My good friend Trev Moore is manager of the FAS (Irish Employment Agency) office in Sheriff Street, and he secured complimentary Directors Box seats and programmes for us - what a treat! Sharing the box with us was former World Champion boxer Bernard Dunne, TDs Aodhan O'Riordain and Joe Costello, former Irish kitbag man Charlie O'Leary and other truly A-list celebrities!
A pint of Guinness was enjoyed in the Stadium Bar before the game, helping to reduce the general dread of attendance of such games, which tend to be dire in terms of quality and excitement. Sheriff YC were two goals down at half-time, slightly unluckily so, but there then followed the most astonishing and pulsating 2nd half of football ever witnessed here in Ireland. Sheriff pulled a goal back by chipping the goalkeeper from near the centre circle. Then Shelbourne went up the field immediately and won themselves a penalty which they proceeded to miss. Soon after, Sheriff drew level with a sublimely taken free-kick, and to turn frenzy into pandemonium in the stands, they grabbed a third goal via a screaming pile-driver long-range rasper!
Cue a siege upon the Sheriff YC goal, but they held out for an incredible victory. Within two minutes of the final whistle, some idiot taxi-men were creating rumours that the game was fixed, as the odds of Shelbourne leading at half-time and Sheriff winning at full-time were 66/1, but any of the 1,500 who saw the game could vouch that acting of such calibre to simulate the events as they occurred was simply impossible.
We were instantly converted to being life-long Sheriff YC fans, and celebrated with more Guinness in the bar after the game, watching highlights of the European Super Cup between Barcelona and Porto, which seemed dull in comparison.
The view of the capacity crowd from the Directors Box
Contentment : 16 / 25
Excitement : 4 / 10
Memorability : 5 / 15
Overall Score : 50% (33rd out of 238)
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