Football Poets

The Ballad of 25th July 2003

¶ 1 Leave a comment on verse 1 0 Twas on a sunny Friday, twenty-fifth day of July,
We travelled south although our expectations weren’t too high.
We ruefully conceded the important factor that
The little town in Munster had been first out of the hat.

¶ 2 Leave a comment on verse 2 0 The pitch looked very well, although the stands were barely full,
(Obviously the Super Reds aren’t that much of a pull)
McDermott blew the whistle and the game got under way,
The little town in Munster hoping it would be their day.

¶ 3 Leave a comment on verse 3 0 But almost from the kick-off, Shelbourne put them under pressure,
They snapped into the tackles and they seemed a whole lot fresher.
The little town in Munster seemed surprised at the attack,
And very soon they found they were deficient at the back.

¶ 4 Leave a comment on verse 4 0 Stewie Byrne collected in the inside right position,
And passed inside the full-back with immaculate precision,
Ger McCarthy’s first time shot was parried by Devine,
But Jason Byrne came running up and smacked it o’er the line.

¶ 5 Leave a comment on verse 5 0 O’Callaghan looked dangerous whene’er he got the ball,
But our midfield worked tirelessly to give him bugger all.
Only once they let him go, and he set up O’Flynn,
But Willo was in great form and the ball would not go in.

¶ 6 Leave a comment on verse 6 0 Meanwhile, at the other end, the Reds were dangerous too,
Rogers had a great chance but he didn’t hit it true,
Jason had a screamer, which the goalie pushed away,
As the little town in Munster held the rampant Shels at bay.

¶ 7 Leave a comment on verse 7 0 But in the second half, it seemed that Cork had woken up,
Dolan must have warned them they were heading out the Cup,
They ceased the route-one football, and began to spread it wide,
And began to cause us problems in the box and down the side.

¶ 8 Leave a comment on verse 8 0 But our back four were resolute, and gave them very little,
Which frustrated all the masses from Kinsale and Ballinspittle,
And any time they found some luck, or got a little break,
The little town in Munster found Steve Williams wide awake.

¶ 9 Leave a comment on verse 9 0 We were really under pressure, and were looking shaky when it
Happened that the ball was played out wide to Alan Bennett.
He turned and tried to pass it back, but Jason intercepted,
And gifts like that are always very gratefully accepted.

¶ 10 Leave a comment on verse 10 0 For the balance of the match, we held them off with ease,
The little town in Munster had been brought down to its knees.
We’d knock it up to Geogo, who in turn would hold it up,
And thus we glided smoothly to the next round of the Cup.

¶ 11 Leave a comment on verse 11 0 And so ‘twas with a happy heart, we said our fond farewells,
On days like that, it really is so great to follow Shels.
Though the little town in Munster is distressed today because
Their visions of Cup glory were destroyed at Turner’s Cross.

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