The Legends (35 page)

While the radio station made its commercial announcements, Margaret turned the volume up, just that bit more. She couldn’t believe that she was so nervous because, after all, she knew very little about sport in general and nothing at all about soccer. Her Brendan, God rest his soul, had been a GAA man in the days when GAA and the English sports did not see eye-to-eye. As a result, Margaret had never seen a soccer match and the only things she knew about the game were Brian’s excited reports. It did seem to her that St. Killians would have their hands full with an opponent so much older, stronger and more experienced. She knew that Brian was also bigger and stronger than he had been six months ago, but some of those St. Finbars boys would be four and five years older than he was.

Margaret’s thoughts were interrupted as the voice of Jimmie McGrain returned to the air.

“St. Finbars has taken the initial kick-off moving from my left to right and has quickly advanced the ball up the right wing. O’Brien is cut off in the corner by White and he passes the ball back to Ntumba at midfield. The Nigerian born mid-fielder dribbles the ball toward the center circle, where he is dispossessed by Brian O’Sullivan. O’Sullivan controls the ball while his teammates move forward and then passes to Donovan, his partner in mid-field. The ball is returned to O’Sullivan, oh my, he is clattered by Jason Smith. The referee gives Smith a few strong words but I would have thought that tackle merited an immediate yellow-card. Smith did not come remotely close to getting the ball but seemed satisfied in taking young O’Sullivan’s feet out from under him. In my experience, a good referee should announce his control over a match at the beginning and allowing that type of play can only create difficulties as the match progresses O’Sullivan seems no worse for wear and takes the free kick, a perfect strike to Mulvey on the wing. Mulvey takes the ball into the corner and his attempted cross is blocked over the end line by Murphy. Mulvey lines up to take the corner kick and Thornton moves from his center back position to the top of the penalty box. Mulvey sends his cross in but it is too close to the keeper Moore who fists the ball out, directly into the path of Brian O’Sullivan. O’Sullivan sends the ball in toward the post, where Hagerty just mistimed his jump and the ball skimmed off his head and out for a goal kick. Oh my, O’Sullivan is down again as he was hit very late by Stephen Murphy but it appears that the referee and the linesmen have missed that one altogether and O’Sullivan jumps up and returns to his position. Well early on, it seems that a pattern is developing. Finbars has apparently decided that the best way to cope with Brian O’Sullivan is to mark him closely and to tackle him at every opportunity. The difficulty they seem to be having is that because of the youngster’s skill, the tackles are either late or illegal.”

Margaret listened as Jimmie McGrain described what appeared to be an even match with neither side asserting any great advantage. She cringed every time Brian touched the ball because it seemed inevitable that the announcer would follow the report of his possession by announcing that some St. Finbars player had come in with a strong tackle. Even McGrain seemed surprised at the referee’s reluctance to issue warnings about these tackles. Margaret wasn’t quite sure what a tackle was because she thought soccer did not entail tackles, at least not like Rugby or GAA. She began to be concerned at the number of tackles that Brian was taking and could only envision her young friend stretched out on the ground after each attempt. For her, half time and even full time could not come too quickly, regardless of the outcome.

“Well the whistle has blown signaling half-time at Dalymount Park in what, it must be said, has been a brutal first half. Although both sides had chances the story of the first half has been the punishment meted out to young Brian O’Sullivan by the St. Finbars team. It seems that their tactic has been to take him out of his game by tackling him from every imaginable angle whenever he touches the ball, in many cases illegally or well after the ball has been passed on. The result has been innumerable free kicks which have completely upset any flow to the match. If this is what the Finbars coach means by doing whatever it takes to win, this reporter is not impressed. In fairness, Killians have not exactly been choirboys themselves and a couple of their players have not been reluctant to clatter Finbars players in retribution for the assaults on their young leader. The referee has issued two yellow cards against the Finbars Bulldogs but that total could, and perhaps should have been eight or ten cards. It would seem that he has lost complete control over this match. Both yellow card recipients have been replaced so Finbars has no player on the pitch playing on a yellow. John Thornton is carrying a yellow card for Killians but he is obviously too valuable to be replaced. To be honest I don’t know how many more brutal tackles young O’Sullivan can take and it seems only a matter of time before Killians will be worn down by Finbars’ relentless attacks.”

As the radio station broke for commercial breaks, Margaret stood and stretched her legs. She was now seriously worried about what was happening in the soccer match. She knew that her Brian was very fit and could probably run all day without tiring but the idea of boys much older and much stronger running into him every time he touched the ball filled her with fear for his safety. Brian so wanted to compete and be part of a team that he was thrilled to be playing at St. Killians. However, Brian was still a young boy, naïve in so many ways. He seriously thought that all athletes subscribed to a code of honor and fair play and she wondered how he would react when faced with what seemed to be a win at any price attitude. Margaret could only hope that the match would end quickly and her young friend’s enthusiasm would not be totally destroyed.

