The Glennane versus Clontarf fixture in late December brought it’s usual frosty atmosphere. The heated exchanges between the players and the umpires was the only hot thing about this particular Saturday evening.
It only went downhill from the first blast. Tarf couldn’t keep their cool, completely frigid at the back, conceding 3 brisk goals. Not a solid start.
Prospects warmed up when a flakey clearance from Nathan found Nidgey iceolated up top. He skated past one defender and cracked a shot through the keepers legs. 3-1 and Glennane looking a bit white.
New Ozzie wrestling convert, Stone Cold Olly Harris, was nippy throughout the half on his debut. Olly kept numbing his opposite number’s chances, a constant cold-sore spot for them. Ryan also did well and made absolute zero mistakes, he was 0K.
The second half was the polar opposite to the first. Clontarf began to thaw the ageing glacial Glen’s defence. Long balls were shovelled out to the sides where Ciller was waiting, the corner the only place it was more than a couple of degrees.
The evergreen Gareth Borland showed some real snowballs to send his drag straight down the middle. A crisp finish. Suggestions the goalie should get his icesight checked.
Clontarf back to within a goal, Glennane on thin ice. Tensions hotting up, a flurry of free(zin) PC’s for both sides. It was a miracle Seany C wasn’t sent to the cooler for 2 minutes.
Darragh was very rigid in holding the ice-box in the middle of the park. John Devine acting like a real cool customer in defence, correctly giving Elliot’s wilting remonstrations the cold shoulder. Peter ice-popped up multiple times in the right place to save our skins.
Senan had so little to do in the final ten minutes that he resembled everyone’s favourite friendly ghost – Caspbrrrr
Tom the magician crafted the final goal. He cast a cold spell on his pass into the D, deflection from Nidge, equaliser. Glen’s looking altogether too chilled for Tarf’s attacking cold front.
The final minutes of excitement and about 14 jackets kept Luke-warm on the sideline. Final score 3-3. Neither team below 0.
Matthew.
Match: Clontarf Men’s 2s vs Glenanne, Away, 09/12/2017
Result: 3-3
Team: Senan, Nigel, Ciller, Darragh, Elliot, Peter, Tom, Nathan, GB, Ryan, John Devine, Pierce, Olly, Cain, Sean,
Scorers: GB x1, Nigel x2
Written by: Nigel Bateman