Minor Championship – Division 12 – Tuesday 3rd September – Belcamp Park
Whitehall Colmcille’s B (6-12): (1-2) Ballyboden St Endas D
(Report by Lady Gaa-Gaa)
(Report by Lady Gaa-Gaa)
Margaret Mohan, from Clontarf, is a Coldplay fan. She was in Croke Park on Monday night,
twisting and turning beneath the lasers and the light show, her feet hardly touching the ground.
“Best gig I was ever at,” she said. “For dramatic entertainment, it had everything”.
Twenty-four hours later, and she graces a different field, with a whistle in her hand and musical
echoes in her mind. Margaret Mohan, from Clontarf, is a ladies’ football referee. Sure “viva la
vide” if you can.
twisting and turning beneath the lasers and the light show, her feet hardly touching the ground.
“Best gig I was ever at,” she said. “For dramatic entertainment, it had everything”.
Twenty-four hours later, and she graces a different field, with a whistle in her hand and musical
echoes in her mind. Margaret Mohan, from Clontarf, is a ladies’ football referee. Sure “viva la
vide” if you can.
If the scoreline in the Division 12 Minor Championship tie is suggestive, it’s suggesting that this
game was devoid of suspense. Ballyboden tried, but Whitehall couldn’t be stopped. They just up
and won the game like any B team of their quality would, and to blazes with the drama.
Still, drama is where you find it. And the spectators who remained would have found it
somewhere between the half-time, the full-time and the mentor’s liturgical pleas.
The mentor, by the by, cuts the gawky frame of a man trying to look younger than he is, and
pretending to know more than he does. He is torn by the rivalry between the hole in his haircut
and the accrual of his waist. He can’t hide both at the same time. He gathers the players at half
time and asks if any of them know where his team is.
game was devoid of suspense. Ballyboden tried, but Whitehall couldn’t be stopped. They just up
and won the game like any B team of their quality would, and to blazes with the drama.
Still, drama is where you find it. And the spectators who remained would have found it
somewhere between the half-time, the full-time and the mentor’s liturgical pleas.
The mentor, by the by, cuts the gawky frame of a man trying to look younger than he is, and
pretending to know more than he does. He is torn by the rivalry between the hole in his haircut
and the accrual of his waist. He can’t hide both at the same time. He gathers the players at half
time and asks if any of them know where his team is.
He mentions the ordinary, the gentle, the politeness of their effort and how hard it is to watch
them as this version of themselves. Whitehall are up 4-6 to 0-01 after a first half that saw them
pick their scores with ease. Like plucking blackberries in August. He asks them how they feel, and asks about their pride, and what do they believe the reason is for them being there. Heads start to rise, and eyes start to widen. He mentions why he is there.
He is there because of them. He is inspired to be there by their honesty of effort, their attitude in
adversity and their spirit to keep on keeping on. He asks them to dig deep, to start again and to
go back out, and inspire him once more.
them as this version of themselves. Whitehall are up 4-6 to 0-01 after a first half that saw them
pick their scores with ease. Like plucking blackberries in August. He asks them how they feel, and asks about their pride, and what do they believe the reason is for them being there. Heads start to rise, and eyes start to widen. He mentions why he is there.
He is there because of them. He is inspired to be there by their honesty of effort, their attitude in
adversity and their spirit to keep on keeping on. He asks them to dig deep, to start again and to
go back out, and inspire him once more.
And the drama that unfolded was inspiration personified. Almost instantly, gone was the
lethargy, the languid and the lazy, and there arrived the purpose and the pride. They tackled
and harried, and ran and fetched, and kicked and faltered, but they did it again and again and
again. The backs turned-over the ball and fought their way out to find a friend, and friends found
more friends with kick passes and support play and before long they had scored 01-01 to no
reply. Whitehall unleashed the bench in panic of a come-back, but Belcamp is not known for
hosting miracles. Never mind. The turnaround was dramatic, satisfying and real.
lethargy, the languid and the lazy, and there arrived the purpose and the pride. They tackled
and harried, and ran and fetched, and kicked and faltered, but they did it again and again and
again. The backs turned-over the ball and fought their way out to find a friend, and friends found
more friends with kick passes and support play and before long they had scored 01-01 to no
reply. Whitehall unleashed the bench in panic of a come-back, but Belcamp is not known for
hosting miracles. Never mind. The turnaround was dramatic, satisfying and real.
The final whistle full stopped the action, and the numbers in Margaret Mohan’s notebook were
inapt. The girls were happy. Each and every player gave it all for the team, and the three
superstars from the u-16’s gave as much as any of them. They made names and friends for
themselves today.
inapt. The girls were happy. Each and every player gave it all for the team, and the three
superstars from the u-16’s gave as much as any of them. They made names and friends for
themselves today.
This team of players are truly inspirational. They’re the flame that won’t go out. Their joy is in
playing well, with or without the drama. Truly, a Sky of Stars.
Minor D Panel v Whitehall Colmcille’s: Jennifer Keogh, Ava Rose O’Neill, Louise Keogh, Aisling
Kelly, Caoimhe O’Dea, Robyn Tunney, Caoilfhionn Ní Lia, Mia O’Reilly, Alanna O’Sullivan, Chloe
McKiernan, Sadhbh Smith, Caoilfhionn Roche, Grace Foley, Leyla Randall, Laragh Mooney,
Maria Long, Caolinn O’Gorman, Eva O’Driscoll, Rose Halpin, Mallaidh Ní Fhaircheallaigh, Aisling
Keating, Aisling Kelly (u-16), Alanna O’Sullivan (u-16), Caoimhe O’Dea (U-16).
Kelly, Caoimhe O’Dea, Robyn Tunney, Caoilfhionn Ní Lia, Mia O’Reilly, Alanna O’Sullivan, Chloe
McKiernan, Sadhbh Smith, Caoilfhionn Roche, Grace Foley, Leyla Randall, Laragh Mooney,
Maria Long, Caolinn O’Gorman, Eva O’Driscoll, Rose Halpin, Mallaidh Ní Fhaircheallaigh, Aisling
Keating, Aisling Kelly (u-16), Alanna O’Sullivan (u-16), Caoimhe O’Dea (U-16).
*Team Photo from earlier in the season*
