The boats bobbled on the water. The locals at The Yacht were enjoying the view.
Across the bay, the trucks were arriving at Dublin Port. A man was jogging towards Fairview Park.
He came to the junction of the Alfie Byrne Road. The lights were against him.
As he waited for the green signal, he impatiently checked his watch four times. Like a worried referee seeing Alex Ferguson hovering on the sideline.
The sandbags were at the ready along the seafront. Looking as formidable as the Meath defence when Mick Lyons was on the bridge.
On Castle Avenue, cricket and rugby are the perfect dance partners.
The Baths are across the road from the home of Scoil Uí Chonaill. The sign on the gate says they were founded in 1950.
There’s a coffee shop at the entrance – Bold and Brass. It had a little child’s windmill and a set of chimes that were humming in the breeze. There was a bowl of water for the dogs.
Scoil’s newsletter, The Stag’s Voice, is always full of good tidings.
Wooden benches are painted in the club colours. Scoil possess one of the most distinctive jerseys of all – maroon, royal blue and amber.
The juveniles were enjoying their training, laughing and smiling, having a ball among the bags of balls.
Two boys were at the Ball Wall. A vast area with an astro surface. Scoil’s version of the Wonder Wall.
The church steeple peeps above the trees. The Pigeon House chimneys rise into the blue sky.
There’s advertising along the pitch. Scoil Abú is the message from Aodhán Ó Ríordáin.
Aodhán, once of Cumann na mBunscol, now owns a seat in the European Champions League.
Over the wall, the good people of the Clontarf Tennis Club were watching all the drama of their senior championship.
And by the time the floodlights light up the courts like Flushing Meadow, St Maur’s were inching ever nearer to match point.
It was Group A of the Go-Ahead Ladies Football Dublin Intermediate Championship.
The Rush side earned a most impressive victory. They brought such purpose to their play.
They injected pockets of pace that created a basket of chances. The majestic Jess Kelly so often drove forward from centre half-back.
Megan Benson played at midfield. She was the Director-General.
The Maur’s attack contained so much promise, turning every crumb into a batch loaf.
Laura Carthy struck the first point of the hour. Off that cultured right boot. It wasn’t her last.
Aoife Curley was so accurate from the placed ball. In front of the dart board, Molly Moran was composure itself.
As managers tend to say, this was an overall team performance. And that was certainly true here.
The Maur’s goalkeeper, Jane Butterly, didn’t get much to do, but she did that little very well.
Once in the second half, a high, dropping ball fell from the heavens amid a cluster of players. The sun was in her eyes. But, without blinking, the ball was in her hands.
The Maur’s manager, Kevin Curley, praised the players. “We were delighted with the display.
“It was our third game. We beat St Jude’s but then lost to Parnell’s. Parnell’s were deserving winners.
“We had to pick ourselves up after that, and in fairness, the players responded so well to that disappointment.
“We face Clann Mhuire now in our last group match (Wednesday, Sept 4). We have it at home. It’s a local derby, so we’ll dust ourselves down, get back on the training field and make sure we are ready to go again.”
Kevin commended the standard of the Intermediate Championship.
“Anybody can beat anybody in this championship. It’s a fantastic level.
“You can see that in ladies’ football, the game is getting quicker and quicker all the time.
“It’s marvellous to see the number of girls now playing the sport and also to see it played at such a high standard.
“There were many excellent passages of play from both sides and some excellent scores.”
Scoil played with spirit. They got better as the contest went on.
They defended with gusto. From early on, they were chasing a lead but chase it they did.
They got in their blocks and their tackles. In the engine room, Catarina Almedia led by example; making timely interceptions, breaking up the play, setting Scoil on the move again.
Hannah Carr and Sadhbh Moran also put in noble displays at the back, while Caelinn Ní Bhroin has the speed of Rhasidat Adeleke and is an accomplished finisher.
Aideen Naughton was in goal. She made two fabulous saves. The first of them was a highlight of the duel.
It came in the first half. Maur’s had the wind at their backs as they played into the tennis club end.
Carthy had the ball to the left of the posts. The net issued an open invitation.
But, somehow, and remarkably, Aideen got back to claw the ball around the post.
Scoil’s attitude will serve them well when they take the road to face St Jude’s next week. (Wednesday, Sept 11).
In recent years, success has been achieved. Hannah Leahy has played for Dublin.
Outside, darkness was falling on the Clontarf Road. In this most beautiful location. Blessed even more by the presence of Scoil.
