed their challenged. A difficult day for the lads but there were positives in the play and the return of some key men in Maastricht should steady the ship.
At the other end of the scale, the Championship panel won the round in whirlwind fashion.
I must have subconsciously parked a few realities in the back of my mind over the last few years. No Pan-Euro win since Maastricht 2008 and no final appearance since Budapest 2010. We didn't put our hands on a Benelux trophy since June 2011. That's a lot of foraging with little reward.
Heading into Saturday we had a lot of injuries; broken fingers, bust thumbs, damaged ankles, bruised ribs, bruised feet (!)... Shaun, our one 'x-factor' type player had to pull out last week but the biggest concern was the amount of training some guys had missed. Gill, Cillain and Ger in particular but also Timmy and one or two others. If you are trying to beat something into lads’ heads, they have to be there to do it!
The unpredictability of the football competitions this year has made for some very interesting days out. In Benelux, the difference between a good day and a bad day more often than not come down to points difference. We missed out on our share of finals due to this.
Saturday was just one of those days everything fell into place. Our plan was painfully simple and relied purely on the honesty of the lads in terms of buying into the jobs they were asked to do and sticking at them to the death. I'd seen a quote a few weeks ago saying how hard it is to beat someone who never gives up. It bounced around my head since and was what we were looking for out of lads at the weekend.
Our first three wins against Lux, Amsterdam and The Hague looked impressive on paper but don't tell the whole story. Lux were in total control in the first half, leading 0-5 to 0-2 at H/T. Timmy was our game changer, grabbing the first ball of the second half and forcing a point chance into a goal. We kicked on from there.
An early penalty against The Hague could have rattled withus but we weren't ruffled and proceeded calmly and efficiently.
By the time we caught Amsterdam their resources were stretched. Still, they ran strongly from deep to create a lot of chances which required a fair amount of last ditch defending. Aided by two penalties, we brought our goal tally to ten in three games and booked our place in the final. The only downside was a dead leg picked up by Brian Hurley in the build up to one of those goals.
The result didn't render the Guernsey game meaningless though. We had an opportunity to knock them out of the competition, which could only help our overall Championship aspirations.
As you would expect of a team of their quality, they raced out of the traps! We found ourselves 10 points down before we blinked. A few mentioned afterwards that there was a moment at that stage when they thought it better to conserve energy for the final and just go through the motions in defeat.
Then Darragh Cotter nailed a goal and before we knew it, we were level, thanks in part to an amount of first half injury time that would have had Alex Ferguson smiling from ear to ear.
However, we inexplicably we handed a six point lead to them in the second half. We worked our way back and got a free with time nearly up to level. Utilising the rolling subs rule, we sprung Cillian to slot it over and I thought a draw had been secured. Not so. Down a point again within seconds. It was left to Player of the Tournament Diarmuid Laffan to nail the equaliser with practically the last kick.
With the way results went, Guernsey would still get to the final thanks to an Amsterdam win against The Hague in the final group game. Bizarelly, Lux, who were in the final in Copenhagen and beat Guernsey on Saturday, ended up rooted to the bottom of the table. That says it all really!
One of the biggest differences on Saturday compared to other tournaments was that we had really gone for it in every game. In the past, we were managing injuries, fitness, game time etc, trying to get the balance right and make the final. We went balls out on Saturday though and wanted to win every game. Ross did very well on the line, reading situations well and being ruthless enough with his substitutions. Some guys went starved of game time for a while but all were brought in at the right times and made important impacts.
Myself, himself and Tim were picking the team and it went very smoothly, with each of us happy to concede ground to the majority where necessary.
Playing Guernsey in the final probably wasn't ideal in most lads' heads. We hadn't really threatened to beat them in the last couple of years but I thought with one or two positional switches, we could correct some of the issues we had faced in the group game. In addition, they were struggling to get their game going on the day whilst we had put some very good passages together.
The game itself felt a bit bizarre. The lights were on and the dew had set in. The pitch was magnificent, saved all day for the Shield and Championship finals.
