OH I DO WISH TO BE BESIDE THE SEASIDE

For my sixth birthday my father took a crowd of lads out to Donabate strand for the day. 6 boys piled in the back of the car with no seat belts on and I was in the front. Roll on 50 years later we were given a 5.00 pm start which usually suggests the home side are doubling up from a higher team. We were going out in trepidation. Buckle yourself in for a white knuckle ride in Portrane.

The skipper arrived late as he was diverted to the wild horses on the sea and Newbridge House. I had never played there before. I remember playing a match out there in their old ground on a grass pitch on a beautiful sunny spring day. There were daisies and dandelions growing on the pitch. The changing rooms were spartan and as for the jax it has left scars for a liftetime on my brain (lift the lid full to the brim). The home team had an umpire who umpired in a suit which was 2 sizes too small for him. I think we won.

My father told a story that he played out there one time in goal. The play was up the other end and it was all very quiet down his end. There were bushes behind his goal. When suddenly there was an unmerciful cracking of branches and twigs as a resident came out of the bush and walked straight up the middle of the pitch. Frightened the bej***s out of him.

Back to 2022. With war in the air, Rear Admiral Rath had already given the team a kick up what his rank suggests. The skipper won the toss and elected to play up the hill and into the wind. Corinthian had a young squad today with just 12 players. We welcomed Marco Trolese and Jack Younge. Caleb Owen was also with us after appearing in our very first match. I worked with his father once and he has a Mafioso Godfather Smiler Walshe. God help him. This week Micah remained unsure. There is a reason why there was no Switzers on de Norside.
In the first quarter it was all Portrane and they had several great chances to open the scoring. Jude O’Dwyer, who had already kept for the thirds, made one particularly good save. CHC were all at sea but they survived. 0-0 end of first quarter.

In the 2nd quarter the reds came into it more and Jack Younge had a great chance at the back post which went by the front post. The defence also had settled and were subduing the opposition. They had reached half time against the conditions and still in the game. 0-0 Half time.
The skipper was trying to get the team to spread out and pass from side to side but the play was very narrow a lot of the time and no width on the right especially. But now Corinthian was the dominant force and the “Rane” were under the cosh. Umpire Counsellor Henchy was doing his bit. 0-0 end of third quarter.

The 4s had four corners in the final quarter and an odd chance here and there but push outs were not accurate enough. Geyser that’s what we missed ye for. With 8 minutes to go Portrane attacked and there was a shot with a bit of a Vichoshet and the ball was in our net. There was one sneaky corner near the end which was hit straight at the keeper by Le Chien. So final score 1-0 to Portrane.

Similar to the last game it is one we could have one. You can’t fault the team for effort. Big thanks to Hugh St Leger for travelling out to the North side and umpiring and getting Al Blenner out of jail saving him €40 we hear on the grapevine and not “Need a whistler”. Great to see Peter Neville still playing for Portrane. He was on the team we pipped in the play off in 1991.

So it is Wickla at home next week.

They all lived happily ever after.