Game 6

Derry City 1-1 Dundalk

On April 20th three years ago I got married. We decided to get married on a Friday even though that meant that we were messing with the proper order of things. We knew by picking a Friday in the middle of the season there was a good chance that neither of our Fathers would turn up for the afters.

Dundalk were at home to Derry that night. I apologised in my speech to anyone who was being held against their will in Bellurgan House when they would have much preferred to be in Oriel. Nobody was openly upset about it but I knew deep down there were some grumbles. I grumbled.

I’m joking obviously. I didn’t grumble. I’m very lucky to be married to who I’m married to. Please don’t leave me.

If the game had been on the TV we would have had to seriously alter the planned evening’s festivities.

“And now ladies and gentlemen, may I present for their first dance as wife and husband…Rachel and Donal…….What’s that? Dundalk have a corner? Ok folks hold on, they’ll be here in a second…”

As fate would have it, three years later on April 20th Dundalk were playing Derry again. I know what you’re thinking, there’s no way you spent your anniversary watching Dundalk playing Derry and I’m here to tell you that’s exactly what I did. With full blessing from my wife who is quite probably sick of me after over a year of being in lockdown with me. Every cloud right?

And like three years ago the game finished a in a draw. Slightly different circumstances around the team this time round too. Jim Magilton in the dug-out. Trying not to go bottom of the table. Trying to win a game.

Trying to concentrate on this game when the whole of European Football seemed be going up in flames only to be saved by the same people who tried to set it on fire in the first place was a challenge.

Trying to concentrate on the game when Gareth McGlynn is making absolutely zero effort to be unbiased was very, very difficult. It felt like an authentic away game where you’ve sat in the home section next to someone who will not stop talking the whole night. He full on cheered the goal too. I have no problem with him cheering but at least pull the microphone away from your face when you do it!

The team were decent again. They’ve been decent for a few weeks now they just haven’t taken any of their big chances at the end of games that would turn one point into three