Do you recall the rusty old tin shed that was a feature of Athlone’s old ground? Whenever someone scored, the fists would pound the walls, with fearsome noise to rouse the dead. The corrugated roof which perched o’erhead, whenever it was raining, would resound and echo like deep thunder all around St. Mel’s, until your […]

“It’s time,” she says. I gulp a little weakly. The butterflies flap madly in their fear. She offers me my scarf. I take it meekly. My stomach harbours thoughts of diarrhoea. “Tell the kids I love them very dearly,” I tell her, as I feel my brow grow hot. She pats my arm, my loving […]

Thirst-quenching, bum-clenching, nail-biting, wrong-righting, head-turning, bowel-churning, ear-popping, heart-stopping, nerve-jangling, hope-mangling, fag-smoking, nervous-joking, beer-swilling, brain-chilling, bladder-filling, drink-spilling, whistle-waiting, rival-baiting, i-dotting, stomach-knotting, sweat-pumping, heart-thumping, hard-swearing, hair-tearing, eye-shielding, ros’ry-wielding, oath-uttering, prayer-muttering play-offs.

Tonight we welcome Galway up to Tolka. I’ll burst into applause when you appear. If I wasn’t such a Red, I might well follow you instead. My heart will always hold you very dear but I hope we won’t be playing you next year. Out of all the teams in this division, it’s you, my […]

Oh Lord, as we complete this two-horse race, the football season barely six months old, deliver us, we pray, from this dark place. We kneel before your majesty and grace, looking for a way back in the fold as we, oh Lord, complete this two-horse race. Longford folk are scurrilous and base – wickedness abounds […]