U13 Trip to Mayo
Friday, February 17 2012 |
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(The `Take Me Home to Mayo` Tour)
We met in Heuston station at 11:45 to catch the 12:30 train to Westport. Between players and adults there were about 45 members that travelled down for the weekend. We had great fun singing, playing games and entertaining the other passengers on the train. We arrived in Westport station and walked for about 10 mins to The Hotel Westport. After we checked in we all went for a swim in the pool and after that we had something to eat before we left for the Dublin V`s Mayo match that was in Castlebar at 6.30. On the way to Castlebar it was getting very foggy but when we got to the stadium it wasn`t as bad. We stood behind the goal that Dublin were playing into in the first half and we shouted for the boys in blue. Mossy, Ger and Dermo played really well and Dublin were leading at half time by 8 points to 5. The fog came down really heavily during the half time break and we all went on to the pitch and started playing football with a couple of footballs that had come over the nets behind the goal (and that we forgot to throw back to the stewards!). It was brilliant. After half time the referee came on to the pitch to inspect the visibility. It was so poor he decided to call the match off. When we got back to the hotel we played a game of chasing around the hotel - it was really fun. There was a traditional Irish band in the hotel and James Dunne entertained the hotel guests by playing three songs on the piano - he was fantastic and got a standing ovation. I think some of the dad`s might have sung a few songs as well. The next morning we played a challenge game against Westport GAA club. The pitch was a `bit soft` and needed very long studs to stop players slipping. (None of us had very long studs!). A Vincent`s man called Damien Loftus manages the Westport team. They were very strong and it was a very close game but in the end we won by a goal. After the game the Westport GAA Club brought us to a very nice hotel for some food. I think it was the best food we ever got on a trip so we have to say a very big thank you to our hosts who looked after us really well. We walked to the train station and left Westport on the 3:45pm train and arrived back in Heuston Station at about 7 o`clock. |