We'd avoided the nightmare start which categorised our previous battles and settled well. I can't remember what we led by at half-time but it can't have been more than a point or two. Any time we had a lead during the day, Timmy started banging on about winning the second half before we could even hear the score read out. It kept us very focused to keep going forward and not start to sit back on the lead.
My memory of the second half is sketchy. We got a goal, they got a goal. I asked the ref how long was left and he told me six and a half minutes. I felt tense at that point but the lads' tails were up. Critically, our full back line of Crusher and Keary were winning their battles and for every ball they won, it seemed like it ended in a score at the other end. 3-11 to 1-2. It sounds like a stroll but we were under pressure to win every single ball in that game.
The lads did all that was asked of them all day. Some of the jobs that needed doing were fairly grim and would go against one's normal instincts but they carried them out manfully. From a 'mgmt/coaching' perspective, we were very satisfied that we had identified our shortcomings after Copenhagen and got some reward for the work over the last few weeks - remembering of course that you make all the right decisions when you win!!!
Guernseys' captain and their manager came into our dressing room afterwards to congratulate us and spoke very well. It's the done thing at home but I've never seen it in Europe. I thought it showed a touch of class on their behalf and was certainly appreciated by the lads. We weren't left in much doubt about their drive to correct things in time for Maastricht though!!
It leaves us and Guernsey a good bit ahead of the pack in terms of winning the overall Championship at the start of November. In previous year's you could safely predict in such a situation, we would be the teams to contest the final.
However, the noises coming from The Hague, Amsterdam and Lux on Saturday was that they are lining up an assault of their own. It promises to be the most dramatic finale to a Pan-Euro Championship yet. Every team is capable of beating each other. The difference between first and last will be minimal. It’ll all boil down to who remains most focused and who can best navigate their way through the choppy waters.
We've a bit of work to do ourselves. There were some holes in our performances on Saturday, both collectively and individually. Other teams will have seen our hand also. The next month will be about finding some more consistency but also adding one or two more aspects to our game.
On a personal level, it was one of the most satisfying days in a long while. I can't remember the last time I was able to play an entire tournament outfield. The frustration that caused was definitely effecting the enjoyment I was getting out of playing football and hurling. A big thanks to our physio Laura in that regard. She's patched up more than just myself in recent weeks and has been a big help.
Onwards to Maastricht now. It's a close you can get here to preparing for a County Final. It should be a fantastic month of training and one to be enjoyed.
The Shield team finished 8 out of 9 on Saturday. It was hard to imagine after a thunderous start against Paris/Lyon when they fired over points for fun. Soon after, holes began to open up and once again, the concession of goals derailed their challenged. A difficult day for the lads but there were positives in the play and the return of some key men in Maastricht should steady the ship.
At the other end of the scale, the Championship panel won the round in whirlwind fashion.
I must have subconsciously parked a few realities in the back of my mind over the last few years. No Pan-Euro win since Maastricht 2008 and no final appearance since Budapest 2010. We didn't put our hands on a Benelux trophy since June 2011. That's a lot of foraging with little reward.
Heading into Saturday we had a lot of injuries; broken fingers, bust thumbs, damaged ankles, bruised ribs, bruised feet (!)... Shaun, our one 'x-factor' type player had to pull out last week but the biggest concern was the amount of training some guys had missed. Gill, Cillain and Ger in particular but also Timmy and one or two others. If you are trying to beat something into lads’ heads, they have to be there to do it!
The unpredictability of the football competitions this year has made for some very interesting days out. In Benelux, the difference between a good day and a bad day more often than not come down to points difference. We missed out on our share of finals due to this.
Saturday was just one of those days everything fell into place. Our plan was painfully simple and relied purely on the honesty of the lads in terms of buying into the jobs they were asked to do and sticking at them to the death. I'd seen a quote a few weeks ago saying how hard it is to beat someone who never gives up. It bounced around my head since and was what we were looking for out of lads at the weekend.
Our first three wins against Lux, Amsterdam and The Hague looked impressive on paper but don't tell the whole story. Lux were in total control in the first half, leading 0-5 to 0-2 at H/T. Timmy was our game changer, grabbing the first ball of the second half and forcing a point chance into a goal. We kicked on from there.
An early penalty against The Hague could have rattled withus but we weren't ruffled and proceeded calmly and efficiently.
