Drogs ⚽ Hoops ⚽ Goalless

Anthony McIntyre ⚽ Back in the same seats as last time and the visits before that, claiming our central perch in the Weavers has become something of a fortnightly ritual.

Normally there are four of us but this time my daughter and the two cousins from Arizona joined us. Conveniently, