The late late show in Thurles
The amazing turnaround in the fortunes of Erin's Isle
in the All-Ireland Club Football Championships was the
highlight of the footballing weekend. After trailing
throughout the first hour, the Dublin team lagged
behind a far better Castlehaven team from Cork. Even
former Dub's star Charlie Redmond managed to get
himself sent off in the 47th minute.
A last minute goal didn't worry Castlehaven too much,
until a ball from Erin's Isle's Johnny Barr found its
way to Robbie Boyle, with the ball richocheting off
both posts and crossing the line in between, according
to the umpire. Castlehaven must be feeling pretty
agrieved to lose a game they dominated so much.
In the other semi-final Corrofin of Galway provided
another surprise by disposing of Derry's Dungiven at
Ballyshannon. It was a game on paper the Derry lads
must have felt they would win, with their experience
and inter-county stars in their line-up. They weren't
helped by the sending off of seoirse McGonigle after
lashing out at Corofin's forward Derek Reilly. The
Tribesmen eventually won out by two points, 0-11 to
0-9.
The championship season is under way again with the
Under-21 championship starting in Leinster. There were
wins for Dublin, Wicklow and Meath with Laois and
Offaly playing out a draw in Portlaoise. Kerry are
continuing to encounter difficulties after being dumped
out of the McGrath Cup by Clare in Killarney; Cork
defeated Waterford after extra time in the other
semi-final.
Who's next?
Sam Hammam and his Irish sidekicks have a lot to answer
for. Fingers crossed he will not be remembered for
bringing about the beginning of the end of Irish
domestic soccer. Profit-grabbing business interests,
with no concern for the game of soccer in Ireland seem
to be popping up at clubs looking to relocate in
Ireland. Glasgow club Clydebank are the latest to have
itchy feet. They held a simultaneous press conference
in Dublin and Glasgow on Monday to unveil plans to
re-locate in Dublin's RDS. It is their intention to be
up and running by next season, with a name change to
`Dublin City'. They have the bones of an agreement to
lease the RDS.
While Clydebank's current financial position is
regrettable and sad (they are reportedly losing £6,000
a week) a move to Dublin to poach Irish soccer fans is
a disgrace. Let's go the whole hog and put out an ad in
all English and Scottish papers inviting all clubs in
financial difficulties to relocate to Dublin and shag
the native clubs already there.
Colm McCarthy is an Irish-based econonist with
Clydebank. He showed these people's arrogance and
disregard for the FAI by reportedly saying about
permission from the Irish organisation in regard to the
move ``the only approval we would need is from the
Scottish League Management Committee, who meet next
Thursday''. He ruled out any approach to the FAI.
Why not invest in the National League? What's wrong
with investing money and plans into Sligo Rovers or St
Francis or Dundalk? Why this obsession all of a sudden
to bring English and Scottish clubs to Ireland? There
are many long-established clubs in this country in
financial difficulties who could do with investment
from such people.
On the playing front Tuesday night saw the second leg
of the League Cup at Tolka Park between Sligo Rovers
and Shelbourne (Sligo won the first one 1-0). It was
nice to see the men from the west win the first
silverware of the season after Tuesday night's 0-0 draw
as they've seen more ups and down in recent years than
the peace process.
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