Shelshocked
Credit:
It was the opening day of the 2002-03 season. I had just turned 13 and was sat in the Donie Forde stand in Turner’s Cross with a cast on my leg, looking forward to yet another year of League of Ireland footballer.
After a year of mediocrity the season previous, Cork City were very much at a sink or swim point.
Three new attack-minded signings were brought in, George O’Callaghan, John O’Flynn and Dave Warren (along with the addition of Dan Murray on loan that season, of course) and current champions Shelbourne were in town.
The Reds were once again favourites to sweep all before them, but there was cautious optimism in the air in Turner’s Cross.
As it turned out, the trio of O’Callaghan, O’Flynn and Warren produced a magical display in glorious sunshine as City ran out comfortable winners.
The following day the Evening Echo ran with a headline comparing the Leesiders to a team of Brazilian’s – it was an early peak in what turned out to be a fascinating rivalry between the two teams at the top of Irish football.
Often fraught with controversy, always full of entertainment, battles between the two teams in Turner’s Cross or Tolka Park still remain some of the fondest memories of my teenage years.
Since Shels dropped out of the top tier in 2007, there was a big void. Last season’s meetings didn’t inspire much with both sides off the pace in the first division.
The drawn meeting earlier this season was highly entertaining but sadly Shels’ fanbase isn’t the largest and it wasn’t until last Friday’s meeting at Turner’s Cross that the buzz of a Cork City-Shelbourne meeting returned.
And it returned in style, too. Leading by ten points, a win for Shels would have strengthened their one-handed grip on the first division trophy. City though, turned in the best performance of their season to date to keep not only themselves in with a hunt, but also Monaghan United and Limerick.
Shels started brightly, showing exactly why they are champions-elect and still almost dead certs to be promoted. But it was the manner in which the home side responded that was most impressive.
Daryl Horgan, with all his Damian Duff like qualities, both in appearance and in playing style, was an absolute joy to behold, while Davin O’Neill was also in delightful form.
What will stand out most though, is the return to the atmosphere that characterised being part of the Rebel Army movement in the mid noughties.
An official attendance of 3205 at Turner’s Cross on Friday night eclipsed even the crowd in Dalymount Park for the game between what’s often called the two biggest clubs in the country in Bohemians and Shamrock Rovers.
In contrast, an embarrassing crowd of 699 were at Richmond Park yesterday to witness St Pat’s take on UCD.
Speaking to a fellow journalist after the game on Friday night, it was hard not to get all nostalgic about the previous decade.
It will be an absolute shame if both sides don’t make a return to the top tier next season – the premier division is a far lesser place without them and if they do move up, the first division will be a much weaker place without them.
After a year of mediocrity the season previous, Cork City were very much at a sink or swim point.
Three new attack-minded signings were brought in, George O’Callaghan, John O’Flynn and Dave Warren (along with the addition of Dan Murray on loan that season, of course) and current champions Shelbourne were in town.
The Reds were once again favourites to sweep all before them, but there was cautious optimism in the air in Turner’s Cross.
As it turned out, the trio of O’Callaghan, O’Flynn and Warren produced a magical display in glorious sunshine as City ran out comfortable winners.
The following day the Evening Echo ran with a headline comparing the Leesiders to a team of Brazilian’s – it was an early peak in what turned out to be a fascinating rivalry between the two teams at the top of Irish football.
Often fraught with controversy, always full of entertainment, battles between the two teams in Turner’s Cross or Tolka Park still remain some of the fondest memories of my teenage years.
Since Shels dropped out of the top tier in 2007, there was a big void. Last season’s meetings didn’t inspire much with both sides off the pace in the first division.
The drawn meeting earlier this season was highly entertaining but sadly Shels’ fanbase isn’t the largest and it wasn’t until last Friday’s meeting at Turner’s Cross that the buzz of a Cork City-Shelbourne meeting returned.
And it returned in style, too. Leading by ten points, a win for Shels would have strengthened their one-handed grip on the first division trophy. City though, turned in the best performance of their season to date to keep not only themselves in with a hunt, but also Monaghan United and Limerick.
Shels started brightly, showing exactly why they are champions-elect and still almost dead certs to be promoted. But it was the manner in which the home side responded that was most impressive.
Daryl Horgan, with all his Damian Duff like qualities, both in appearance and in playing style, was an absolute joy to behold, while Davin O’Neill was also in delightful form.
What will stand out most though, is the return to the atmosphere that characterised being part of the Rebel Army movement in the mid noughties.
An official attendance of 3205 at Turner’s Cross on Friday night eclipsed even the crowd in Dalymount Park for the game between what’s often called the two biggest clubs in the country in Bohemians and Shamrock Rovers.
In contrast, an embarrassing crowd of 699 were at Richmond Park yesterday to witness St Pat’s take on UCD.
Speaking to a fellow journalist after the game on Friday night, it was hard not to get all nostalgic about the previous decade.
It will be an absolute shame if both sides don’t make a return to the top tier next season – the premier division is a far lesser place without them and if they do move up, the first division will be a much weaker place without them.
About Alan Smith
Alan Smith works as a sub-editor for the Guardian newspaper in London. Originally from Cork, he freelances for several other newspapers and websites. Follow him on twitter @alansmith90. View Full Profile