Have been up to my boobies with work, so posts have been limited this week. The weekend took a lot out of me, but it was well worth it!
I had been doing long hours last week, so I got the chance to leave early on Friday. I started work at 0600, so leaving at 1400 had no guilt attached. That was my cue to head for Derry, where Cork City FC were scheduled to play Derry City FC, in the eircom League of Ireland Premier Division.
Before long, the teams were on the pitch & I did my best to get the right combination of exposure, aperture & ISO, to capture the action. Derry started brightly & we were soon 1-0 down. Story of our season so far, starting slowly & being unsteady at the back. They could have been 2-0 up, but we pressed forward & the man of the moment, Denis Behan, stuck a sweet half-volley, on the turn, to bring us level. We had looked like the away side until then, but the Derry heads seemed to drop after our goal & we looked a lot more confident at the back.
The second half saw us playing with far greater composure & we looked very threatening, going forward. When Derry failed to clear a corner, Denis Behan returned the ball across the face of the goal, where John O'Flynn was on hand, to head home from close range. We were good value for our lead & Derry never looked like recovering. Good work from Leon McSweeney down the left, lead to more attacks & kept Derry pinned back in their own half for significant periods.
I had plans for the following day, so rest was essential. It's not too often that I get up North with some leisure time available, so I was keen to make the most of the trip. I'd see pictures of Dunluce Castle, in Co. Antrim & as it's close to the Giant's Causeway, I decided to visit them both. When I got there, I was surprised to see so many tourists & disappointed to see them scrambling all over the mysterious rocks. It was a bit of an anti-climax, as I couldn't appreciate the site on its own merits. Dunluce Castle is fascinating because of its cliff-top location, but it's in poor condition & lacked the sense of awe that I had expected. None the less, it was worth the trip & certainly was a great way to spend a Saturday.
I had been doing long hours last week, so I got the chance to leave early on Friday. I started work at 0600, so leaving at 1400 had no guilt attached. That was my cue to head for Derry, where Cork City FC were scheduled to play Derry City FC, in the eircom League of Ireland Premier Division.
The AA Roadwatch Route Planner reckoned that the trip would take 3 hours, but they never factor in road works or Friday traffic. Even without a stop, it would still take at least 4 hours. The journey is an interesting one, as you essentially travel to a different country, where the road signs have no Gaelic Irish on them & the speed limits are in MPH. Thankfully they've implemented a smoking ban up there, because it used to be unbearable!
I arrived in plenty time for kick-off & got parking right next to the ground. This is a real luxury, because my camera gear is very heavy & it's never ideal to have far to walk with it on my back. As I walked onto the pitch, the evening light was fading & some of the City players were warming up, in front of the few fans were first through the turnstiles. It was hard to set the custom white balance because the floodlights weren't fully on and there was still some sunlight.
I arrived in plenty time for kick-off & got parking right next to the ground. This is a real luxury, because my camera gear is very heavy & it's never ideal to have far to walk with it on my back. As I walked onto the pitch, the evening light was fading & some of the City players were warming up, in front of the few fans were first through the turnstiles. It was hard to set the custom white balance because the floodlights weren't fully on and there was still some sunlight. 
Before long, the teams were on the pitch & I did my best to get the right combination of exposure, aperture & ISO, to capture the action. Derry started brightly & we were soon 1-0 down. Story of our season so far, starting slowly & being unsteady at the back. They could have been 2-0 up, but we pressed forward & the man of the moment, Denis Behan, stuck a sweet half-volley, on the turn, to bring us level. We had looked like the away side until then, but the Derry heads seemed to drop after our goal & we looked a lot more confident at the back.
The second half saw us playing with far greater composure & we looked very threatening, going forward. When Derry failed to clear a corner, Denis Behan returned the ball across the face of the goal, where John O'Flynn was on hand, to head home from close range. We were good value for our lead & Derry never looked like recovering. Good work from Leon McSweeney down the left, lead to more attacks & kept Derry pinned back in their own half for significant periods. 
Injury time seemed like an eternity, but the final whistle eventually came & the points were ours. The delight was shared amongst players & supporters alike as the arduous trip north had yielded the ultimate reward. There's always been a great relationship between Derry City & Cork City fans & neither set of supporters needs an excuse for a few pints. As the last few plastic seats returned to their upright positions, a throng of rival fans headed for the Oak Grove Bar, keen to lubricate their overworked vocal chords & relive the events of the night. It's a friendly bar, where the locals never miss the chance to exchange some banter. Before I knew it, it was 0230 & we were finishing up our last drinks.
I had plans for the following day, so rest was essential. It's not too often that I get up North with some leisure time available, so I was keen to make the most of the trip. I'd see pictures of Dunluce Castle, in Co. Antrim & as it's close to the Giant's Causeway, I decided to visit them both. When I got there, I was surprised to see so many tourists & disappointed to see them scrambling all over the mysterious rocks. It was a bit of an anti-climax, as I couldn't appreciate the site on its own merits. Dunluce Castle is fascinating because of its cliff-top location, but it's in poor condition & lacked the sense of awe that I had expected. None the less, it was worth the trip & certainly was a great way to spend a Saturday.I can't get down to see Cork City FC play Shamrock Rovers tomorrow, so I'm going to cover Leinster v Llanelli in the Magners League. It will be my first time covering rugby, so I'm looking forward to the challenge.
Check back here for a report & hopefully some pictures.
1 comment:
Did you get any more pictures of the castle and Giant's Causeway?
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