by Joe O'Brien
As the referee threw the ball in for the second half, Mick paced up and down the line wondering if he should take Todd off and stick one of his subs on. It was a tough decision to contemplate, but the last thing Mick wanted was for Todd to be sent off.
If that happened, the Crokes would be down to fourteen men, and then it would be almost impossible to beat Terrystown, who had opened up a first half lead of three points with a score of 0-5 to 0-2.
After a pretty uneventful first ten minutes, with no further scores, something very unexpected happened.
As Brian O’Reilly, Crokes’ left half forward kicked a long and sweet low pass to Todd, Todd’s father roared out from the side line.
‘C’mon Todd, son! Show ‘em what you’re made of!’
It was as if a switch suddenly flicked in Todd’s brain. He caught that ball and turned his marker so quick that the Terrystown centre half back fell clumsily to the ground.
With that, Todd went on a powerful solo, shouldering off the opposition’s full back as he tried to stop him.
Once again, there was just the Terrystown goalkeeper between him and the goal!
The spectators cheered along the Crokes’ sideline, roaring their support for the boy from Oz.
‘Go on, Todd! Go ON!’ they screamed.
Danny watched and prayed that Todd would score. He knew that there were just a couple of minutes left and a goal would level the game.
Even a point! thought Danny. Anything to give us a chance.
As the Terrystown goalkeeper came out to put Todd off his shot, Todd Bailey released a devastating shot from his right boot.
The ball thundered past the Terrystown keeper, almost burning the tips of his fingers until it finally smashed the top left corner of the net.
‘What a beauty!’ Scott roared from the sideline.
The whole crowd were jumping up and down the line.
Even some of the Cherrydale supporters were looking down from the far pitch to see who had scored. By the time, everyone had settled again, the referee gave it about two minutes and then he blew his full time whistle.
It was a draw with a score of 1-2 for Crokes and 0-5 for Terrystown.
As all the players shook hands, Mick and Jimmy were in serious discussion with the Terrystown managers as to who should go top.
Mick saved the good news for the dressing room,
‘Both teams finished with two wins and a draw,’ he announced. His players waited in anticipation. ‘But because we’ve scored a total of twenty-seven points over the three games and they only scored twenty-five, we’re first in the group!’
The dressing room was filled with cheering and whistling – the Littlestown Crokes were first in the group!
Chapter Fourteen
Crosstown Trip
Once they’d all calmed down a bit from the news that they were first in the group, Mick sent all his players over to the large marquee for well-deserved refreshments.
It was one o’clock and they had a few hours rest before their semi-final which started at four o’clock, across town in Chapel Hall.
All the players tucked into Dolores Darcy’s delicious sambos – but they didn’t think much of her home-made paté!
Despite the morning’s festival of football combat, everyone seemed to get on really well together. All the other teams’ players praised Crokes and Terrystown on their advancement to the semis. This was the kind of thing that made Mick and all the other coaches so proud to be involved in GAA – here they were, all celebrating together and supporting each other.
Todd’s dad was ambushed by some of Mick’s team for autographs, but luckily for Todd, Scott reluctantly went along with his son’s lies. Sarah was unhappy about him doing so, but Scott had already decided that if this situation arose, then he wouldn’t embarrass his son in front of his teammates.
‘I’ll be gone back to Australia in a couple of weeks,’ he had said, earlier that morning. ‘There’ll be no harm done.’
Some of the crowd stayed behind to help with the clean up, but most of Crokes’ loyal supporters hopped into their cars to travel across town for the semi-final.
‘We should have organised a coach,’ said Jimmy, as they were arranging lifts for players.
‘Don’t worry, Jimmy,’ smiled Mick. He was in top form. ‘We’ll be fine. Anyway, I have Dessie Dunne and his coach on call for tomorrow’s final.’
‘Nice one, Mick,’ smiled Jimmy. ‘Fingers crossed we make it to the final!’
‘Fingers and toes, Jimmy,’ laughed Mick. ‘Fingers and toes.’
Chapel Hall’s grounds were roughly a thirty-minute drive across the city, if the traffic was light.
