Clondalkin is the venue for this division 4 hurling league game. The O’Tooles side is threadbare, the epic Championship battle the week before has taken it’s toll and there are some notable absentees missing through injury. Even the management team is under pressure with John the sole mentor for the game (Ray and Andy are in therapy). Throw-in approaches and we jostle for a good vantage point pitch-side amid the crowd. Actually there are 5 of us, and one of them is an injured player !!! I’ve been at some poorly supported games over the years but this surely takes the record !!!

Throw-in and O’Tooles spring from the blocks into an early lead. Aided by a slight breeze the Larriers are dominant all over the pitch. A great display of hurling, none more so than the O’Tooles free taker who is arcing the sliotar over the bar from all angles, superb !!! A couple good goals and at half time O’Tooles are comfortably ahead 2-11 to 0-2. It hasn’t all been plain sailing though, the O’Tooles centre back looks like he’s just walked off the set of Braveheart. Blood is streaming from four separate injuries, two on each hand, his hurl is soaked red and the match sliotar has turned a peculiar shade of pink. Hats off, these guys are tough as old boots !!! It’s like an episode of Greys Anatomy as they frantically patch him up and he’s thrust back into the fray just in time for the second half throw-in.

The O’Tooles players must be squeamish in the sight of blood as the second half does not start well. Round Towers get a few points on the board and we can see the belief begin to surge back into their players. O’Tooles are rocked back on their heels and even when they create an opening they can’t convert. Chance after chance goes a begging whereas Round Towers seem to be scoring effortlessly. The highlight of the game is a point cut over the bar from the sideline by a Round Towers player, brilliant skill !!! Still O’Tooles can’t score, John is becoming more and more apoplectic with each Round Towers score. They scramble a couple goals and John is now incandescent with rage, but on a positive note he’s increasing our vocabulary with some new swear words, thank you John !!! Still O’Tooles can’t score, even when they get a free in front of the posts they attempt a goal instead of taking the simple point. The game is now nearing the end and we’ve no idea who’s winning. Round Towers get a final point and the whistle sounds for full time. Amazingly O’Tooles have hung on to win by a solitary point 2-11 to 2-10. O’Tooles could not manage a single score in the second half and Round Towers had come back from the dead brilliantly.

I’m now checking myself into therapy with Ray and Andy, I can’t take it anymore !!!!