By the time we caught Amsterdam their resources were stretched. Still, they ran strongly from deep to create a lot of chances which required a fair amount of last ditch defending. Aided by two penalties, we brought our goal tally to ten in three games and booked our place in the final. The only downside was a dead leg picked up by Brian Hurley in the build up to one of those goals.
The result didn't render the Guernsey game meaningless though. We had an opportunity to knock them out of the competition, which could only help our overall Championship aspirations.
As you would expect of a team of their quality, they raced out of the traps! We found ourselves 10 points down before we blinked. A few mentioned afterwards that there was a moment at that stage when they thought it better to conserve energy for the final and just go through the motions in defeat.
Then Darragh Cotter nailed a goal and before we knew it, we were level, thanks in part to an amount of first half injury time that would have had Alex Ferguson smiling from ear to ear.
However, we inexplicably we handed a six point lead to them in the second half. We worked our way back and got a free with time nearly up to level. Utilising the rolling subs rule, we sprung Cillian to slot it over and I thought a draw had been secured. Not so. Down a point again within seconds. It was left to Player of the Tournament Diarmuid Laffan to nail the equaliser with practically the last kick.
With the way results went, Guernsey would still get to the final thanks to an Amsterdam win against The Hague in the final group game. Bizarelly, Lux, who were in the final in Copenhagen and beat Guernsey on Saturday, ended up rooted to the bottom of the table. That says it all really!
One of the biggest differences on Saturday compared to other tournaments was that we had really gone for it in every game. In the past, we were managing injuries, fitness, game time etc, trying to get the balance right and make the final. We went balls out on Saturday though and wanted to win every game. Ross did very well on the line, reading situations well and being ruthless enough with his substitutions. Some guys went starved of game time for a while but all were brought in at the right times and made important impacts.
Myself, himself and Tim were picking the team and it went very smoothly, with each of us happy to concede ground to the majority where necessary.
Playing Guernsey in the final probably wasn't ideal in most lads' heads. We hadn't really threatened to beat them in the last couple of years but I thought with one or two positional switches, we could correct some of the issues we had faced in the group game. In addition, they were struggling to get their game going on the day whilst we had put some very good passages together.
The game itself felt a bit bizarre. The lights were on and the dew had set in. The pitch was magnificent, saved all day for the Shield and Championship finals.
We'd avoided the nightmare start which categorised our previous battles and settled well. I can't remember what we led by at half-time but it can't have been more than a point or two. Any time we had a lead during the day, Timmy started banging on about winning the second half before we could even hear the score read out. It kept us very focused to keep going forward and not start to sit back on the lead.
My memory of the second half is sketchy. We got a goal, they got a goal. I asked the ref how long was left and he told me six and a half minutes. I felt tense at that point but the lads' tails were up. Critically, our full back line of Crusher and Keary were winning their battles and for every ball they won, it seemed like it ended in a score at the other end. 3-11 to 1-2. It sounds like a stroll but we were under pressure to win every single ball in that game.
The lads did all that was asked of them all day. Some of the jobs that needed doing were fairly grim and would go against one's normal instincts but they carried them out manfully. From a 'mgmt/coaching' perspective, we were very satisfied that we had identified our shortcomings after Copenhagen and got some reward for the work over the last few weeks - remembering of course that you make all the right decisions when you win!!!
Guernseys' captain and their manager came into our dressing room afterwards to congratulate us and spoke very well. It's the done thing at home but I've never seen it in Europe. I thought it showed a touch of class on their behalf and was certainly appreciated by the lads. We weren't left in much doubt about their drive to correct things in time for Maastricht though!!
It leaves us and Guernsey a good bit ahead of the pack in terms of winning the overall Championship at the start of November. In previous year's you could safely predict in such a situation, we would be the teams to contest the final.
However, the noises coming from The Hague, Amsterdam and Lux on Saturday was that they are lining up an assault of their own. It promises to be the most dramatic finale to a Pan-Euro Championship yet. Every team is capable of beating each other. The difference between first and last will be minimal. It’ll all boil down to who remains most focused and who can best navigate their way through the choppy waters.
