UCD 2-2 Longford Town

**pineapple stu** · 22/08/2003, 11:50 PM

Okay, sod your semi-pro players - this was one purely for the pride of the jersey. In the aftermath of surviving last season (particularly the getting pi$$ed afterwards part), someone vaguely remembered a rumour about possibly playing our fans' match against Longford at half-time during the senior game. And so we hassled the committee about it, and so it came to pass.

The game was 7-a-side, played from box to box, and UCD very nicely gave Longford a player to make it even. He later said that he was very conscious about not scoring!

UCD were missing a number of players - the influential @ndy, who was our top scorer ever in fans' games with ten goals in three games, the two drunken-16-year-olds, Lefty and Declan, who'd notched three in Longford, and John, the banger and former UCD triallist who we'd brought in especially to beat Cork!

And so our panel of seven featured two debutants, while the top scorer was goalkeeper Pineapple Stu, courtesy of a brace in Cork when he got pi$$ed off with the way things were going and came out at 0-5 down. Harpo was our only other scorer in the team.

Just before the senior game, John83 and Martinho were seen heading off to Michael, the PA announcer, with a teamsheet. Consequently, the teams walked out onto the pitch with our names ringing out across Belfield Park (the PA annoucer had been asked to "announce the half-time 'entertainment' as serioulsy as possible"!!!), so we knew there was no room for embarrassment. The goals were poles, which I was busy trying to ram into the ground, wrecking our nice pitch, before I found out that there were metal stands for them!

The game started so, and Longford were first to attack with a shot which was waved over by the completely impartial referee, resplendent in his UCD tracksuit. The early stages were tentative, and although the crowd got well behind both teams, the UCD subs warming up behind the UCD goal did let a little snigger out at some of the "close" control. Martinho broke down the left wing and was met by Pineapple Stu coming out of goals, who tried to emulate Rob McAuley in the senior game by walloping the ball off his opponent, but missed him and Longford won a throw five yards from their goal-line.

But UCD did settle first, and took the lead through Harpo, who prodded home a cross from Kevin Ryan (?) past the Longford keeper, who, we had been assured, was better than Pauro. All I can say is I wouldn't have wanted to see Pauro in nets!!!

The game opened up then and, after Longford shot narrowly wide a couple of times, they got the equaliser which was coming after Adrian turned away from a couple of UCD defenders and drilled in a shot which was turned in by a UCD player. Of course, this being Belfield Park, we don't name own goal scorers! But Schumi wasn't very happy with himself...

Longford dominated for the next couple of minutes - Pineapple Stu had to be out twice to save at the feet of Adrian, while he also claimed his first corner since 1997, which probably had Pat Jennings worried! But they did take the lead - Martinho got free down the left again, and he squared for Adrian to tap home into an empty net.

With time running out, UCD pressed for an equaliser to save face. Kevin Ryan was influential in most UCD created - a far cry from his days in Superleague!!! - but the equaliser did arrive, just as the Longford senior team were coming out of the dressing room! A ball from John83 was turned into his own net by a Longford defender under pressure from Harpo, and even as the Cascarino Stand rejoiced, the final whistle was blown on a classic fans' match.

The League table, so, stands as follows (taking Longford 4-4 Cork as a result) -

Cork City 3 1 1 1 19 12 4
UCD 3 1 1 1 10 17 4
Longford Town 2 0 2 0 6 6 2

The next match will hopefully be UCD v. Cork in two weeks' time, while Longford have already challenged us to a rematch in Longford in October as they continue to search for their first ever win! A programme is being produced to commemmorate the event, featuring pen pictures (each written by a team mate!) and not much else really.

martinho · 23/08/2003, 2:51 PM

So close and yet so far! I think that Massive 10 should have got a peno but I am soory that I did not wear football bootsas I kept falling on my arse! At least I got an assist. Pauro 7 for a man who had not played fotball since departing these shores had a stormer with his Mick McCarthy long throws that I never knew he had and his accurate sliding tackels, Mark Fallon scored the og for ye with seconds left on the clokcm. Only for Pineapple Stu you would have benn hammered!

A very competitive gane was enjoyed by all and according to a reliable source, our first goal is officially credited to Massive 10! Heres to more half time entertainment and roll on the next game at Flancare. Better ask the Groundsman and at least we will have some goalposts!

If any clubs want to play us in the battle of the fanziens even Waterford or Bohs Or Pats or etc,etc, send me a pm and I will try to get something organised.

Lads see ye at the Russia game and to the day I die I reckon we were robbed.

**pineapple stu** · 23/08/2003, 7:14 PM

Originally posted by martinho
I think that Massive 10 should have got a peno

Was this when he nearly broke my leg going in for the ball?!

Wish I'd worn shin pads!

**pineapple stu** · 23/08/2003, 7:16 PM

Incidentally, the UCD team was -

Pineapple Stu
John83 Aberdonian Stu Bald Student
Schumi Ryan
Harpo

**drummer boy** · 24/08/2003, 10:23 AM

sounds like it went well, pity i coudn have been there, we would have won martinho if i was there.

**Maz** · 24/08/2003, 6:16 PM

ah drummer boy.....u wouldn stand a chance not wit da quality players we had....unless you could score own goals

**Schumi** · 25/08/2003, 11:37 AM

The less said about own goals the better!

**max power** · 25/08/2003, 11:51 AM

according to newstalk the " the half time entertainment " was better than the main game first half, well done to all concerned !!!!!

**John83** · 25/08/2003, 12:33 PM

Originally posted by pineapple stu

...A ball from John83 was turned into his own net by a Longford defender under pressure from Harpo, and even as the Cascarino Stand rejoiced, the final whistle was blown on a classic fans' match....

Just to correct this, there is a lot of confusion about this goal, but the best I can make of it is this: I chipped the ball from deep on the right up to Harpo in the centre, who spread it to Ryan. Ryan made a short run before crossing from the left and the defender, Mark Fallon, confused by having to deal with box runs from both Aberdonian Stu and Harpo, vollied home from about a yard out.

Oh, and Schumi is hardly responsable for the goal. He did get a foot to it, but it looked to be going in any way.

**pineapple stu** · 25/08/2003, 12:52 PM

Originally posted by max power
according to newstalk the " the half time entertainment " was better than the main game first half, well done to all concerned !!!!!

When did you hear that?!

**Schumi** · 25/08/2003, 12:55 PM

Originally posted by max power
according to newstalk the " the half time entertainment " was better than the main game first half, well done to all concerned !!!!!

Class!

**John83** · 25/08/2003, 1:04 PM

Originally posted by max power
according to newstalk the " the half time entertainment " was better than the main game first half, well done to all concerned !!!!!

Like that was hard!

Still, maybe that sort of comment woudl lead the club to do this more often. The kids matches aren't up to much entertainment.

**pineapple stu** · 25/08/2003, 4:45 PM

A lad in work here said that he was heading home on Friday listening to Newstalk when he heard about our game during the half-time report!

He didn't hear how it finished though...

**Pauro 76** · 27/08/2003, 12:35 PM

Robbed!!!

good competitve game though, and I didnt cause too many injuries which was nice......

**Massop 10** · 27/08/2003, 6:37 PM

All i can say is roll on the next game.
I think it is time we get more teams involved in these "clash of the fanzine" games. Maybe we should have a tourmament on the astroturf pitches in the flansiro, we could play it for charity. contact me if you have any ideas on this.