Legends are Winners and Losers in Spain
Living as we do in a time when we constantly hear of concerns about obesity and sedentary lifestyles, it is heartening and inspirational to know that we have fine examples of good living on our doorstep.
The benefits of healthy exercise radiate from the Boyle Celtic Legends. It is a tribute to their vigour and vitality that this team of 40 and 50-somethings continues to seek out new challenges at home and abroad.
Last weekend, the Legends travelled to Madrid to take on the veterans of Britannica in an eagerly awaited encounter. Months of tactical planning and preparation brought the Legends to the peak of physical fitness ahead of their departure. Once installed at the team’s city centre training base however, leader/manager Brendan Lynch received news that the Britannica veterans had withdrawn from the challenge. News of the Legends all-conquering 2009 season had clearly reached their ears.
Undaunted, the Leader threw down a gauntlet, inviting any team brave enough to take on the Legends, if they dare. Later that evening, the challenge was met by local side Escuela Deportiva. On arriving at the Stadio Poledeportivo next day, it became apparent this would be the Legends toughest test yet. Instead of being matched against a comparable veteran side, they were faced with a crack Spanish league outfit of 20-30 year olds, which included a Philippine full international, and a cousin of Real Madrid’s Raul.
The first half was a hard-fought encounter, notable for heroic defending from Micheals Hunt, McHale and O’Dowd, ably assisted by the resolute Sean Donoghue. Crunching tackles and brave blocks kept the Spaniards at bay. On the few occasions the defence was breached, goalkeeper John Reynolds was at his sharpest, making several athletic saves. The midfield four of Jim Feighan, Brendan Tiernan, Mark Reilly and Doug Rodden rolled back the years to prove that old age and cunning can still triumph over youth and enthusiasm. Up front, Chris Callan and the marauding Chris Hill chased everything, causing the Escuela defence all sorts of problems.
A purple patch before half-time yielded a succession of corners and chances, a blazing drive from Tiernan skimming the crossbar, and a neat passing combination between Feighan and Callan sending Hill through. Despite the pressure, the Legends just couldn’t force the vital breakthrough. At the whistle, the young men of Escuela shook their head in wonder at how the grizzled Legends had stayed with their pace and polished skills. It was all to play for.
Sadly, it was not to be. After the break, the years began to tell a little. Substitutes Tom Gallagher, David O’Connor, Ray Queenan and the Roscommon Herald’s own flying winger Paul Connolly added bite and grit, carrying the fight back to the younger side. Ultimately though, it became clear that however fit and well honed the marvellous physical specimens of the Legends might be, it is simply not possible to give 30 years away to your opponents over 90 minutes and hope to carry the day. Despite a spectacular long range effort from Doug Rodden, in the latter stages of the game, breakthroughs came for Escuela, and their greater speed carried them to a narrow but deserved victory.
Undaunted, the Legends attended the Bernabeu Stadium on Sunday night to further their football education, watching Real Madrid’s 6-2 victory over Villareal, and enjoying a sociable evening afterwards where non-playing members of the squad, Brendan Lynch, Donal O’Connor, Donald Brennan, Maurice Mullins, John Greenan and Billy Roe all made valuable contributions to the celebrations. The Legends would like to pay tribute to Brendan and Michael McHale for their organisation of the trip, and to thank Padraig in the James Joyce and Pedro José in Scanlanos for their contribution to the weekend’s entertainment.
The search for similarly-aged opponents for 2011 has already begun across Europe.
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