Bohemians v Shamrock Rovers
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| Players squaring up (c) http://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/soccer/soccer-news/drogheda-united-v-bohemians-stephen-5448474 |
Usually on a
Friday morning when I wake up, the first thing I think is "Great, no
college today, I can lie here and listen to Morning Ireland".
But on Friday October 7th I woke up and realised THE day of reckoning had arrived.
But on Friday October 7th I woke up and realised THE day of reckoning had arrived.
I sat up in the bed, and a dread came over me.
My beloved Bohemian FC were playing Shamrock Rovers that evening, a game with more history behind it, and more pulsating, than even a Leinster V Munster Rugby match.
There are many older men who will be in the stand tonight, who will NEVER forgive Rovers for nicking our best players in the early to mid 80's. Over 30 years may have passed, but the scars are still as raw as a cold chowder of freshly caught fish.
My beloved Bohemian FC were playing Shamrock Rovers that evening, a game with more history behind it, and more pulsating, than even a Leinster V Munster Rugby match.
There are many older men who will be in the stand tonight, who will NEVER forgive Rovers for nicking our best players in the early to mid 80's. Over 30 years may have passed, but the scars are still as raw as a cold chowder of freshly caught fish.
There are men
who for most matches sit in their seats like worshipper's at mass, arms folded
as they look on.
But my how their demeanor changes when it's the hoops who've come to play!
They are now marching up and down, biting their nails like a husband in a maternity ward, screaming like a maniac because the Referee simply gave the throw in to the away side.
But my how their demeanor changes when it's the hoops who've come to play!
They are now marching up and down, biting their nails like a husband in a maternity ward, screaming like a maniac because the Referee simply gave the throw in to the away side.
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| Entrance to Dalymount Park (c) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bohemian_F.C. |
I will never forget the famous match in Morton Stadium where Bohs
beat Rovers 6-4. I met some lads on the 16 bus, who are now
good friends of mine. Or how I gloated
walking round the Tallaght the morning after we beat
'the enemy' 4-0. Talk about having bragging rights!
Nothing quite gives you that near heart attack feeling than witnessing a Shamrock Rovers playing taking a shot in a one on one with the Bohs goalkeeper.
It is magnified even more for me, given that my brother is a big supporter of the arch enemy. Upon hearing that Bohs were playing Rovers the following Friday my Mother would announce she was decamping to my Aunts house on Friday afternoon, and would see us again on Sunday! I would sit in my brothers car with his crestfallen hopped comrades, just sitting there grinning, whilst heeding the text I got after the match had just ended saying "If you say anything in the car you're dead!"
In my mind there is nothing better than the feeling one gets after the ball hits the back of the net in the Dublin Derby.
Nothing quite gives you that near heart attack feeling than witnessing a Shamrock Rovers playing taking a shot in a one on one with the Bohs goalkeeper.
It is magnified even more for me, given that my brother is a big supporter of the arch enemy. Upon hearing that Bohs were playing Rovers the following Friday my Mother would announce she was decamping to my Aunts house on Friday afternoon, and would see us again on Sunday! I would sit in my brothers car with his crestfallen hopped comrades, just sitting there grinning, whilst heeding the text I got after the match had just ended saying "If you say anything in the car you're dead!"
In my mind there is nothing better than the feeling one gets after the ball hits the back of the net in the Dublin Derby.
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| Ishmail akinade mobbed after socring against Shamrock Rovers (c) http://www.independent.ie/sport/soccer/league-of-ireland/three-goals-in-13-minutes-give-bohemians-the-bragging-rights-over-shamrock-rovers-31298904.html |
But of course,
us Bohs fans haven't always come away smelling of roses after a derby match. I
still get knots in my stomach thinking of the 91st minute winner from a free
kick, scored by Marc Kenny 1998.
I just wanted to get home, curl up in the bed and die.
Even worse was seeing the Hoops scoop up the massive prize money from the Europa League in 2011, when we were barely able to pay players their bus fare to and from training.
By this stage, we had psychologically become accustomed to being beaten, soundly in many cases, by the team we dreaded the most. Rather like a child walking in the front door, knowing what their father was going to do with the belt he had in his hands.
I just wanted to get home, curl up in the bed and die.
Even worse was seeing the Hoops scoop up the massive prize money from the Europa League in 2011, when we were barely able to pay players their bus fare to and from training.
By this stage, we had psychologically become accustomed to being beaten, soundly in many cases, by the team we dreaded the most. Rather like a child walking in the front door, knowing what their father was going to do with the belt he had in his hands.
I could not
think straight that Friday, often forgetting to do things, having to ask
friends to repeat something that had said; my mind totally consumed by that
evenings match.
I stepped onto the 77A bus into town and breathed a heavy sigh. I was finally on my way, and in less than 2 hour time, many of us will once again lose our sanity, and our reasoning, as we test our vocal chords, and blood pressure to the limit.
I stepped onto the 77A bus into town and breathed a heavy sigh. I was finally on my way, and in less than 2 hour time, many of us will once again lose our sanity, and our reasoning, as we test our vocal chords, and blood pressure to the limit.
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| Dalymount Park (c) http://www.98fm.com/content/006/images/000041/53575_54_pages_06_26363_656x500.jpg |
So on 15 minutes
This
happened, unleashing a scene of unbridled ecstasy in Dalymount Park.
To me it was a blessing AND a curse. I kind of hate it when we score early in matches like this.
The other side are now forced to dramatically up their game in search of an equaliser, and my heart was once again skipping beats, as the Rovers forwards stormed forward in search of the goal that would draw the match level.
But thankfully it was not to be for the folks from Tallaght who had travelled to Phibsborough that night. They walked home devastated at the result - Well all but two Tallaght people that is; Myself and the man affectionately known simply as "JumpJump" from Fettercairn (looong story) excepted - We were both heading to Tallaght with one hell of a spring in our step!
To me it was a blessing AND a curse. I kind of hate it when we score early in matches like this.
The other side are now forced to dramatically up their game in search of an equaliser, and my heart was once again skipping beats, as the Rovers forwards stormed forward in search of the goal that would draw the match level.
But thankfully it was not to be for the folks from Tallaght who had travelled to Phibsborough that night. They walked home devastated at the result - Well all but two Tallaght people that is; Myself and the man affectionately known simply as "JumpJump" from Fettercairn (looong story) excepted - We were both heading to Tallaght with one hell of a spring in our step!
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