Mick was second last to leave the Little Croker behind. Larry had delayed him by asking him to hold on for Regina who was on her way over with Lowry, Trinity and Trinity’s brother, Sebastian. Larry had to wait around the Little Croker for the men to come and pack up the marquees, so Regina wanted to follow Mick’s car over to the next match.
Eventually, Mick couldn’t wait any longer.
‘We have to go, Larry,’ he said. ‘They’ll just have to follow you over after you’re finished your business with your marquee pal – if he ever gets here.’
Larry agreed, and Mick, Danny and Todd headed off in Mick’s car. Todd’s parents drove behind them in the car Scott had hired for a couple of weeks.
Everyone else was miles ahead of Mick, but he was relaxed. The traffic was light and there was plenty of time. Mick was singing along to his car radio and the lads were laughing at him and messing around when suddenly what looked like smoke came pouring out of his bonnet, and his car slowed down.
‘You’re kidding me,’ cried Mick as he pulled over to the side of the road.
The car just wouldn’t start again.
‘I told you this banger would clap out some day,’ said Danny.
Todd thought it was very funny, but Danny was worried.
‘What are we going to do?’ he asked.
The smoke had cleared and Mick’s head was under the bonnet.
‘You’re wasting your time, Da. You know nothing about cars.’
‘I know!’ said Mick, slamming the bonnet closed.
Just then, Scott pulled in behind them.
Mick looked at Danny with an Are you thinking what I’m thinking? look.
Scott jumped out of his car.
‘Problem, Mick?
‘It just stalled on me,’ said Mick, scratching his head.
‘Give us a gander,’ said Scott and he lifted the bonnet and disappeared behind it for a few minutes.
Mick kept looking at his watch.
‘Don’t worry, son. We’ve loads of time,’ he reassured Danny who was giving him the evil eye.
‘Eh … my dad is handy with cars,’ stuttered Todd to Danny.
Danny just nodded. He knew very well that Scott was a mechanic, and that if Mick didn’t know that as well, then he would be on his phone right now, getting Jimmy back to collect them.
‘Start her up there, Mick,’ instructed Scott.
Mick’s car started first time and there was no more smoke.
‘I’ve bought ya a bit more time with her,’ laughed Scott. ‘But you’ll have to get her sorted out good and proper mate.’
‘Nice one, Scott,’ said Mick. ‘Come on, boys, back in the car. Jimmy will be having kittens!’
Todd’s dad smiled at him, but Todd didn’t smile back as he got into Mick’s car.
‘Give him time,’ whispered Sarah.
Scott was gutted, and didn’t speak a word for the rest of the drive to Chapel Hall.
* * *
Half of Jimmy’s fingernails were chewed clean off by the time they arrived at Chapel Hall.
‘What kept yiz?’ asked Jimmy.
‘We broke down,’ said Danny.
‘Relax Jimmy, my oul’ flower. We’re here now, thanks to Todd’s dad.’
‘Todd’s dad?’ said Jimmy. ‘What did Todd’s dad do?’
&nb
sp; But Jimmy was left standing without an answer as Mick, Danny and Todd hurried after the Chapel Hall manager to their dressing room, where the rest of the team were already getting changed.
Mick got quite a reaction from his team after he announced that they were to play Barnfield — their old rivals — in their semi final.
‘Chapel Hall topped their group,’ said Mick. ‘They’ll play Terrystown.’
Mick could see Danny and Jonathon nodding to each other after they learned that they were playing Barnfield.
Mick knew that his two midfielders would be up against their adversaries, Sean ‘Dirty’ Dempsey, who used to play for the Crokes and Deco Savage, who was just as dirty a player as Sean.
As the Crokes team ran out onto the pitch to face Barnfield, every single one of Mick’s players got an electric rush through their bodies as their cavalry of supporters cheered them on.
Out of the corner Danny noticed Trinity – Larry and Regina had just arrived in their cars. Danny didn’t even try to see if Todd and Trinity looked at each other.
That’s not important now! he thought, for the next half an hour this match is the most important thing in my life!
