'AVE IT!
Reports
Men United vs Leftfooters FC
Saturday 8th October 2005
Dublin City University Sports Ground, Glasnevin
Hey troops, Leftfooters had another successful European adventure at the weekend with our trip across to Dublin. Not only did we somehow manage to bag a result but we also got to hang out with the nicest (and cutest) bunch of lads you’d ever be lucky enough to meet.
The tour began for some ‘footers as early as Wednesday but we pick up the story on Friday afternoon where a group had set up camp in the Trader John’s pub on Moore St. Myself, Ron, Gary & Richard L met Pete (who had been feeling a little faint), Theo & Mark, soon to be joined by Richy & Oli. The Guinness flowed as people tried to play catch up with Pete & Theo who by all accounts had been terrorising the city with their guerrilla-like shagging and drinking.
As numbers drifted off to find food and get changed for the evening ahead a small group of us headed across the Liffey in search of our evenings entertainments. After a brief pit stop in O’Neill’s (no, not the chain) where Mark & Gary T amused passers-by with their knowledge of show tunes, it was on to the George. A Dublin institution on a Saturday night but it was all a bit empty for a Friday evening. We distributed some of our match programmes (now available on the yahoo group) and managed to get a few random scousers to agree to come and watch the match the next day too.
We then stumbled our way up the road to the Dragon for 8pm to meet the Irish lads and by this time it has to be said that a few were feeling a little worse for wear. With myself being one of the aforementioned I can’t be too certain of all of the details. All I know is that (a) Lenny didn’t stay in his hotel room that night and turned up to the match the next day straight from chez trade (b) Pete & Theo decided to take refuge underneath a heavy goods vehicle (yes, you read that right) after being caught in a 4am downpour with absolutely no idea where they were, who they were or where they were supposed to be going to & (c) unfortunate practical jokes were played on an unsuspecting referee…
Onto the game then, played at Dublin City University in northern suburbs of Glasnevin. As you can imagine, we didn’t exactly all get there on time but arrive we eventually all did. Some of us were lucky enough to see the DCU team emerge from the changing rooms. OH MY GOSH. Just melt in the mouth gorgeous. Anything in the mouth even. Pfwaar… Anyway, for their first match the Irish boys looked pretty professional – their warm up alone was a sight to behold; with one touch passing triangles and not a drop of vomit in sight. It was the turn of Leftfooters to show them how a warm up should be done. Huddling together in a circle and kicking the ball against each other until a cry of ‘Ave It! Saw the ball shoot through the air and hit a supporter.
We kicked off, keeping a safe distance from Ref Ron after admitting
to smearing toothpaste down the front of his black refs’ shorts
(!). I think we started the better team actually – we had a fair
few runs at their defence in the opening fifteen minutes or so but then
an Irish attack down the right so the ball run loose to their forward
who struck a goal bound shot only to see Dr Hayes smack the ball off
the line. It was to be first of many let offs for London, as Men United
racked up corner after corner, having failed to finish some well worked
moves. We had our own opportunities at their end though and after seeing
an effort drag wide Gayczar the managed to get a toe on the end of a
perfect Trevor O’West cross to lob the advancing keeper and give
the Londoners the lead.
It did nothing to knock the Dubliners off their stride and they looked
the better side for the rest of the half. Only the heroics of the London
defence & keeper kept our noses in front. In the second half Dublin
applied more pressure as the previous nights antics were starting to
show on the faces of the Londoners. Richy Cafubell couldn’t hide
his tiredness and had to go off after having a good yack in the penalty
area. Not before he’d blocked a shot on the line then rebounded
off a player no more than a yard in front of him, and up and over the
bar. Leftfooters made a few more chances for themselves – one
in particular, and I still fail to see how it was offside – a
throw from the right hand side and a chip into the box. Gayczar controlled
on the knee then left-foot-volleyed it into the top corner.
Offside my fat white arse.
Not that Dublin didn’t have some stunning strikes of their own. We counted it hitting the post twice, the cross bar four times and countless last ditch saves from Gary Taylor. But in the end we held out to the dismay of the huge home crowd and everyone agreed it was a fab game to play in; friendly but competitive (btw – Noelie the centre back is doing fine and has recovered the used of both lungs now). A return fixture is planned for March time – simply because we can’t get enough of them.
After the match we headed back into to town to a bar called Yello for a bit of grub and to watch the England/Austria & Ireland/Cyprus games. During the England half time, John from Men Utd gave a lovely speech and presentation, thanking us for travelling – as well as to their own organiser the fantastic Mark O’Donovan – and we received a beautifully engraved salver to commemorate their first ever game, which is now on show at the Black Cap. We had our own presentations too as Trevor got his O’West Rep Ire shirt and you lovely guys all pitched in to get my one with Gayczar printed on the back – it’s lovely. Thank you all.
We finished the evening with a trip to the George before heading onto the Dragon again. Highlights include singing Happy Birthday to Trev at midnight; topless dancing with the Irish lads *swoon/dribble* and Ricky not only getting chucked out of the George but then not being allowed in the Dragon afterwards.
Ricky, we salute you.
As you can probably guess – some of us were quite taken by the Dublin boys and a there were a more than a fair few lingering looks as we left. But rest assured, a few are coming to visit us in November for our party and again for the rematch in March.
Any volunteers to host them? ;op
Gayczar xx