The “Handsome Devils” and beautiful football.
The Brendan Mullarkey Memorial Trophy brought out enough hardy souls for a four team competition in Gannon Park yesterday. Declan McGrath and Philip O Connor organised and pay to play funds went to the Nicky Cleere Trust. The more experienced players were divided up and complemented by the younger players who could actually run and play the game. Niamh McEvoy and her friend played some beautiful football but were hampered by the lack of mobility in their fellow teammates. Rueben Kirrane scored a superb goal against the eventual winners but again some of the “more experienced” players on his team failed to perform on the day.
The eventual winners were reportedly selected on the basis of their good looks and became known as the Handsome Devils. There was a lot of complaint from defeated teams that they had an international goalkeeper. The unnamed 15 year old arrived in a De Lorean car with a smoking exhaust. He made a number of world class saves and if he hasn’t already played for Ireland, he certainly will in the future. He was given the name Shay and it is a given that he was the player of the day. The full back pairing with over a century of experience were Marcus “Beckenbaur” Hamill and Norman Hunter Bannigan whose overall movement was described a little unkindly in UK media reports as statuesque. Kaiser Hamill gave his usual imperious performance. The midfielder with the dark compelling West of Ireland, Northern Spanish looks and skill, was John Iniesta Maughan. Also in midfield were the marauding Muller and Q who revived the Giles, Bremner partnership so beloved of all those old enough to remember, of which there were many. Up front were two of the stars of the day and the future in Ryan Giggs and Mark Messi McCormack. They tortured opposing defences with their skill and would only score beautiful goals. It was no country for old men.
The manager in accepting the trophy did admit that his team selection was based on his controversial belief that handsome men play beautiful football. There was some heckling from some of the less well groomed and of course defeated.
Anne Mullarkey and sons did the honours on the day and Brendan was well remembered. It was a great day, a great cause, played in a great spirit and a great start to the New Year.
Over a century of experience ???