Archives
Hey, this is the archive section. Pick a year, pick a month, have a nosey.Shortie
The boys in red and black are back...
04-08-2010....their bellies full of fire, we're going down south to Dublin to bring back the Sam Maguire.
It's been a while since that tune has crawled out of the woodworks. During the 90's at school we all had to learn it in time for the Down team visiting us with the Sam Maguire in both '91 and '94. It seems like only yesterday!
As most of you know (and for those that don't) the All Ireland Senior Football Championships are on, county against county competing for the much coveted Sam Maguire Cup. Down, having advanced through the back door drew the current champions Kerry. The one team we prayed to avoid, they are, after all, unstoppable. Their skill and tactics, phenomenal and Down are a fairly young and inexperienced side, still working on finding their stride. But the game was set, a double header at Croke Park on July 31st and Down were rated as the overwhelming underdogs to say the least.
As a family of big GAA fans, we got tickets and set off to Croker with fairly realistic expectations, but you can't help but hope. That thought of 'what if' is hard to ignore as you see the crowds in their red and black pour out of Newry and take over the road to Dublin. That thought of 'just maybe' as you take your seats, soaked to the skin, the national anthem draws to a close, the crowds erupt and the game begins.
What followed was a display of courage and determination that has lacked from many championship matches in recent years as the 'Kings of the GAA' always seem to reach the latter stages, with the underdogs wiped out during the early meetings. The Down men fought hard for every point and every inch on that field and they emerged victorious, if a little shell shocked. The supporters were singing in the rain as the final whistle went. We had exceeded all expectations, even our own.
The other half isn't much into GAA but I think even he was shocked at the atmosphere on Saturday - it was electric. When it's that good, a day in Croke Park is hard to beat.
I am crossing my fingers and toes that our next outing against Kildare turns out to be just as rewarding. That thought of 'what if' that thought of 'just maybe' is a little bit stronger as we take one step closer to the trophy that hasn't seen the Mournes since '94.
Tags: shortie news family
Leave a comment