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Authors: Gerard Siggins
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Duffy, nodding towards Eoin. ‘He’s never played there before on this team and I don’t think he’s up to it.’
‘All right Duffy, that’s enough,’ interrupted Mr Carey. ‘I selected Madden because I think he’s up to it. Now make sure he gets plenty of ball in the second half. Out you go.’
From the kick-off the Castlerock forwards won the chase for the ball and immediately formed a ruck. The ball came back to Vincent at scrum-half whotossed it out to Duffy.
The out-half made a break and dashed past two Ligouri tacklers. With Castlerock having three men outside shadowed by just two defenders, a try looked likely. Duffy threw the ball in the direction of Eoin, but about a foot higher than he expected it.
Eoin scrabbled at the ball as it bounced off his shoulder and forward onto the ground. The referee whistled for a knock-on, giving Ligouri College the scrum.
‘Come on, Madden,’ moaned Mr Carey, ‘hang on to it.’
‘Yeah,’ smirked Duffy, ‘hang on to it, you culchie slob.’
Eoin grimaced, and glared at Duffy. He knew the out-half had done that on purpose, but there was no point complaining.
The next time the ball came out, Eoin was ready for it and reacted quickly to gather it six inches off the ground, just below his knees. He steadied himself upright and threw an inch perfect pass out to the other centre, who crashed through a tackle to score a try.
‘Excellent pass, Madden,’ said Mr Carey as he trotted on once again.
The game ended 10-3 to Castlerock, but the coach was not overly delighted with the performance.
‘We’ve a lot of work to do guys, and we especiallyneed to look at the way the backline moves. Extra practice for the backs tomorrow morning after mass.’
The team groaned, and changed in silence. Charlie looked over at Eoin and cast his eyes up to heaven with a grin. Lorcan caught the exchange and smiled too, Eoin was surprised, but pleased – maybe this team wasn’t too bad after all.
As they left the changing room, Richie Duffy turned to face Eoin.
‘You were lucky with that pass today, Madden, but no-one on this team wants you here. Don’t make any long-term plans about that No.12 shirt.’
‘If I were you,’ replied Eoin, ‘I’d be more worried about who’s wearing the No.10 shirt on that performance .’
And with that, he turned and jogged out to where Alan and Rory were waiting, with a smile on his face wider than any of Duffy’s failed kicks at goal.
C HAPTER 17
T raining next morning was cancelled, to Eoin’s relief, as the first snows of winter had started to roll in off Dublin Bay. It reminded Eoin that Christmas was just around the corner and he would soon be going home to Tipperary.
The next week was spent studying for tests, but Mr Carey told them at practice that the second round of the cup would be held on the Saturday after the end of term, so Eoin would have to delay his return home.
‘Good news for you, Madden, we’re playing away in Rostipp – not too far from your place I think?’ Carey said.
Rostipp , thought Eoin, that’s where a few of the lads from primary school went. If they had taken up rugby, that would make it interesting.
The Christmas exams went well enough for Eoin,although he still struggled with Maths and was completely outfoxed by Mr Finn’s History paper.
‘I always mix up Daniel O’Connell and Charles Stewart Parnell,’ he explained to his father when he called to the school to collect his cases on the last day of term.
Mr Madden laughed and told his son not to worry.
‘Mr Finn is a decent man, he knows how hard you’ve been working.’
That shut Eoin up for a few seconds as they finished packing the car.
‘I hate having to stay over tonight,’ he said, ‘but Mr Carey wants us all to go down on the bus together.’
‘Don’t worry,’ said his dad, ‘It’s just one more night and your mum and I will be there tomorrow.’
‘And Grandad?’ asked Eoin.
‘Well … I don’t think he’s up to
‘All right Duffy, that’s enough,’ interrupted Mr Carey. ‘I selected Madden because I think he’s up to it. Now make sure he gets plenty of ball in the second half. Out you go.’
From the kick-off the Castlerock forwards won the chase for the ball and immediately formed a ruck. The ball came back to Vincent at scrum-half whotossed it out to Duffy.
The out-half made a break and dashed past two Ligouri tacklers. With Castlerock having three men outside shadowed by just two defenders, a try looked likely. Duffy threw the ball in the direction of Eoin, but about a foot higher than he expected it.
Eoin scrabbled at the ball as it bounced off his shoulder and forward onto the ground. The referee whistled for a knock-on, giving Ligouri College the scrum.
‘Come on, Madden,’ moaned Mr Carey, ‘hang on to it.’
‘Yeah,’ smirked Duffy, ‘hang on to it, you culchie slob.’
Eoin grimaced, and glared at Duffy. He knew the out-half had done that on purpose, but there was no point complaining.
The next time the ball came out, Eoin was ready for it and reacted quickly to gather it six inches off the ground, just below his knees. He steadied himself upright and threw an inch perfect pass out to the other centre, who crashed through a tackle to score a try.
‘Excellent pass, Madden,’ said Mr Carey as he trotted on once again.
The game ended 10-3 to Castlerock, but the coach was not overly delighted with the performance.
‘We’ve a lot of work to do guys, and we especiallyneed to look at the way the backline moves. Extra practice for the backs tomorrow morning after mass.’
The team groaned, and changed in silence. Charlie looked over at Eoin and cast his eyes up to heaven with a grin. Lorcan caught the exchange and smiled too, Eoin was surprised, but pleased – maybe this team wasn’t too bad after all.
As they left the changing room, Richie Duffy turned to face Eoin.
‘You were lucky with that pass today, Madden, but no-one on this team wants you here. Don’t make any long-term plans about that No.12 shirt.’
‘If I were you,’ replied Eoin, ‘I’d be more worried about who’s wearing the No.10 shirt on that performance .’
And with that, he turned and jogged out to where Alan and Rory were waiting, with a smile on his face wider than any of Duffy’s failed kicks at goal.
C HAPTER 17
T raining next morning was cancelled, to Eoin’s relief, as the first snows of winter had started to roll in off Dublin Bay. It reminded Eoin that Christmas was just around the corner and he would soon be going home to Tipperary.
The next week was spent studying for tests, but Mr Carey told them at practice that the second round of the cup would be held on the Saturday after the end of term, so Eoin would have to delay his return home.
‘Good news for you, Madden, we’re playing away in Rostipp – not too far from your place I think?’ Carey said.
Rostipp , thought Eoin, that’s where a few of the lads from primary school went. If they had taken up rugby, that would make it interesting.
The Christmas exams went well enough for Eoin,although he still struggled with Maths and was completely outfoxed by Mr Finn’s History paper.
‘I always mix up Daniel O’Connell and Charles Stewart Parnell,’ he explained to his father when he called to the school to collect his cases on the last day of term.
Mr Madden laughed and told his son not to worry.
‘Mr Finn is a decent man, he knows how hard you’ve been working.’
That shut Eoin up for a few seconds as they finished packing the car.
‘I hate having to stay over tonight,’ he said, ‘but Mr Carey wants us all to go down on the bus together.’
‘Don’t worry,’ said his dad, ‘It’s just one more night and your mum and I will be there tomorrow.’
‘And Grandad?’ asked Eoin.
‘Well … I don’t think he’s up to
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