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The FAI Cup Final Replay 1996

Peter Goulding

Thursday, November 29th, 2007

1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 Eleven summers have flown by
Since these events that I relate,
And thus its open to debate
If I can trust my inner eye.

2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 Shels were blessed by circumstance.
Bold Shero’s wonder goal had put
The Redsmen back on equal foot
And given us a second chance.

3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 So Pat’s and Shels locked horns again
Beneath the trophy standing proud,
Cheered on by almost frenzied crowd
That bit their lips and winced with pain.

4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 The first half I cannot recall –
It’s carried off by rolling tide.
And both the goals for either side?
I cannot picture them at all.

5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 And then, with but five minutes left,
A trip! A penalty for Pat’s,
Whose fans threw skywards scarves and hats
While we were left abject, bereft.

6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 The players argued long and hard
With vehemence to no avail.
No hope of getting out of jail,
The door to glory locked and barred.

7 Leave a comment on verse 7 0 The kick! The save! We stood there dumb,
Unable to quite understand
The secret workings of God’s hand
And fearful of the things to come.

8 Leave a comment on verse 8 0 But as the comprehension dawned,
We leapt and yelled in wild delight.
Fresh hope rekindled, set alight –
For Pat’s, the hand of Fortune scorned.

9 Leave a comment on verse 9 0 But still we faced a corner kick.
Mark up! Mark up” went up the cry
As minutes, seconds trickled by,
The air now heavy, pungent, thick.

10 Leave a comment on verse 10 0 Then Goughy catches, throws it long
To Sparky running down the wing.
Oh listen to the Shels fans sing,
Now raucous in their urgent song.

11 Leave a comment on verse 11 0 Twenty, thirty yards he sprints,
Forty, fifty, speedily.
Glances up, is pleased to see
Bold Geogo, Shels’ goalscoring prince.

12 Leave a comment on verse 12 0 In comes the ball and Geogo slips
But still connects with lethal right
To send us into pure delight
With hallelujahs on our lips.

© Peter Goulding 29th November 2007

Notes

This may not be exactly how it happened. But it is exactly how I remember it!

Source: http://footballpoets.org/poems/the-fai-cup-final-replay-1996/