We've a bit of work to do ourselves. There were some holes in our performances on Saturday, both collectively and individually. Other teams will have seen our hand also. The next month will be about finding some more consistency but also adding one or two more aspects to our game.
On a personal level, it was one of the most satisfying days in a long while. I can't remember the last time I was able to play an entire tournament outfield. The frustration that caused was definitely effecting the enjoyment I was getting out of playing football and hurling. A big thanks to our physio Laura in that regard. She's patched up more than just myself in recent weeks and has been a big help.
Onwards to Maastricht now. It's a close you can get here to preparing for a County Final. It should be a fantastic month of training and one to be enjoyed.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Vienna
Vienna. A city with many a good memory for me. My parents lived there in the mid-noughties for the bones of four years and I got down there regularily enough. It ranks highly on my list of favourite cities. With that in mind, it was great to see it confirmed as one of the hosts of a Pan-Euro round this year.
All things considered, we head there in good shape. We had one drop out on Sunday but it still leaves us with 32 guys travelling and not a weekend transfer/ringer in sight. In five years I've never seen numbers like it for a tournament involving a flight and a day off work. Even for local tournaments, I could count on one hand the number of times we've had these kind of numbers.
In that group, we also have Mull and Ross who are injured but will manage the line on the day.
We learned a fair bit in Copenhagen and I referenced it in the post-tournament blog. We definitly made mistakes in the build up and on the day in terms of setting our game plan and adjusting where necessary. This is a fact of life and happens at every level.
In the Sunday Independent last weekend Kieran McGeeney put his hands up when talking about things he got wrong over the last couple of years. There is a time and a place to acknowledge things like that. In the high profile world of intercounty football, it can also help deflect the heat off the players.
Even in our context it is important. In Copenhagen, I was ok to take a chunk of the blame on my shoulders. The mood in the camp was good, the fitness was good. Those boxes were ticked but the most important one wasn't - lads clearly understanding their role.
That is a more complex thing to solve then it may seem. A player has many many roles in both attacking and defending situations, with and without the ball. Through exchanges with the lads I could identify over ten areas where we need to improve but you can't tackle everything at once.
With that in mind, we narrowed it down to a couple of key points in the last month. There is a temptation to move on and work on other things after a couple of sessions to 'freshen things up' but we stuck to our guns. Thursday will be our seventh session since Copenhagen with an in-house game bringing the number of gatherings to eight.
There is no need to bore you or benefit you with the details but we recognise a need to change our style of play and focus more on our strengths rather than protecting our weaknesses. We need to be more responsible individually and front up to the challenges we face, not relying on others to bail us out.
The plan is painfully simple but for the first time all year, it is has been beaten into lads over a consistent period.
We have ticked an important box that was left blank the last day, thus shifting the onus onto the players. Of course there will be calls to be made on the day but the better the plan is implemented by the players, the less challenging calls will have to be made.
It's win or bust at the weekend - real Championship.
All things considered, we head there in good shape. We had one drop out on Sunday but it still leaves us with 32 guys travelling and not a weekend transfer/ringer in sight. In five years I've never seen numbers like it for a tournament involving a flight and a day off work. Even for local tournaments, I could count on one hand the number of times we've had these kind of numbers.
In that group, we also have Mull and Ross who are injured but will manage the line on the day.
We learned a fair bit in Copenhagen and I referenced it in the post-tournament blog. We definitly made mistakes in the build up and on the day in terms of setting our game plan and adjusting where necessary. This is a fact of life and happens at every level.
In the Sunday Independent last weekend Kieran McGeeney put his hands up when talking about things he got wrong over the last couple of years. There is a time and a place to acknowledge things like that. In the high profile world of intercounty football, it can also help deflect the heat off the players.
Even in our context it is important. In Copenhagen, I was ok to take a chunk of the blame on my shoulders. The mood in the camp was good, the fitness was good. Those boxes were ticked but the most important one wasn't - lads clearly understanding their role.
That is a more complex thing to solve then it may seem. A player has many many roles in both attacking and defending situations, with and without the ball. Through exchanges with the lads I could identify over ten areas where we need to improve but you can't tackle everything at once.
