LULLED THEM INTO A FALSE SENSE OF SECURITY

The League leaders came to town and because Corinthian 4ths do all their physical training on the slopes in Kilmacshogue Wood on a Tuesday night, it was decided to bring them up to the rarefied thin air of the top pitch.

CHC 4ths welcomed back the Erasmus exchange students after their night in the Pav. Victor O’Shea tried strength and conditioning shampoo on Thursday and found it did it for him. It worked so much that he was out on the Friday night before the match until the Military Police had to haul home by the scruff of the neck. As for Ed de Burca Sheeran he has not been seen since and perhaps he is still sprawled under the Book of Kells. But on match day there was a news flash on SKY News which showed himself and Brendan O’Sullivan in the UK watching some mid-table Premiership team draw with Southampton. This is an absolute disgrace if they have been watching Liverpool I wouldn’t have minded.

Stormtrooper Alan Rath (still smarting from Eamon Ryan’s video) was late to warm up his stars for war, so the skipper had to step in. Hugh St Leger turned gamekeeper from poacher again and took up the whistle, which we are so grateful. He was taking no guff. Speaking of poaching the Captain of the thirds came to run the rule over the young up and coming players on the 4ths, such as Postman Pat Boylan, who always delivers, the opposition forward over the side-line. We also had Frank Fennell again, who I think lads likes the colour of our jib and his new “fancy Dan” role in mid-field on the fourths, that he might like to stay. Ben Phelan (BP Fillin for short) whose stock is rising as fast as the price of daysel, was at left midfield. Guy Banton and Simon Comerford were up front (the Master and his apprentice). So we had one of our strongest teams of the season. A squad of 14 oh I mean 15.

Avoca did a “Martin Johnson on it” and took the Corinthian dug out and this was used by the skipper in the pre-match pep talk. Despite the Mullingar game we decided to play uphill and against the wind. First quarter it was all Avoca and the reds did well to keep them out, Luke Stevens making some great saves. Suddenly like the ghost of Grace Kelly and the a shop with a famous Christmas window at the bottom of Grafton Street, Micah Switzer appeared to many out of nowhere. The unsure on Pitchero became sure. 0-0 end of quarter one.

Into the 2nd quarter Corinthian began to get a foothold in the game and had a few chances with the Avoca keeper now forced into a few saves. But in the dying minutes of the half Avoca got a short corner and after Luke saved the initial shot the skipper was slow to react to a player who got in behind him to bundle home the rebound. A sickener just before half time. 0-1 at half time.

The Reds were confident they would come into the game more, with the elements in their favour and after starting with 12 players, after a Boris Johnston reshuffle, would ye blame them. They immediately rectified the matter to get back to eleven players. Alan Rath fired across a cross and Ben Phelan nearly scored at the back post. Geyser has a couple of great chances. 0-1 end of third quarter.

The skipper reshuffled the deck again and decided to put Macker up front. Eventually we won a couple of short corners and after a rebound of the second one, Man’s best friend flicked the ball over the keeper and it hit a defender‘s body on the line. The Avoca umpire awarded a stroke. After a bit of debate Macker stood up and with a karate kick roofed it into the onion bag. 1 all. The Reds were in the ascendency and looked like they would go on to win the game with another few good chances. Then in the dying embers of the game a late Avoca attack resulted in a flick coming in from an acute angle which beat Luke Stevens with a deflection. It was a great game, which could have gone either way (end to end) and Avoca have been lulled into a false sense of security. We are waiting in the long grass for them in the cup.

We wish to congratulate Guy Banton who is going on a warm weather training camp with the Irish Over 55s (Ian Stewart and David Howard who are ye?). We taught him everything he knows apart from his goal scoring.

And finally the Garda Shickoloní on Crimecall have reported that a video has emerged on social media of a man who is “missing in action”. He scored a “wonder goal” in Abbotstown 2 weeks ago but hasn’t been seen since. If you have any information on his whereabouts please contact the Garda Station in Templeogue, to help them with their enquiries.

They think it is all over. It is now.