In midfield, Dempsey and Savage were doing their best to put Danny and Jonathon off as the referee was checking something with the Barnfield manager.
Danny wasn’t really paying attention to them. He was too busy looking at Mick eye-balling his old enemy Tommy Dempsey — Sean’s troublesome dad.
This is going to be war! thought Danny.
‘I see ya have Goldilocks playing up front for yiz,’ laughed Savage.
‘Shut your mouth,’ said Jonathon. ‘You wouldn’t say that to his face.’
‘Yeah, I would,’ muttered Savage. ‘I’m not afraid of him.’
‘You should be!’ smiled Danny as the referee approached them with his whistle in one hand and the match ball in the other. ‘Because he’s going to make you two look like a pair of Girl Guides.’
Danny stepped forward for the throw-in against Savage.
‘Don’t try any of your elbow tricks like the last time, if you know what’s good for you,’ warned Danny.
‘That’s enough number nine,’ said the referee, then he threw the ball above their heads.
Danny and Deco clashed off each other and fell to the ground as they both tried to win the ball. The ball fell to Dempsey, but Jonathon was all fired up after Dempsey and Savage’s pre-match banter. Just as Dempsey was about to go on a solo, Jonathon punched the ball out of his opponent’s hands and grabbed it. Then he turned Dempsey, not once, but twice, just to humiliate him and teach him a lesson.
Larry was dancing on the sideline.
I can’t believe that I didn’t want him to play for Mick’s team, last year, and now look at him! thought Larry with pride all over his face as he watched Jonathon skip around two more players and then fist a perfect pass into Todd’s hands.
Todd then punished Dempsey and Savage even further for their smart comments to his teammates by sending Crokes into an early lead with a long and accurate point.
This enraged the two Barnfield players, but their anger only caused them to make mistakes and Danny’s team finished the first half in the lead with a score of 0-4 to 0-0.
Mick wasn’t surprised to hear at half time that Chapel Hall was leading Terrystown by 1-2 to 0-1. They were indeed the strongest team in the league this year and it looked like they would be the ones to beat in the County Féile final, if his team could just hang in there for the next fifteen minutes or so.
Mick was giving his players his last few words of encouragement before the referee blew his whistle.
‘Fifteen minutes lads!’ said Mick. ‘It’s not the first time I’ve said that to yiz today, but I promise it’s going to be the last. If yiz keep the heads together for this second half and keep up the hard work, you’re in the final! I want yiz to keep focused out there.’
Larry had wriggled his way through the crowd and snuck in behind the team.
‘This could be your finest moment, boys,’ said Larry.
Not this again! thought Jimmy.
‘Any words of wisdom, Larry?’ asked Mick.
Jimmy’s head nearly fell off. Mick’s never done that before! Why didn’t he ask me that?
‘Like I said, boys,’ said Larry. ‘This could be your finest moment. Getting yourselves into the final tomorrow in Parnell Park is the big achievement. Anything that goes our way after that is a bonus. It’s the journey you’ll look back on with pride.’
Then Mick turned to Jimmy, but the referee blew his whistle.
‘Wait up, lads,’ said Mick. ‘Jimmy hasn’t spoken yet.’
Jimmy was thrilled to bits. This meant a lot to him, but now that all the attention was on him, he couldn’t really think of anything to say.
‘Eh!’ said Jimmy, ‘I’ll go with what Larry said.’ Larry smiled. ‘Oh and …’ Jimmy continued, ‘… if yiz don’t beat Barnfield, yiz needn’t turn up for training on Tuesday!’
Sean Dempsey had stepped forward for the second half throw in against Jonathon, and had easily beaten him to the ball, knocking it down to Savage.
For the first time in a long time, Danny was outplayed by Savage, as the Barnfield midfielder managed to skip around Danny, sending a long pass across field to his left half forward.
The Barnfield number twelve then passed the ball into his centre half forward who then fisted it over his head, and over the head of Crokes’ Alan Whelan, straight into the hands of Barnfield’s centre full forward, who was fouled by Crokes’ full back, Big Johnner Purcell.
