WHO CUT THE LONG GRASS

In previous episodes we said we were waiting in the long grass for Avoca in the Cup but with all the recent good weather someone cut the grass and CHC 4s were seen in plain sight for what they really were. They thought they were in with a chance as Avoca 3rds were playing in Santry at 3.30 pm but this was counterbalanced by the fact that the Reds had played on Saturday (Avoca hadn't) and some of our players had played in an Under 16 Shield final in the morning.

Anyway the scene was set the pitch and elephants were watered. Lance Corporal Rath put his steeds through their paces gently as some players were on their 3rd game of the weekend. The team welcomed back Victor O'Shea who is getting ideas above his station. Firstly he was in the pav a few weeks ago and he must have got a taste for it, as he was on the piste in Aspen recently. He is becoming like a Rovers player, the next thing he will be wearing a cravat and smoking a cuban cigar!!

Sports scientists have discovered that it is what you do two nights before a game is nearly more important than the night before the game. So it is important to get a good nights sleep on that night. Do you ever notice you are always stiff 2 days after a game. For example it would not be a good idea to go to Musgrave Park and watch Munster, while skulling pints on a Friday, if you have a match on a Sunday!!!!! If it was Connaught in the Sportsground that would be perfectly acceptable.

The skipper lost the toss and knew he would be facing a dying sun in the 2nd half. It was difficult match to co-ordinate as we had no umpire and we had to have a different player umpire each quarter. Add into the mix we had a squad of 15 it had the skipper tearing his hair out at times trying to get everyone adequate game time.

The game was a tough battle with Corinthian winning the early exchanges and having a couple of half chances and a few corners. The reds were joined by Gordon Lindsay and Tim King from the terds. There were a few hefty challenges. 0-0 end of quarter 1.

This was a very even contest with not much flow to the game. 0-0 Half time.

Third quarter it got a bit tetchy with an Avoca player getting a green and the bould Victor O'Shea sent to the corner for a Pimms, for giving lip. 0-0 end of third quarter.

In the final quarter Avoca started to dominate more and the short corners started to build up. They had the ball in the net but it was disallowed because of a raised ball. In the end it was 0-0 at full time and not much between the teams.

The shuttles didn't do any favours. Shuttles are for young guns who can swivel, reverse stick, drag and run fast. It is hard to reach the circle from the 25 (in old money) in 8 seconds these days let alone enter it and score!! I think I have been on only one Corinthian team that has won a shoot out and that was terds in the Intermediate Cup Final, so I wasn't too hopeful.

Anyway we gave it a lash. Cool Hand Luke saved one but we didn't score any so we lost 3-0 in the shuttles.

And they all went to see their Mammies and some lived happily ever after.