With that in mind, we narrowed it down to a couple of key points in the last month. There is a temptation to move on and work on other things after a couple of sessions to 'freshen things up' but we stuck to our guns. Thursday will be our seventh session since Copenhagen with an in-house game bringing the number of gatherings to eight.
There is no need to bore you or benefit you with the details but we recognise a need to change our style of play and focus more on our strengths rather than protecting our weaknesses. We need to be more responsible individually and front up to the challenges we face, not relying on others to bail us out.
The plan is painfully simple but for the first time all year, it is has been beaten into lads over a consistent period.
We have ticked an important box that was left blank the last day, thus shifting the onus onto the players. Of course there will be calls to be made on the day but the better the plan is implemented by the players, the less challenging calls will have to be made.
It's win or bust at the weekend - real Championship.
Monday, October 8, 2012
Euro 7s Just Off Pace
I went home for the 7s a couple of weeks ago intent on enjoying the weekend whatever happened. I couldn't but feel a bit disappointed coming away from it though.
The weekend got off on a good note. Arriving at Dublin Airport shortly before 22h, I even treated myself to a taxi to the hotel. I was in with the Nordic duo Mal Kenna (Goteburg) and Niall Scullion (Stockholm). I knew Niall but not Mal - both turned out to be good company. Expecting the talkative Mr. Scullion to be one to ramble in his sleep, I had the ear plugs at hand. However, to my surprise, a silent night it was.
Shay has had us staying in the Louis Fitzgerald in Newlands Cross for the last two years. It’s handy to get to the pitches and they do a magnificent breakfast. We met up with the other lads in the hotel, Dec (Stockholm), Shay (Maastricht) and Corkman Michael Lynch (Malmo). The noon start meant we could relax and catch-up without any great rush.
At the pitch, we met up with the rest of the lads; Conor McGugh & Aireey Cleary (Guernsey), Danny Cravan & James Flavin (Hague) and Brian Stokes & Mark O'Kane (Stockhom). It’s always a tough situation to be thrown into, even more so having crossed swords just a week previous in Copenhagen.
Up first were St. Judes, big scorers in their first game and clearly well drilled in the nuances of the 7s game.
The first couple of minutes were a horror show. Straight from the throw in they fired a rocket in over my head. I barely had my gloves on!! I was pissed off because I would have definitely saved it later in the day but I was like a rabbit in the headlights for that one.
We settled thereafter and despite being totally out of sync with 7s tactics, we were managing to keep in touch. We'd lined up in nearly a 2-2-2 formation and it was killing us. The lads at the back were getting exposed continuously and they got a share of goals from balls over the top in 2v1 situations.
Through sheer endeavour we found ourselves leading by a point in the second half. We had a goal chance when I made my way into some traffic around their 20m line. The hand pass in was slightly over my head but catchable all the same. I didn't think I'd be afforded the time to pull it down and with Michael Lynch bearing down I looked to palm it into his path. If that comes off it looks fantastic. If it doesn't you look like a complete prick. I did a good job of impersonating the latter. Should. Know. Better.
Our defensive frailties caught up with us with the concession of a couple more goals and in the end we lost a lively shoot out 5-4 to 3-5. Bad start but considering how far we were away from playing a suitable system, it felt fixable.
Shay and Niall pulled us in and their reflections were on the ball. The system was adjusted and we had a quick turnaround to face Shercock of Cavan. We looked a different team as we battened down the hatches at the back and created plenty of chances up front. It still wasn't smooth though and we were struggling to turn possession into scores. Poor shot selection and slow movement of the ball into scoring positions meant we did not capitalise. I think the game finished something like 1-7 to 0-6.
Things were getting serious at this stage in the sense that even qualifying for the Shield was coming into some doubt. We would play Bredagh of Down in the third game. They're the home club of our very own Paddy Cassidy so I was eager to go home having thought them a lesson. It was looking good too for a long period. We were getting up a head of steam, lads were carrying out their roles effectively and the communication was up. Standing in goal I had the best view of it all and it was clear our understanding of the game was increasing.
