Futsal, what's that all about?

Having missed my fix of the Candystripes this week, I headed to the National Basketball Stadium to watch City in the semi finals of the Futsal tournament.

For anyone unfamiliar with the rules of Futsal, check it out

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Futsal

Derry had beaten Dundalk to make it through to the semi finals, where they were up against last year's winners, St Pats.

I'd been to watch Futsal before, at the 07 Pan American games, but this was the first time I had seen any of the Irish competition. I'd heard about the Pats team, which was made up of Brazilians last year, and wondered what they would be like this year.

The Basketball Arena is visible from the M50 but it isn't easy to find, and the game had already started by the time I landed in. There were about 50 spectators in the arena, with the vast majority of them Brazilians.

The Pats team appeared to be made up entire of Brazilians, though I did notice two Irish lads on the bench. The spectators appeared to be the friends and families of the players and I was certainly the only City fan in attendance.

Derry were 2-1 when I arrived and George McBridel, the coach, was the only one of the Derry personnel I recognised. A quick glance at the programme indicated that the squad was

Martin Healy
Lee Roddy
David Shovlin
Cillian Morrison
Darren Harkin
Seanan McColgan
Conor Heagherty
Martin Gallagher
Conor Browne
Carl O'Hagan
Darren Coyle
Adam Clarke
Keith Toland
Sean McNeill

There only seemed to be ten Derry players between those on the bench and on the field, so not all the City players appeared to have travelled.

Watching the game was a bizarre experience, surrounded by Brazilians going mental, all to a samba beat soundtrack which was supplied by a trio of drumers.

The first thing which struck me was a number of Pats players seemed significantly older that the City squad. I reckon the keeper and one of their players was in the mid/late twenties. City's squad on the other hand was all the young guns.

The game is all action, and delays in a restart can see the advantage overturned. City trailed 3-2 at the break but were more than a match for Pats. Whilst the Saints may have been flicks and tricks, City players should no little skill of their own. Derry were fast and direct, and whilst Pats may have had more of the ball the Candystripes were well in the game.

The second half was to prove a different story, with City having a man sent off for two yellow cards. Pats brought out a Wanger Love lookalike upfront in the second half. In jumping for a ball he led with his elbow and caught the Derry player with his elbow. Nothing was given, but the next time the same Pat's player got the ball he was emptied. Cue multiple rolling about on the surface. Personally I thought the Derry player had got the ball first, but it was certainly a physical challenge which resulted in a yellow card.

This also produced a bit of friction in the stands, with the Pats fans going mental and turning round to shout at me, as if I was somehow responsible. The game continue, with Pats pulling away to 5-3. Pats introduced another player, who I thought was playing in his socks. On closer inspection(when he fell over and I saw soles) he was wearing a pair of plimsoles which were reminiscient of the standard PE footwear of the 80s.

Wagner Love was launched from the bench again and within minutes was once again involved. The same players clashed once again and the Pats player collapsed in a heap, a second yellow card was produced was City were down to four men. Once again it seemed much ado about nothing, and in the empty arena the anger of the City players was clearly audible.

Pats immediately used the advantage to move 6-4 ahead. If you read the rules of Futsal, you are down to four men for two minutes, or until the other team scores. Having lost the goal City were back up to five, but the sending off have deprived City of one of their most impressive performers.

Pats had a full bench and used this effectively as the clock ticked down, whilst the young City team started to tire. However the incidents were not over yet. A ball was lofted forward and the City forward tried to toe it in, as the keeper tried to block him. It wasn't a 50/50 ball, it was a 70/30 ball for the Derry player. I didn't see any contact but the keeper went down in a heap and started rolling round and round. The referee was unmoved, much to the annoyance of the keeper. He got to his feet again, protesting loudly, walked back to get the ball and then crouched down complaining again.

The referee basically told him to get on with it, but the keeper was having none of this. In order to show his displeasure he launched the ball out of ball, much to the annoyance of his manager. I don't have much Portugese but there was definately one or two curses from the manager. In the middle of this, the manager was having to deal with an irate parent who obviously disagreed with a decision.

As the time ticked down, Pats brought on a reserve keeper, which meant that the pyscho keeper was now on the bench it seemed to ignite his erratic behaviour. He began running up and down behind the Pats bench, just roaring and shouting. The manager was pleading with him to sit down, the fourth official tired to intervene, but to no available.

City were awarded penalty after a clumsy challenge by the "Plimsole Kid" and lashed it home to make it 7-5 with two minutes left. They did have the chances to make it a grandstand finish and it was not to be as they bowed out in the semi final stage.

The final whistle was greeted somewhat overenthusiastically, with a mass pitch invasion by the Pats side, and a load of Brazil flags flying amongst the support. As City trooped off, it wasn't to be their day, but they can be very proud of their performance.

As I headed home I met the Cork side on the way in for the second semi final. Their coach for the day? Liam Murphy. Anyone that remembers Liam from his playing days wouldn't associate him with the skills required for futsal :)