It was pretty clear from the meeting we had the Thursday night before that the team was keen for this match. Sleeping arrangements for Belfast weren't exactly top of the list for the team, as our South Australian ruck rover Matt Diggs Campbell said “I don’t care - I’ll sleep under a bush!”, we just wanted to get out there and play. 

On arrival at the grounds up in Belfast, the team got a sense of just what they would be up against. A beautiful but absolutely enormous surface on which to play (thanks to Belfast City Council for that one) and facing a team of experienced pros (in the amateur sense of the word, if you get my drift). I don’t think too many of us Irish fellows had any idea the pitch was going to be that big. I’d have to start swearing to give you some idea of the dimensions we're talking about here. F***en wide by F***en long!

The North London Lions jumped at the chance to be the first ever team to challenge the Irish on Irish Soil. The Irish side consisted of about 20 guys from the Dublin Demons and about 10 from the Belfast Redbacks. It was a nightmare for Kerran Coach Hobbs  (another crow-eater for the Irish side) to give everybody a run in the historic match - and still play a competitive game.

After about half an hour of warm-ups and stretches, the time for the ball-up came. A hush befell the crowd. The man in white slammed the Sherrin into the turf and we were off. Tackles flying, sweat pouring, it was a pitched battle. 

For a while in the first quarter we Irish held out but soon the Londoner’s superior fitness and tactical know-how began to manifest itself on the scoreline. Despite fearlessly throwing bodies on the line we just couldn't wrestle enough possessions from the Lions to threaten their goal mouth. 

Jeremy Jezza Greay our Sandgroper centre-half forward managed our first ever competitive goal early on. We had to wait a long time for the second. 

Deep into the fourth quarter possession broke on the right about 30 yards out. Andy, one of the Redback lads, [who never played the game before but was up for it after Crispy's 15min crash course] managed to get a speculative foot to it and we all watched as it bounced and bobbled for what seemed an eternity before finally going through the sticks. Greeted by wave of the two white flags from  Dave TheButcher Goalee and cheers of delirium from the Belfast and Dublin team, it was probably the most memorable moment of the game.

It was a baptism of fire for those of us on both the Dublin and Belfast teams who'd never before kicked a footy in the heat of a game. Considering the vast inexperience of most of the Irish team some of the performances were outstanding. Micky Currane and our New Yorker Ken Rolfy Orce excelled and didn't give an inch at the back. Colm The Barbarian Cronin and Matt Diggs Campbell were tireless in the engine room. 
 

The match was played in a great spirit. At the final hooter the score was irrelevant (we'd hidden the scoreboard) and we were off to the pub!

A post match function was held in the Strike Four sports bar in the city. After an hour of £1 shooters the drinking was well on it's way. By then my capacity to remember stuff fell out my ears. After Strike four, it was on to the Botanic Inn - you can make up your own stories because I'm drawing a blank (I'm sure I'm not alone).  [ I have photographic evidence of the session - any bribe gladly accepted Crispy]

So overall a great success. Thanks to Darren Nutty Nutt and Ian Bracken for getting the nuts and bolts (no pun intended) right so we could all just have a game of footy. Thanks to all those who made the trip from wherever they were to play and thanks to Kerran Coach Hobbs for pushing us even when the game was up. 

Most of all thanks to the Lions for shelling out their own cash to make the trip over and give us a great game.

Mark Mossy O'Shea