Heroism and Teamwork in pulsating encounter...Belmont 2 - St.James 2 in top of table clash.

So the day finally arrived , the top of the table clash vs the mighty St.James who had swept all before them and who had rolled Belmont over on their first outing.. What would it be ? More of the same from St.James ? By now used to glory and feasting on the misery they have inflicted on all the other teams in the league with the exception of Wayside Celtic who held them to a three all draw.

This St.James team laid down a marker with their manager waiting patiently outside the gates of Herbert Park at 9.30am while the Belmont team lay soundly asleep in their beds.

Belmont Management have reportedly been obsesssing about this one for a few weeks ... Would there be any way Belmont could turn the tables on this team.. a big ask to turn around a 9-1 defeat. However buoyed with the continuous development of the team , players finding their natural positions on the pitch and partnerships becoming established that more in hope than expectation Belmont managers took the desperate and foolhardy stepand went ahead and published the 'Secret Plan' on the internet...which assigned specific players to tasks and roles for the game.

And so it was that the goals were eventually assembled with the help of the opposition team parents while the autumn sunshine bathed the arena that is Herbert Park with warm sunshine.

The scene was set. Belmont in this particular match specific formation of two defenders , two midfielders having specific defensive roles , a single midfielder and a lone striker.

The Belmont manager for the day was Boggan. Alone yet again for a St.James fixture.... as a crack team of medics and part time technology buffs led by Hugh Mulcahy rushed to answer the call of the small underdeveloped indian ocean island of the Seychelles. Our hearts especially go out to the patient wives who volunteered to go with their men to make sure that they did not get lonely while saving the population of this island from a disease which is so secret that the outbreak has not even made the papers yet.... The absent manager Mulcahy reportedly sent a message of good luck to his team before setting off without so much as a care for his own well being into the unknown. Apparently the medics acquired identical sets of Maui Jim sun glasses as a gesture of solidarity with the manager the left behind.


And so it was that the solitary Belmont Manager called his team together into a huddle to read the message of support. The Absent managers son was so emotional that he asked if he could go home rather than play but he was persuaded that as captain for the day , he had responsibilities...the team left the huddle and went to their appointed date with destiny on the pitch.

The whistle heralded the start of the match and the expectant crowd drew their breaths and held them waiting and waiting as the match began to unfold.

Rather than St.James taking control, it was Belmont , defending and tackling and running and tackling , the manager shouting encouragement and laying down the law for his troops who responded brilliantly.

Up and down the pitch , the first half was a chess game with attack and counter attack being snuffed out. Conor Booth making a single fine save in the half.

The blanket defensive system held well and St.James found themselves frustrated with Mark Cloonan and Luke Sheehan being stalwarts as usual , coolly and clinically closing down their men. Brian Cuddy as designated striker required the attention of two defenders for most of the first half and Fiona McNulty came on and immediately set about bamboozling the St.James midfiled with her fancy footwork.

The crowds held their breath as Fiona at one stage decided to take matters into her own hands and rather than being boring and clearing the ball from in front of her goal mouth she set about giving a demonstration of soccer skills and casually beat the shocked St.James attackers and brought the ball to the half way line before passing. The St,James manager was seen writing in his notebook and pointing at her .. she had been the star before and now it looked like they might try and poach her...

Marcus Boggan and John Mulcahy too took their turns on the sidelines in the first half as they required re-hydration and a rest , such was the intensity of the play. Jack Fahey shots brilliantly saved by the St.James keeper , working hard for the first time in his life.

The half time whistle went and the team drew its breath... Game on. Belmont had achieved the first part of the plan , which was to contain the St.James attack... now could this maturing team really continue to focus and would they get anything out of it at the end ?

Luke sheehan asked to come off as he had given his all . Conor Booth rose to the challenge and volunteered to man the goal for the second half. His reward will come to him soon. The second half began as the first half had ended with both teams getting stuck in . Was this to be just another game of two halves ???.... the noise and support had drawn many innocent onlookers and by the time the referee blew his whistle to award a penalty against Belmont , the crowds had swelled to numbers usually reserved for FAI cup finals..

Was it a penalty ? 'Almost defonoiteluy noht...' said one bystander when asked ....certainly not according to the majority but this was a tough game and within the ebbs and flows it added to the drama of the morning.

Interviewed later the Belmont manager said that he would review the video footage before giving his view . A harsh decision though with players reporting that the referee saw one of the kids slip and accidentally trip one of the St,James rather than anything more sinister...

