2018 Galway Cup - Day Two Review

Thursday evening here in Drom and we are at the half way point in this year’s Galway Cup.

The list of positives that I’ve been putting together of my experience at this year’s tournament is growing extensively as each final whistle goes over the course of the last two days. Some of the moments between players and management, between team mates themselves and between spectators on the side lines has been so refreshing to see and gives a huge amount of hope at grassroots level in this country.

Firstly, and something I mentioned in the review of day one and which on day two we saw in abundance, was the extremely high level of good quality football on display.

Across the grades the game is being played as much as possible on the ground and it’s so nice to watch and appreciate, especially when so many teams in so many leagues have adopted a long ball over the top approach in the modern game.

It may work to good effect with a lanky striker up top but give me football played properly all day long and I’ve got my wish at the Galway Cup.

The second positive and such a lovely thing to see from such a young age or at any time in any sport is the unconditional support the players and management show towards one another no matter what way their game is going.

It may have been a mistake made by a goalie, a penalty miss by a striker, a midfielder on the end of a crunching challenge. No matter what the scenario was, the team mates closest to them immediately offered an arm around the shoulder or a pat on the back paired with a shout of encouragement and a mini pep talk to try and build them up again.

As well as the highs and silverware that comes for lots of players over the duration of a football career these will also be balanced out to some extent by a certain amount of lows and defeats. In a strange way, these moments can be more important than the wins and the highs as this is the easier part of the game for most.

The toughest and most challenging part of things is how teams respond to agonising last minute defeats having played well in a game or conceding a goal against the run of play when you think you have the run of a team.

These moments and experiences are going to happen and will be made a lot easier for a team when there is that encouraging support between players and management no matter what.

The positivity and passion from the side lines and among the coaches and parents is a joy to behold and when you witness it first hand from the side of the pitch, up close and personal it makes you appreciate how lucky we are to have coaches so passionate and with such an unbelievable love for the game, doing whatever they can to improve things in any way at grassroots level.

From first whistle to last they are up and down the side lines encouraging their players, muttering amongst themselves as to what they might do next or how they might change up the play all for the love of the game and for the benefit of their particular team.

If it weren’t for the coaches and backroom team that we all see along pulling together on the side line we wouldn’t have any tournament like this and others to enjoy and look forward to so much.

The positives keep on coming and the next really pleasant observation I made over the course of day two was the curious parents and players themselves trying to work out the permutations as the goals were scored at one end and conceded down the other end.

The grassy aisle between the pitches was heaving with people running the short distance between the matches to check in on the latest from the match beside them and follow it with a face full of thought as they try their best to work out the as it stands table live from pitch side to see if it would be enough to see them through to Friday and on to the business end of the tournament.

Unique and wonderful moments that only a tournament like the Galway Cup can bring and has brought on many an occasion. It felt like being at a major golf tournament at times, mind firmly focussed on one particular player or passage of play only to hear a chorus of cheers from nearby and wonder what has just happened over there.

To conclude, at the midway point in the tournament there are plenty of positives that can be taken from the two days that have passed. Having witnessed the Galway Cup up close it comes as no surprise that it is established itself as one of the leading underage tournaments in Europe at this stage and this is a credit to the organisers, the players and coaches involved and anyone who supports the Galway Cup.

On the scoreboards today Chicago Fire kept up their excellent start to the tournament with a hard fought 2-1 win over NDSL with goal machines Leixlip United following up yesterday’s 13-0 win in their opener with another 5-0 rout today.

Other standout results from today’s action included a very impressive showing by Sligo Leitrim who got the better of Leeds United on a 3-0 score line with home side Salthill Devon putting six past Tulla United in a 6-1 win.

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