Aviva and it’s still a bit overwhelming. And all the guys I’m playing against are a year or more older than me.’
‘But none of them have your experience in Lansdowne Road,’ Dixie pointed out. ‘You have two winners’ medals from two games there – I know some top-class rugby men who went through whole careers without winning even a match there, let alone a medal.’
Eoin thanked his grandad and gave him a hug. ‘I’ll see you next week then, hope you get a good seat.’
‘Oh I’m sure Andy Finn has a nice comfortable one for me in the royal box,’ Dixie laughed. ‘I’ll give you a wave.’
On the bus back to Dublin Dylan was hyper with excitement. Caoimhe had mentioned Eoin’s suggestion that he might get on to the team due to the bug outbreak and he was already planning his tactical approach to playing in the game.
‘Steady on, Dyl!’ pleaded Eoin. ‘I was only saying that to Caoi to encourage her to come to see the final. There would need to be a lot of guys out for you to get in the team.’
As soon as he said it, Eoin realised that he probably should not have. Dylan glared at his friend and, obviously hurt, turned his face to the window and put his earphones in.
Chapter 32
. . . . . . . . .
E OIN was right, of course, but even he couldn’t have expected that so many of the squad were laid low by the bug. Mr Carey called over to the dorm on Sunday night to check that his out-half was still in his full health.
‘Thank goodness,’ he sighed. ‘Six of the starters and three more of the squad are in the sick bay. I’ve asked the Leinster Branch for a postponement but they won’t grant it. Something to do with it being on television and tickets being sold. Thankfully they’ve allowed us to register some extra players from outside the 35 so we can at least turn out a team.’
Mr Carey turned to survey the rest of the room. ‘Ah, Dylan Coonan,’ he said. ‘We are a bit short of wingers. Can you turn up at training tomorrow?’
Dylan nodded. ‘Do you need Rory too?’ he asked.
‘Well Gav O’Donnell is out, so you might as well bring him along as cover,’ the coach replied. ‘And if you see Charlie Johnston could you ask him too?’
As soon as Mr Carey had left the room Dylan leapt upon his bed and did a somersault as if it was a trampoline.
‘Yahoo!’ he cried. ‘That’s awesome news. And Rory too!’
Eoin smiled. ‘And of course Caoimhe and your mum will have to come up too.’
‘Yes, I forgot that,’ replied Dylan. ‘But maybe I should wait to see how training goes?’
The news of how Castlerock’s squad had been seriously depleted hadn’t reached the ears of the media just yet, which was why it wasn’t mentioned in the preview of the game in The Irish Times . During first class on Monday Mr McCaffrey called in to the science lab to read the article aloud to the boys:
I would venture to say that the clash of Castlerock and Belvedere in this week’s Junior Cup Final could be a classic collision of styles. In the cauldron of Aviva Stadium this could, assuredly, be a titanic battle in the trenches. Belvedere’s golden generation are, as ever, enigmatic, but Castlerock are the sleeping giant of les temps perdu and thus worthy of respect.
Interestingly, the latter entity has had its hand forced by fate and have had to pluck a second year into its ranks for the big day. The versatile Eoin Madden has put his hand up for selection, been hauled off bench duty and gets thenod for Le Grand Match. He is sure to step up against his school’s traditional bête noire.
Eoin felt his face turning bright red as several of his classmates turned to stare at him.
‘Well, Mr Madden, it appears you are considered “versatile”,’ said the headmaster. ‘Well, good luck on Wednesday and I’m sure the boys wish you well in your “titanic battle in the trenches”,’ he chuckled.
There was plenty more ribbing throughout the day, and it didn’t stop when Eoin turned up for
‘But none of them have your experience in Lansdowne Road,’ Dixie pointed out. ‘You have two winners’ medals from two games there – I know some top-class rugby men who went through whole careers without winning even a match there, let alone a medal.’
Eoin thanked his grandad and gave him a hug. ‘I’ll see you next week then, hope you get a good seat.’
‘Oh I’m sure Andy Finn has a nice comfortable one for me in the royal box,’ Dixie laughed. ‘I’ll give you a wave.’
On the bus back to Dublin Dylan was hyper with excitement. Caoimhe had mentioned Eoin’s suggestion that he might get on to the team due to the bug outbreak and he was already planning his tactical approach to playing in the game.
‘Steady on, Dyl!’ pleaded Eoin. ‘I was only saying that to Caoi to encourage her to come to see the final. There would need to be a lot of guys out for you to get in the team.’
As soon as he said it, Eoin realised that he probably should not have. Dylan glared at his friend and, obviously hurt, turned his face to the window and put his earphones in.
Chapter 32
. . . . . . . . .
E OIN was right, of course, but even he couldn’t have expected that so many of the squad were laid low by the bug. Mr Carey called over to the dorm on Sunday night to check that his out-half was still in his full health.
‘Thank goodness,’ he sighed. ‘Six of the starters and three more of the squad are in the sick bay. I’ve asked the Leinster Branch for a postponement but they won’t grant it. Something to do with it being on television and tickets being sold. Thankfully they’ve allowed us to register some extra players from outside the 35 so we can at least turn out a team.’
Mr Carey turned to survey the rest of the room. ‘Ah, Dylan Coonan,’ he said. ‘We are a bit short of wingers. Can you turn up at training tomorrow?’
Dylan nodded. ‘Do you need Rory too?’ he asked.
‘Well Gav O’Donnell is out, so you might as well bring him along as cover,’ the coach replied. ‘And if you see Charlie Johnston could you ask him too?’
As soon as Mr Carey had left the room Dylan leapt upon his bed and did a somersault as if it was a trampoline.
‘Yahoo!’ he cried. ‘That’s awesome news. And Rory too!’
Eoin smiled. ‘And of course Caoimhe and your mum will have to come up too.’
‘Yes, I forgot that,’ replied Dylan. ‘But maybe I should wait to see how training goes?’
The news of how Castlerock’s squad had been seriously depleted hadn’t reached the ears of the media just yet, which was why it wasn’t mentioned in the preview of the game in The Irish Times . During first class on Monday Mr McCaffrey called in to the science lab to read the article aloud to the boys:
I would venture to say that the clash of Castlerock and Belvedere in this week’s Junior Cup Final could be a classic collision of styles. In the cauldron of Aviva Stadium this could, assuredly, be a titanic battle in the trenches. Belvedere’s golden generation are, as ever, enigmatic, but Castlerock are the sleeping giant of les temps perdu and thus worthy of respect.
Interestingly, the latter entity has had its hand forced by fate and have had to pluck a second year into its ranks for the big day. The versatile Eoin Madden has put his hand up for selection, been hauled off bench duty and gets thenod for Le Grand Match. He is sure to step up against his school’s traditional bête noire.
Eoin felt his face turning bright red as several of his classmates turned to stare at him.
‘Well, Mr Madden, it appears you are considered “versatile”,’ said the headmaster. ‘Well, good luck on Wednesday and I’m sure the boys wish you well in your “titanic battle in the trenches”,’ he chuckled.
There was plenty more ribbing throughout the day, and it didn’t stop when Eoin turned up for
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