Ireland does well for public holidays with ten compared to the UK’s eight. They even manage to squeeze a couple in between New Year and Easter. One of them, St Patrick’s Day, I knew about. That’s pretty much a partying day around the world. The other is for St Brigid’s Day.
For what it’s worth, St Brigid would appear to be famous for giving stuff away, ranging from all the family butter, which in our house would be a maximum of two packets, to her dad’s sword. Presumably she couldn’t find the butter knife. I’m not sure that sort of behaviour merits a public holiday, but it gave me the chance to watch a weekday game in the afternoon rather than the evening. That’s always welcome.
I drove down to Bray, which is half an hour or so along the coast in Wicklow. We travelled along the same route and then a bit further the following day for a couple of nights in the countryside which was fine. It included a visit to some jail from the olden days and if the weather had been better might well have involved some hiking.
This afternoon was all about the football though and a game in the group stage of the Leinster Senior Cup between Bray Wanderers of the second-tier First Division and Shelbourne of the top-tier Premier Division.
It was five euros to get into the Carlisle ground, which I later discovered has been hosting sporting events since 1862. It may very well be the oldest ground that I’ve ever been to. I’d check it out but I’m loathe to add to my stats lists. I already keep records of far too many things and, if you’re not careful, that sort of behaviour can easily end up with you weighing and cataloguing your turds.
I initially took a seat in the covered stand down one side. There was uncovered seating opposite and level standing behind each goal. There had been a ‘Fun Day’ earlier and so there were a lot of kids milling around, presumably having had their fun and now having to stay and watch the game.
I spotted one young lad wearing an Al-Hilal shirt with Neymar Jr. on the back. As I doubt that he’s a diehard Hilal supporter, it shows the way in which players are followed these days, rather than, or as well as, clubs. His mate sported a more traditional Mo Salah Liverpool top and I wondered whether he too would be wearing the shirt of a Saudi Arabian club before long.
Bray took the lead midway through the first half when some fella switched the ball from his right foot to his left and having opened up the opportunity, curled his shot into the corner of the net.
Three minutes later the home side doubled their lead with an equally good effort. This time it was a shot from outside of the box that ended up in the top right-hand corner of the net.
I watched the second half initially from the stand opposite and then leaning on the barrier at one end. There were no more goals and Bray, somewhat against the spirit of St Brigid, held on to what they had and took the points.
Trail of the Lion King 
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