Lost: A load of syllables

Last seen somewhere on the Louth border.

We were on the road for the first time on Saturday, off to Dundalk for the friendly. Myself and Marty D were in the car and we left Dublin on a beautiful winter lunchtime. The temperature display in the car read +4 degrees when we were at Dublin Airport and it was -2 when we arrived in Dundalk.

To be fair, it was obvious that the temperature was dropping as the freezing fog cloaked the motorway for the short hop north.

Unsurprisingly, there was no great crowd about Oriel and we got parked right in beside the ground. Tickets acquired, albeit at a rip off €9, we made our way in. In that classic LOI fashion we managed to get down the players tunnel as we made our way to the seats.

Deagy, Brendy Narr and JOT turned up and there was a sizeable enough City support down. I reckon the City support was 30% of the total crowd and they were plenty of familiar faces. Whilst we drew a blank on "Tom the Gom" watch we did spot Dermot Ahern and Dermot Keely. With the state of some of the JSB when they turned up, I thought the Justice Minister might have to place a call to the Gardai.

The game itself was one to forget. That Champsionship Manager blast from the past JJ Melligan got on the score sheet for the hosts but Gerard Doherty only really had one more save to make. City were neat and tidy and McBride impressed me in the middle of the park. I don't know what to make of Patrick McEleney, is he a front man or is he a winger? It will be interesting to see where Kenny will play him for the rest of the faces.

It was absolutely baltic at the game although Deagy showed he has travelled with Northside once too much by turning with a flask, proper cups and snag rolls. Though he still had time to prank me at half time by getting it announced that I was engaged. It is a long season Barrett and revenge is a best served cold......

There was also the "Jumping Church of Kildemock" which is probably worth a blog entry all to itself......