Day 3 – Easter Sunday
Easter Sunday dawned as it should – bright and sunny. But it was also bitter cold.
Up for 7.00am and breakfast, to be on the bus for before 8 with our first game at 9.05.
It was also Paddys birthday and he got a card signed by everyone. All the players also got an Easter egg. Well a crème egg. Paddy also had three hard boiled eggs so he will get a seat to himself on the bus!
We arrived at the venue and got changed and are raring to go. We were doing a good warm-up only to be then informed that all matches were delayed due to frozen pitches. We were due to play at 9.05 but our game was put back to 10.30. We were later informed that the duration of the games was also to be reduced. There was little to do but wait around and we also watched Knocklyon United from Dublin play in the Under-12 competition on the astro-turf. They are very good and have an even better goal celebration routine which they got plenty of opportunities to practise.
By 10.30 we were ready to go again.
ADSL 0 : Farum Boldklub (Denmark) 1
This was a big disappointment. Not that we lost or that we should not have but because we didn’t play well. We started badly and were on the back foot and were lucky not to go behind when a speculative shot came back off our crossbar. We came into it a bit more towards the end of the half and turned over at 0-0.
We improved into the second half and had a few chances but it was the Danes who took the lead. We were a little unlucky in that it was a mis-hit shot that beat Mark.We tried hard but in such a short game the advantage lies with the team who scores first and time beat us and the Danes beat us.
It was a disappointment. Our first defeat and our first goal to concede. But still two games to go and a chance to turn it around.
ADSL 0 : K.V.C. Westerlo (Belgium) 2
This was the big game. The Belgians looked very good yesterday and they are huge. They are a top Belgian side and play in their National League.
We started better and played better and really put it up to them in a good game. We had chances but so did they. Ciaran O’R got back to take one off the line. Darra worked very hard to create a chance but the moment passed and the slick Belgians swept downfield to open the scoring.
We turned over that one goal down but still in determined mood. We gave it our all but they were too strong and added a second goal to repeat the scoreline from their first game. We had lost and could no longer now win the competition but we were somehow happier as we had given it a real go.
We went into our final match determined to finish on a high.
ADSL 1 : V.G. Oostende (Belgium) 1
We renewed acquaintance with Oostende with whom we had drawn 0.0 on Saturday.
We got on best with this team and this was a good game played in a very good spirit.
We also played well. We took the lead with a great goal. Ciaran O’R started it and finished it. He sprayed out a great pass to Darra on the right flank. Darra took the ball to the end line and put in a super low cross and Ciaran was on hand to finish to the net for a deserved lead. We might have been two up but Warren the “Wonder Kid” was very unlucky to see his super shot go narrowly wide. The bigger pity was that the world did not get the chance to see his brilliant goal celebration!
It looked like we would win the game but were caught with a late sucker punch when they were lucky to score. So it ended in a draw.
Overall we finished fourth. We could perhaps have done better with a little luck but it was a great learning experience for all.
After the games we got something to eat and then had a bit of a sing song with the Belgians from Oostende. The skipper Seamus B was on lead vocals. Good fun.
We then headed back to the hotel and had dinner. Paddy was almost speechless for almost half a second when he got a birthday cake complete with sparklers!
Then we had a team meeting and a debrief and a great talk from Seamus the physio.
The man is a legend and we were blessed to have him with us. We then received our medals for finishing fourth. A good end to a great trip.
After that…..Well…..What goes on tour stays on tour! You will just have to wait for the tabloid exclusives or the player diaries which are due for release in time for the
Christmas market! |