Free kick to Barnfield.
‘This looks dodgy, Mick,’ fretted Jimmy.
Mick was too busy watching Big Johnner holding his leg.
‘Johnner’s injury is playing up,’ said Mick.
Mick tried to call out to his full back, but Big Johnner pretended not to hear. He didn’t want to be taken off.
‘I’ll wring his neck!’ cried Jimmy.
On the referee’s whistle, Deco Savage took the free kick. He didn’t go for an easy point. That would have been the percentage shot to play.
No! That just wasn’t Deco nor Barnfield’s style!
Deco kicked a low, fast and furious shot toward the goal mouth, and as the injured Big Johnner tried to jump to block it, Barnfield’s number fourteen out jumped him and fisted it past him for a wonderful goal.
The Barnfield sideline erupted.
‘We’ll have to get Big Johnner off!’ said Mick.
Jimmy caught the referee’s attention and after examining Big Johnner’s leg, they decided that he couldn’t play out the last few minutes of the match.
Mick brought on Derek Moran, and told Danny to drop back in deep, in front of Johnner’s replacement to help them see out the game. Danny did just that, and although Barnfield and its two nasty midfielders tried everything in their power to level the game, Crokes miraculously held on to progress to the Féile final with a full time score of 0-4 to 1-0.
Chapel Hall had indeed beaten Terrystown. Their progression was with more ease, beating Terrystown with a score of 1-6 to 0-4.
The celebrations went on for a couple of hours as Chapel Hall entertained their visitors with refreshments in their fine clubhouse. When the Crokes’ team returned to Littlestown, rows of supporters were waiting for the heroes who had earned them a special GAA day out in Parnell Park the following day.
Chapter Fifteen
The Fight
The morning sun was shining down on Littlestown on 24 May, Féile final day.
The atmosphere around Littlestown that morning was electric. The Crokes had stepped in at the eleventh hour to co-host a successful County Féile and had also deservedly booked themselves a place in the final in Parnell Park at 3pm.
Everyone waved and gave a thumbs up to Danny and Splinter as they walked down to the local shops all kitted out in their brand new tracksuits that the whole team were given for the big event.
Just as th
ey were going into Nailer’s News Agents, they met Todd coming out with a Sunday morning paper.
‘G’day mates,’ smiled Todd. He was also in his new tracksuit.
‘What’s the story, Todd?’ said Splinter.
‘Alright, Todd?’ nodded Danny.
‘Are ya all set for the final this arvo, boys?’ asked Todd.
‘Raring to go, Todd!’ smiled Splinter, rubbing his hands together. ‘What about you? I hope you got a good sleep last night.’
‘Who’s been talking to you, mate?’ smiled Todd.
‘No one. Why?’ asked Splinter.
Todd put his arms around Danny and Splinter.
‘Actually, boys. I had a bit of a late one last night,’ then Todd laughed. ‘Don’t tell Mick, Danny. I don’t wanna be dropped for the big game.’
‘Where were you last night?’ asked Splinter.
Danny pushed Splinter.
‘Don’t be a plank! He’s only winding us up.’
‘Is that right!’ said Todd. ‘Then ya better check with Trinity ‘cos I was at the flicks with her.’
Splinter took one look to see Danny’s reaction. But there was none.
‘You’re having us on!’ said Splinter. ‘Trinity wouldn’t go out with you. Anyway, didn’t Jonathon say that she’s into Danny?’
Todd burst out laughing.
‘Danny?’
Danny’s face flamed red with total mortification and fury.
He wanted to kill Splinter for saying that and showing him up in front of Todd, and he wanted to kill Todd for laughing at the idea of Trinity being interested in him.
Splinter could see that something ugly was going to come to a head, right here and right now, so he decided to get offside.
‘I’ll be out in a minute. I’m dying for a drink,’ he said as he disappeared into the shop.
‘Sorry Danny, mate,’ grinned Todd. ‘I was only joking.’
‘About going to the pictures with Trinity?’ asked Danny.
‘Nah, mate. We went to the pictures, although we didn’t see much of the film, if y’know what I’m talking about.’