“Well, it’s another free kick for St. Killians. The first twenty minutes of the second half have not changed St. Finbars’ approach to the match as they have continued to disrupt the flow of the game by tackling young Brian O’Sullivan with increasing ferocity. By the time the free kick is delivered, usually with amazing accuracy, St. Finbars has reset its defense, which has so far been able to deal with the threats. It seems that Finbars has decided to play nearly its entire team behind the ball, defend vigorously and count on its experience and strong goalkeeper to defend what may well be a match decided on penalty kicks. In fairness to the referee, three yellow cards have been shown to Finbars players, which is an improvement on the first half, but in my opinion not a completely appropriate response. The supporters from both sides, it seems, have expressed their disgust at the Finbars tactics and every time O’Sullivan is tackled a chorus of boos rains down on the St. Finbars team. Unfortunately, this seems to have no effect on Finbars’ approach to the match.”

“Play has resumed with a St. Finbars goal kick and Moore sends the ball well past the center circle. The ball is headed strongly by Thornton to O’Sullivan who turns against Bradley, steps over the ball and easily leaves the defender behind kicking out at a ball that isn’t there. O’Sullivan takes two steps up the field and, oh no, he is brutally taken out at the back of his knees by Tony Bradley. There was absolutely no attempt to win the ball. That tackle was quite simply an assault. Whether out of malice or pure frustration, Bradley kicked out at the back of O’Sullivan’s right knee and the young man is hurt. Certainly that must merit a straight red card from the referee who is running over to confront young Bradley. Unlike all the other occasions, when he jumped up without complaint, O’Sullivan is still down on the ground clutching his right knee. Oh, no, here comes Thunder Thornton going after Tony Bradley and the fists are flying. Both teams have joined the melee, as the referee and both linesman have waded into the middle of the pack, blowing their whistles and trying to restore order. I would be remiss if I did not say that this altercation is the predictable result of the referee’s failure to take control of the game in the first ten minutes. I am also surprised that Thornton or any one of the St. Killians players did not more seriously retaliate before this in response to the manner in which their young star has been tackled but, perhaps, that can be attributed to disciplined coaching. It had to boil over, however, and now the referee, linesmen and coaches are trying to restore order.”

Margaret sat tensely, her handkerchief over her mouth, shocked at what was being described. Her Brian was lying on the ground, injured and the young men who were supposed to be involved in a sporting competition were fighting like young hooligans. It was the last thing she expected and she felt almost as badly for young Brian as she had when his beloved Molly died. “Please, God” she whispered, “let him be all right.”

“Well order has finally been restored at Dalymount Park and the referee is consulting with the linesmen. The referee is calling John Thornton and Tony Bradley over and is marking in his book. Both have been given straight red cards and are finished for the match. Jimmie Rice, St. Killians captain is now having a word with the referee, well perhaps more than a word. The referee is going to his pocket, oh dear; Rice has also been show a red card, undoubtedly for dissent. That will leave Killians defense in tatters. The medical staff is still tending to Brian O’Sullivan and a stretcher is being called. He is undoubtedly also finished for the night. I’m not sure who is available to replace the young superstar but with the loss of their strongest defenders the remainder of the match will be played ten against nine and one would have to assume that St. Killians hope for an upset is over.”

“O’Sullivan is being stretchered off to the sideline in the company of Coach Harry McElhatton. Clearly the young man is in some discomfort but he appears to be trying to explain something to his coach. The stretcher is deposited near the St. Killians bench while the doctor continues to attend to Brian O’Sullivan. The referee is consulting the Killians manager undoubtedly asking if a substitute will be sent on. It appears that McElhatton is not prepared to make a substitution although I can’t see how his young star can return to the action. At any rate, the match will restart with only eight players competing for St. Killians.”

Margaret listened, almost relieved that her Brian would no longer be subjected to continuing abuse. She could only pray that his injury was not too serious. She also hoped that the experience would not change his love of the game.

“Well, folks, there are only fifteen minutes left in the match and it is clear that St. Finbars has abandoned its strategy of playing for a tie and winning on penalty shots as they are pressing forward against what would appear to be a defenseless opposition. It is really a shame that this match should be reduced to this sham but Finbars can take no glory rom their certain victory. Their tactic of conceding free kicks at every opportunity rather than allowing for a free flowing match may be strictly within the rules but it has made a mockery of the game and serious questions must be asked about the referee’s refusal to show far more yellow cards.”

