When Did You make your Debut

[dfx-]

If I remember correctly it was Rovers v. Athlone in Dalymount in 1989

19 years..

[Blue Man]

1995 I think.I was about 9. Shels and Rovers in Tolka Park. My da had jus became friends with Stephen Geoghegan and he encouraged us to come along to watch. I remembered Stephen scored and celebrated in front of the Rovers fans in the Riverside. I cant remember who scored the first for Rovers, but i distincly remember Henry McKop giving away a last minute penalty and John Toal scoring the winner from the spot. Huge crowd in there that night.

My playing debut came for Dublin City against Limerick in Richmond Park after Brendan Kennedy got sent off. Paul Finucane scored a cracker and Colin O Brien scored a penalty. We were down to 9 men and lost 2-0. Probably my fault too!!

[oldyouth]

Ist Game I was ever at was Bohs V Rangers in a Euro tie in 1975. 1st league game would have been Bohs V Shamrock Rovers the same season

[padjoe]

ramblers reaching the FAI Cup final in the late 80s was the first i knew of an league in Ireland. Then i didn't really hear any more about it until I had glimpses of Cork City against Munich in 91 from the telly and again in 93 when there was whispers that if Cork City defeated Galatasary they would be facing man united.

My first "live" game was the 1998 FAI Cup final replay at the age of 14. i had tagged myself as a city supporter up until then but that game clinched it for me. the atmosphere was tense and exciting in Dalymount Park. Both sets of supporters were in full voice. the craic of the terrace behind the posts where the goal went in was unbelievable. remember going from dalymount back to rathfarnham (spell?) singing the songs i'd learn that night.

started going to the cross the following season to see city v pats. one game, which was the last game of the season in 1999 (i think), against Shamrock Rovers, i spent trying to abuse Jason Sherlock and stood on the wall in front of the shed only to be greeted by a supporter up the back who was making the "I'll slash your throat" sign so i quickly got off the wall.

in recent years i've got to games i can make. Sometimes I'd don a Bohemians jersey to watch city with a dublin mate. i also regularly went to cobh ramblers games when they are on for the lovely soup on freezing february nights and the kick and rush football of dave hill. I'd frequent the odd city game where possible. Haven't been able to go week in and week out cause i moved to dublin, roscommon and now Australia because the job comes first. So i still follow City and have a soft spot for ramblers. i get my fix of what is important in EL soccer here on foot.ie but rarely contribute because you can't compete with the knowledge and arguments of some of the lads on the board. But nothing beats live football and the atmosphere at some of the grounds exceeds that of those in England.

[thischarmingman]

My first game was the FAI Cup Final against Shels at Dalymount in 1997. My uncle took me and I think I enjoyed messing around with the other kids on the bus up and down than I did the actual match. Can't remember most of the game, although remember a Derry fan trying to raise spirits outside the ground chanting 'We don't care about the cup..." and "Who cares, when you win the league?"

We lost that and my first home game against NK Maribor 2-0. It was my third game before I actually saw a Derry goal but it did allow me to be able to tell people that the first goal I ever saw Derry score was by one David Ginola. He chipped a penalty into the net during the Omagh benefit match.

[Terry]

My first away game was semi final replay of 1985 Bulmers FAI Cup when it was staged at neutral venues which was played at St Mel's Park, Athlone. Galway United were playing Limerick City - I was 15 and I got permission to take a half day off school - and we won after extra time. This was pre floodlight days and had game went to penalties, there was a possibility of abondoning the game due to poor light.

This so must have been my first game as memories have come flooding back ! After the match my Dad and my uncle brought me to the pub where we would meet the team. Dad brought me over to ski where they chatted for about a half hour before he asked ski to give me an autograph. I had no pen or paper so ski got a bit of paper out of his back pocket and a pen from the barman and give me the autograph. I remember feeling great, an autograph from ski when about ten minutes later he asked for it back ! He apologised and told my dad that he had autographed a betting slip and the horse had just come in for him ! He then autographed my new shirt which my mother nearly killed me for letting him do it and washed it out !

[trevy]

I have vague memories of games in Kilcohen Park in the late 80s but couldn't tell you exactly who my first game was against. I remember one of my forst games was Waterford playing Derry who brought a huge away support back then. The first game that stands out was beating Bray 2-1 around 1989/90 to clinch promotion back to the premier and then beating Sligo in a play off 2 weeks later to win the 1st division title.
Theres been a lot more disappointment than success since then!

[WoodquayBoy]

New Year's Day, 1981, is the first game I remember. First Leg of the League Cup final against Dundalk in Terryland, remember being glued to the radio for the second leg, which was in Oriel Park, the following week and being gutted at losing on penos to what would have been a far superior Dundalk team.
I know I was brought to games before this, but this is the one that stands out in terms of earliest memories.

[ramsfan]

first game i was at was rams -sligo in cup semi final in 1983 in flower lodge
i was 4 years old and all i can remeber is that i went with my dad, we were at front of stand and my uncle was at back, i was in danger of crush at front so i was passed over heads to the back of the stand for the game, a bit of junior crowd surfing

[bray boy]

the only reason i went to my first bray match was because i happened to move into walking distance from the ground
was the opening game against pats in the 2005 season i knew nothing about loi and i thought it was a first division game.
i accidently managed to sit right in all the pats fans an was just amazed how angry people would get over a silly lil lio game....
i saw all our lads singin over the far side of the ground in the old shed and was just drawn over to them so in the second half i wandered over nervous and slightly intimidated by them.i kind of stood by them just listenin to the songs and just remembering getting this buzz that i never got before.
we won the game two one and from then on i was hooked for life...
i just couldnt stop thinkin about the match all day was just singing the songs in my head that id heard.
for about ten years before that match i was convinced i was a united fan i thought i was the ultimate fan.I knew after that game id have to go back again and i felt guilty somehow because i knew united would be gone.since then ive called myself a bray fan and havent looked back.

[Flexy]

Cork CIty 1-0 Derry City FAI Cup Quarter Final March 16th 1986

Great game unbelievable atmosphere but heardbreaking at the end and a long long journey home in the flooded train back to Derry. 1st game v Monaghan in the league cup back in 1985 won 2-0 hooked after that especially the atmosphere in the early days of Derry being back in senior football

[Higgo]

I don't like to mock 'barstoolers' anymore, as I have come to realise that people are entitled to follow who they like. The thing is though, there is so much to be said for following a team that plays in your locality. It allows you to develop a greater affinity for the team, as you inevitably spend more time around the club. The last few years following Shels have been a roller-coaster, from the dizzy-heights of playin' in the 3rd qualifying round of the CL to standing on the brink of extinction within a very short space of time. Following your team through the hard times is what makes the good ones so sweet. I'm sure other EL supporters have had similar experiences over the years. It's only a personal point of view, but I cannot see how following an English team from afar can possibly provide the same level of entertainment or sense of pride in your club. The first division of the EL is very boring at times, but even this season there have been some great moments (Anto Flood sticking it to Dundalk springs to mind!). I genuinely believe the Irish football supporters don't know what they're missing out on. Shels may not have the best team in the world, but it's our team and that's all that matters to me.