Nevermind the Rugby World Cup, the big sporting event of the weekend was the double header in Bristol that marked the beginning of the 2011 Gloucester Senior Football championship.
For many the abiding memory of 2011 will not be football but will instead be the sight of the horizon bobbing up and down from view as players strained to complete another round of press ups. Press ups were dished out like spuds at a wedding, we got them for dropping the ball, for not running fast enough, for giving guff, for turning up late, for kicking wides and even on one occasion we got press ups for not doing press ups in the right way.
In fairness the press ups did us no harm at all. They helped to focus the mind on the task in hand. It’s a shame we could not have taken a time out in the second minute of the game to do a round of press ups.
Gunning for our 8th County final appearance in a row we went in search of glory and achieved disappointment. Instead of victory we choked on defeat. Instead of cheers and beers we got toilet flush. Where we should have had a County Final to train for we now have nothing.
Winter has arrived early in Cardiff this year.
For recently married men like Butler and Galvin the long dark winter nights spent tucked away behind drawn curtains might be appealing. For others the lure of playing foreign sports on small plastic pitches might soften the blow. For the majority this game and the nature of the defeat will be played and replayed, fast-forwarded, paused and re-wound in the minds eye during many a restless evening trapped in front of Coronation Factor, or whatever the hell it is called.
Despite many positives for St. Colmcilles, this was a difficult footballing year. But this is not the place to conduct a post-mortem. That will come later. Suffice to say 2012 must deliver more football and stiffer punishment for teams who throw games. We look to the County Board for direction and answers.
There is not much to be said about the match.
The first half resembled Dublin v Donegal. Puke football.
The second half was a little better. At least the Colmcilles engine spluttered into second and occasionally third gear. The big question is: what does it take to make the Cardiff machine fire on all cylinders? I would hope 2 years without winning a championship should be fuel enough.
Time will tell.
As a Club we have allot to be proud off in 2011. Colmcilles were the only team not to pull out of a league fixture. And a league medal on the mantle piece is something to be proud off.
A great deal of credit and thanks must go to Eoin Butler, Des Gillern, Mickey Brannigan and Mark O’ Neill. These guys worked really hard to deliver some excellent training sessions. Well thought out, hard energetic sessions laced with interesting drills, enthusiasm and craic. Fair play lads. Same again next year please.
Many thanks to our chairman Tommy, and the rest of the club committee.
Big thanks also to Shane Gorman from O’Neills and Conor and Cerie Mc Closkey of CM Utilities for all their support over the years. The only way we can properly thank you for your support and encouragement is by delivering the championship. |
| Date Added: 17th September 2011 |