We led from the off and by 4 points in the closing minutes. Inexplicably we managed to concede 1-1 in the last couple of minutes. The equalising point was particularly annoying. Down one end, Aireey was blatantly tripped - the referee waved away our protests with his standard response of, 'sure, ye're all at it'! - Bredagh broke and pointed from a free. We had a free with the last kick to win it but it was not to be. 1-7 to 1-7.
The score line against Shercock and Bredagh were uncharacteristically low for 7s. We had great discipline in defence but it also showed some attacking issues. Our interplay up there wasn't as smooth. Defending you can just park the bus which is pretty easy to do. However, when you attack, the team play comes into it more and the unfamiliarity was showing a bit which was natural.
Our final game of the group was a must win against a Wicklow team with a complicated name. Together with Bredagh we were all vying for a spot in the Shield. A tactical masterstroke saw us set-up camp in the top goal, in hope the other team would just agree to 'play as we are' giving us the hill and the wind in the opening half. It worked and all at once it clicked and we gave them a proper hiding - three goals in it in the end and third spot secured.
We hadn't played anyone that I felt had better footballers than us. Judes looked to be the best team in it and I reckon if we played them again we would have been more than up to it. We were ready for a serious tilt at the Shield.
The quarter-final was a game against a Limerick side. I think they were called Herbstown Hospital. The scores flowed and we headed for the semi.
There we would play O'Donnells of Belfast. We'd beaten them convincingly last year at the same stage but remembered well that they were a particularly mouthy and unsavoury bunch of Belfast lads. 0-5 to 0-1 at half-time - thank you very much. Their heads appeared gone and we looked sorted. Maybe that got in our heads and brought some complacency.
They goaled just after the break and it gave them a serious boost. We just imploded. It’s hard to put the finger on it. Even after the goal, their keeper pulled off two incredible saves which would have given us enough breathing space to close it out. After the second they stormed down to raise the green flag again. We were chasing the game, something you don't want to be doing in your sixth game of the day. They deserved their win after such a comeback but it was a bitter pill to swallow.
There in lies the disappointment. We had a serious team, plenty of assistance on the line too. It's an 'if' that isn't worth mentioning but I will - if we had some match practice, specifically 7s, together prior to the tournament, then we would give the Championship a serious rattle, never mind the Shield. That's impossible though so I guess the key is to have some consistency in the panel year on year with one or two fresh faces brought in. As one of the lads mentioned after, playing in the Maastricht 7s in August would be a big help too.
Overall it’s a great weekend if you go at it with the right attitude. We didn’t do as well as we would have liked at the football but we had good craic over the course of the weekend and it was good to get to know some of the lads, especially those from outside Benelux who you would not know so well.
The weekend got off on a good note. Arriving at Dublin Airport shortly before 22h, I even treated myself to a taxi to the hotel. I was in with the Nordic duo Mal Kenna (Goteburg) and Niall Scullion (Stockholm). I knew Niall but not Mal - both turned out to be good company. Expecting the talkative Mr. Scullion to be one to ramble in his sleep, I had the ear plugs at hand. However, to my surprise, a silent night it was.
Shay has had us staying in the Louis Fitzgerald in Newlands Cross for the last two years. It’s handy to get to the pitches and they do a magnificent breakfast. We met up with the other lads in the hotel, Dec (Stockholm), Shay (Maastricht) and Corkman Michael Lynch (Malmo). The noon start meant we could relax and catch-up without any great rush.
At the pitch, we met up with the rest of the lads; Conor McGugh & Aireey Cleary (Guernsey), Danny Cravan & James Flavin (Hague) and Brian Stokes & Mark O'Kane (Stockhom). It’s always a tough situation to be thrown into, even more so having crossed swords just a week previous in Copenhagen.
Up first were St. Judes, big scorers in their first game and clearly well drilled in the nuances of the 7s game.
The first couple of minutes were a horror show. Straight from the throw in they fired a rocket in over my head. I barely had my gloves on!! I was pissed off because I would have definitely saved it later in the day but I was like a rabbit in the headlights for that one.
We settled thereafter and despite being totally out of sync with 7s tactics, we were managing to keep in touch. We'd lined up in nearly a 2-2-2 formation and it was killing us. The lads at the back were getting exposed continuously and they got a share of goals from balls over the top in 2v1 situations.