“There is the first goal of the match. Jack Murphy sent a long cross from the left corner, which was headed home by Stephen Long. It is clear that St. Killians no longer have any answers for the Finbars attack. Killians takes the restart, Donovan passes the ball back to White who sends the ball down the right wing toward Mulvey but he overshoots the target and the ball goes over the touchline. Throw in to Finbars. Doherty takes the throw, in to Long who makes an unencumbered run up the middle of the field. He passes over to Ntumba who jukes past his defender and slides the ball across to Murphy who is unmarked on the back post. Murphy passes the ball into the back of the net. St. Finbars two, St. Killians nil.”

“It looks like St. Finbars is going to send on its final substitutions now that the game is effectively over. I’m not sure why Coach Harry McElhatton has not replaced young O’Sullivan except, perhaps to prove a point because even if he were replaced the match has effectively been over since the young man was injured and Killians two senior defenders were sent off. At any rate John Dunphy and Sean Walton come on for St. Finbars. And… wait a second… Brian O’Sullivan has apparently recovered enough to re-enter the contest. He is stretching his right knee and the referee has signaled him back onto the pitch. Unfortunately there are only five minutes left in the match, plus at least a couple of minutes of injury time and I can’t imagine the difference that the young man might make, particularly with a seriously damaged knee.”

Margaret stared at the radio with a look of horror. No sooner had she been able to relax as whatever damage had been done, when her Brian was being sent back out. Whatever was the coach thinking?Clearly it would make no difference to the outcome and the boy had already been injured badly enough to require a stretcher to remove him from the pitch. Now he was being sent back out for the final few minutes.

“Well this is certainly a shock. Brian O’Sullivan has returned after sustaining what appeared to be a very serious knee injury. The referee has signaled a restart and Jim Donovan touches to ball to Hagerty who immediately sends it back to Brian O’Sullivan. O’Sullivan moves forward deftly stepping over an attempted slide tackle. He dribbles past the center circle and into Finbars territory. Dunphy attempts a slide tackle but O’Sullivan holding the ball between both feet jumps high in the air and over the top of the sliding Dunphy. If that young man is still injured, you couldn’t see it in that move. O’Sullivan is fronted by Nolan but the Killians midfielder spins past and Nolan reaches out and grabs the young man’s shirt. O’Sullivan pulls away, oh my goodness. The referee has blown his whistle. It’s a free kick to Killians but the referee should have played the advantage. I would have thought it is a little late to be initiating a quick whistle. Killians is lining up quickly, while Finbars are taking their time setting up a wall. It is O’Sullivan who will take the kick as he stands alone behind the ball. The referee blows the whistle and O’Sullivan steps forward and launches a left-footed rocket that… yes… it bends over the wall and into the top left corner of the net. The keeper had no chance to stop that shot and suddenly it is two to one. Surprisingly enough that, my friends, is the first goal Brian O’Sullivan has scored for his school. Finbars is in no hurry to restart the match with only three minutes remaining but the referee is warning them to move forward. Long takes the restart, sends it forward to Walton who kicks the ball all the way back to the keeper. Moore holds the ball but he is pressed by Hagerty and he finally sends it way up the field into the Killians’ half. Brian O’Sullivan rises above everyone and heads the ball into an open area to his right. My goodness, I don’t know much about vertical leaps but his boots must have been at least three feet off the turf. O’Sullivan wins the chase to the ball tipping it just out of reach of the sliding Walton. O’Sullivan has some room to run down the right touchline and he spins away from the sliding Long and then counter-spins against Nolan who was obviously trying to take him down like a rugby player. I have seen Pele, George Best and Diego Maradona at their best but I have never seen anything like this. Young Brian O’Sullivan appears to be in some sort of trance, anticipating every attempt to take the ball and countering it with a combination of remarkable ball control, perfectly time touches and a series of spins that have left the St. Finbars defenders clutching at air. You can’t tackle what you can’t touch. Shane Barry is the last defender and he squares up against O’Sullivan. Oh my…. What a move. O’Sullivan stepped over the ball and back-heeled it over Barry’s head and now he is one-on-one against the top schoolboy goalkeeper in the country. Moore comes out to cut down the angle… it’s no contest. O’Sullivan has chipped the ball over Moore’s head and the ball is in the back of the net. The score is tied, two all. Remarkable, absolutely remarkable. I don’t know how else I can put this but I have never seen anything like his in my entire life and as the listeners will well know, I have been covering soccer for forty years.”