Gionanni Trappatoni who was in the crowds assembled on the sidelines agreed that the decision was harsh but you have just got to pick your self up and move on.

One nil , a fine penalty shot , Booth dived the right way but the strength of the shot carried the ball into the top left hand corner and out of the reach of the brave goalie.

Now the test , one down , would Belmont drop their heads and bow out ?

Patrick Sherwin upped the ante and ran rings around his opposite number creating space and options all the time.

Cuddy was brought on to give Cloonan a rest , Jack Fahy was rotated off the pitch and Marcus Boggan sent to take his chances as striker. The strategy of throwing Boggan out of defence into striking position has worked in the past and worked a treat again here,

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Within two minutes of the penalty , a clearance out of defence by Luke sheehan , a deft tackle by Cathal Dempsey whose clearance found Mc Nulty and she passed to John Mulcahy who drew men to him before passing across the box to the first touch strike of Marcus Boggan and delirious cheers from the assembled crowds.

Too good to be true... back in the game now , eight minutes to play , St.James made some tactical substitutions , trying to get back in control. Their period of ascendancy short lived.

Another St.James attack snuffed out with Fiona Mc Nulty making a fine contribution to the game with a marvellous tackle and a pass to Patrick sherwin and on to Jack Fahey who was himself tackled , yet went on and won the ball back again with tenacious play. Mulcahy was everywhere.

Sad really that his parents could not make the match but that did not stop the young John lad today. He was at once up the wing , then in defence and this time in support of Fahy and drawing the St.James defence , Suddenly Luke Sheehan , appeared out of nowhere , instantly saw the opportunity that Boggan had been momentarily left unmarked and so with a clever pass put the ball at the foot of Marcus Boggan who only had to reach it to hammer home his second goal of the game.

Now it was the turn of the St.James manager to throw caution to the wind and empty his bench. Four minutes to go , stalemate , end to end stuff , further shots on Goal from Belmont and stalwart defence as the St.James team who had never scored less than three goals before found themselves top of three table but for the first time in their season behind by a goal.

From the Belmont perspective , it was heart wrenching for the crowds when a sublime pass across field found one of the St.James strikers for once with a view of the Belmont goal and with a superb strike the match was level with less than a minute to go.

The frenzy of tackling and surges on both sides in the final minute was interrupted by the referees final whistle.

Honours even , the Belmont crowd were shocked and elated at the end of the match but spontaneously applauded the home team .

The Belmont kids had achieved something special . The St.James manager , face red with adrenalin gave a hearty handshake to the Belmont Manager Boggan and was heard to remark that this was an epic encounter of incredibly high quality football from two teams of 8 year olds...

A more pulsating encounter would not be found on these shores that day.... Or so we thought...

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Ireland were about to copy the Belmont formula right to the very last detail. Even Trappatoni who had created something of a master stroke to engineer Ireland to a 2 1 lead with 3 minutes to go did not learn the lessons of closing out a game in the final moments. I was heart broken for Boggan said Trappatoni (seen below gesticulating to Boggan ont he sidelines just after the St.James equaliser). Trappatoni said that Boggan and himself had spent a good few hours helping each other with their strategic plans prior to the game.

Belmont Manager Liam Boggan who confessed to being disappointed with the late goal but ecstatic with the team performance got something of a surprise dressing down from Mulcahy for not closing out the game

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'Simple simple simple...Ball up the jumper stuff'' said Mulcahy whilst reclining and sipping a pina colada when interviewed on Sky sports against a background of sandy beaches and Blue skies wih adoring natives catering to his every whim. Mulcahy said he was relaxed though , and would be asking the Board for continued support for Boggan in his absence.

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Fashion writers were quick to laud Mulcahy for his taste in floral swimming shorts. Apparently the pressure of saving the health of the seychellian people is hot and thirsty work and hence the absence of proper medical attire...

The Man of the match choice today for his incredible tackling and the sublime pass that set up the first goal went to Cathal Dempsey. It was impossible to separate the contributions of the kids on an individual basis today.

Manager Boggan smiling broadly and defiant despite the late equaliser said the team were all heroes but went on to remind the kids that the real crunch match is next week...Wayside Celtic away,,,,A win could set up Belmont to potentially go through to the semi finals assuming Belmont maintains this form for the next few matches.

More to look forward to.