Marbella’s Costa Gaels and the visiting Sevilla had just seven minutes left to play in their Andalusian League fixture when a storm of Mediterranean proportions rendered the pitch unplayable.
The game, mostly played on a dry hard pitch, was conducted at a terrific pace throughout until a sudden thunder storm transformed conditions utterly. For the safety of all involved there was no other decision that could have been taken.
In the first half things began fairly tight with both sides able to better the other’s defense only to score points. This changed when the Gaels through hard work managed to get in for a first goal and gradually opened up a gap.
If fitness levels held up and concentration was maintained it seemed there would be only one winner. However disaster struck soon after.
The Gaels lost the influential Tiernán (0-1) to two yellows, both apparently for misuse of the gob. It seemed harsh at the time but it could also be argued that the referee’s position was clear on that particular indiscretion.
Another man soon followed him to the line in a similar double yellow fashion, this time Joe (1-3), also great loss as he had been enjoying plenty of possession and had converted most of his opportunities.
From there nine playing eleven was always going to be an uphill battle, an impossible task if you will, like trying to mark David Clifford after a week on the beer and three days of the skitters.
Predictably the Gaels struggled from there and found possession in the forwards a challenge and scoring a near impossibility.
Sevilla did manage to overturn the deficit gradually, yet in a laboured fashion. The Gael’s defense held strongly and instead of using the space and extra men, Sevilla insisted on taking the ball into traffic down the middle.
As the rain began to fall Sevilla had managed to grind out a 4 point lead and looked to be well in control. They had beaten the 9 remaining men before them but unfortunately not the Andalusian November weather.
As regards individual performances, a new man in goals for the Gaels, Thomas, had good success with his kick outs, while in the backs Justin was solid as ever, Fergal was making life uncomfortable for the Sevilla attack being as clingy as that mental ex you couldn’t get rid off. In midfield Evan (1-5) once again displayed his talents under the high ball as well as good accuracy in long distance point taking.
The talk before the game:
“Yer man and the other fella are back training so we’ll prob walk this, are you having another Cruzcampo, ya auld dry sh1te?”
The post-match view from the sidelines:
Identifying as a Waterford man and speaking on the condition of extreme anonymity
“It’s a load of bo11ocks, I’m away home to the kids. Will we stop for a quick one in Biddy’s?”
That fuppin ref:
The noble and notoriously unloved job of officiating these often tempestuous fixtures falls to the brave, and none more up to the task than the esteemed Seamus aka “Don’t give me no lip”.
As a strike of lightening almost struck the heads of the hardest of the misbehavers, the noble ref considered abandoning. Then when the ensuing shower engulfed the entire pitch and made things untenable there was no option but to retire all to the bar via the dressing rooms.
So what now?
Since Sevilla were leading by 4 points and more than two-thirds of the game had been played, the CCC decision is to award the victory to “The Orangemen”. Final Score (after 53 minutes) Costa Gaels 3-6 (15) Éire Óg Sevilla 3-10 (19)
The game, mostly played on a dry hard pitch, was conducted at a terrific pace throughout until a sudden thunder storm transformed conditions utterly. For the safety of all involved there was no other decision that could have been taken.
In the first half things began fairly tight with both sides able to better the other’s defense only to score points. This changed when the Gaels through hard work managed to get in for a first goal and gradually opened up a gap.
If fitness levels held up and concentration was maintained it seemed there would be only one winner. However disaster struck soon after.
The Gaels lost the influential Tiernán (0-1) to two yellows, both apparently for misuse of the gob. It seemed harsh at the time but it could also be argued that the referee’s position was clear on that particular indiscretion.
Another man soon followed him to the line in a similar double yellow fashion, this time Joe (1-3), also great loss as he had been enjoying plenty of possession and had converted most of his opportunities.
From there nine playing eleven was always going to be an uphill battle, an impossible task if you will, like trying to mark David Clifford after a week on the beer and three days of the skitters.
Predictably the Gaels struggled from there and found possession in the forwards a challenge and scoring a near impossibility.
Sevilla did manage to overturn the deficit gradually, yet in a laboured fashion. The Gael’s defense held strongly and instead of using the space and extra men, Sevilla insisted on taking the ball into traffic down the middle.
As the rain began to fall Sevilla had managed to grind out a 4 point lead and looked to be well in control. They had beaten the 9 remaining men before them but unfortunately not the Andalusian November weather.
As regards individual performances, a new man in goals for the Gaels, Thomas, had good success with his kick outs, while in the backs Justin was solid as ever, Fergal was making life uncomfortable for the Sevilla attack being as clingy as that mental ex you couldn’t get rid off. In midfield Evan (1-5) once again displayed his talents under the high ball as well as good accuracy in long distance point taking.
The talk before the game:
“Yer man and the other fella are back training so we’ll prob walk this, are you having another Cruzcampo, ya auld dry sh1te?”
The post-match view from the sidelines:
Identifying as a Waterford man and speaking on the condition of extreme anonymity
“It’s a load of bo11ocks, I’m away home to the kids. Will we stop for a quick one in Biddy’s?”
That fuppin ref:
The noble and notoriously unloved job of officiating these often tempestuous fixtures falls to the brave, and none more up to the task than the esteemed Seamus aka “Don’t give me no lip”.
As a strike of lightening almost struck the heads of the hardest of the misbehavers, the noble ref considered abandoning. Then when the ensuing shower engulfed the entire pitch and made things untenable there was no option but to retire all to the bar via the dressing rooms.
So what now?
Since Sevilla were leading by 4 points and more than two-thirds of the game had been played, the CCC decision is to award the victory to “The Orangemen”. Final Score (after 53 minutes) Costa Gaels 3-6 (15) Éire Óg Sevilla 3-10 (19)
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“Eccentric debauchery & social observations”
John P Brady writes literary fiction, articles on social themes and sport. He ran a blog about life in Italy, where he lived for 6 years. His first book, a collection, entitled Back to the Gaff has been published by Roadside Fiction. It concerns the wild happenings in Dublin by night.
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Back to the Gaff
Scandalous Narratives of Contemporary Ireland
Back to the Gaff is a collection by author John P Brady, which describes the excessive and outrageous nature of Irish night life.
Meet an array of eccentric individuals who populate the bars of Dublin, living lives of decadence and abandon. Their frolics inevitably lead to a trip ‘back to the gaff,’ which in Dublin-speak means gravitating towards someone’s place of residence where the depravity continues.