Through sheer endeavour we found ourselves leading by a point in the second half. We had a goal chance when I made my way into some traffic around their 20m line. The hand pass in was slightly over my head but catchable all the same. I didn't think I'd be afforded the time to pull it down and with Michael Lynch bearing down I looked to palm it into his path. If that comes off it looks fantastic. If it doesn't you look like a complete prick. I did a good job of impersonating the latter. Should. Know. Better.
Our defensive frailties caught up with us with the concession of a couple more goals and in the end we lost a lively shoot out 5-4 to 3-5. Bad start but considering how far we were away from playing a suitable system, it felt fixable.
Shay and Niall pulled us in and their reflections were on the ball. The system was adjusted and we had a quick turnaround to face Shercock of Cavan. We looked a different team as we battened down the hatches at the back and created plenty of chances up front. It still wasn't smooth though and we were struggling to turn possession into scores. Poor shot selection and slow movement of the ball into scoring positions meant we did not capitalise. I think the game finished something like 1-7 to 0-6.
Things were getting serious at this stage in the sense that even qualifying for the Shield was coming into some doubt. We would play Bredagh of Down in the third game. They're the home club of our very own Paddy Cassidy so I was eager to go home having thought them a lesson. It was looking good too for a long period. We were getting up a head of steam, lads were carrying out their roles effectively and the communication was up. Standing in goal I had the best view of it all and it was clear our understanding of the game was increasing.
We led from the off and by 4 points in the closing minutes. Inexplicably we managed to concede 1-1 in the last couple of minutes. The equalising point was particularly annoying. Down one end, Aireey was blatantly tripped - the referee waved away our protests with his standard response of, 'sure, ye're all at it'! - Bredagh broke and pointed from a free. We had a free with the last kick to win it but it was not to be. 1-7 to 1-7.
The score line against Shercock and Bredagh were uncharacteristically low for 7s. We had great discipline in defence but it also showed some attacking issues. Our interplay up there wasn't as smooth. Defending you can just park the bus which is pretty easy to do. However, when you attack, the team play comes into it more and the unfamiliarity was showing a bit which was natural.
Our final game of the group was a must win against a Wicklow team with a complicated name. Together with Bredagh we were all vying for a spot in the Shield. A tactical masterstroke saw us set-up camp in the top goal, in hope the other team would just agree to 'play as we are' giving us the hill and the wind in the opening half. It worked and all at once it clicked and we gave them a proper hiding - three goals in it in the end and third spot secured.
We hadn't played anyone that I felt had better footballers than us. Judes looked to be the best team in it and I reckon if we played them again we would have been more than up to it. We were ready for a serious tilt at the Shield.
The quarter-final was a game against a Limerick side. I think they were called Herbstown Hospital. The scores flowed and we headed for the semi.
There we would play O'Donnells of Belfast. We'd beaten them convincingly last year at the same stage but remembered well that they were a particularly mouthy and unsavoury bunch of Belfast lads. 0-5 to 0-1 at half-time - thank you very much. Their heads appeared gone and we looked sorted. Maybe that got in our heads and brought some complacency.
They goaled just after the break and it gave them a serious boost. We just imploded. It’s hard to put the finger on it. Even after the goal, their keeper pulled off two incredible saves which would have given us enough breathing space to close it out. After the second they stormed down to raise the green flag again. We were chasing the game, something you don't want to be doing in your sixth game of the day. They deserved their win after such a comeback but it was a bitter pill to swallow.
There in lies the disappointment. We had a serious team, plenty of assistance on the line too. It's an 'if' that isn't worth mentioning but I will - if we had some match practice, specifically 7s, together prior to the tournament, then we would give the Championship a serious rattle, never mind the Shield. That's impossible though so I guess the key is to have some consistency in the panel year on year with one or two fresh faces brought in. As one of the lads mentioned after, playing in the Maastricht 7s in August would be a big help too.
Overall it’s a great weekend if you go at it with the right attitude. We didn’t do as well as we would have liked at the football but we had good craic over the course of the weekend and it was good to get to know some of the lads, especially those from outside Benelux who you would not know so well.
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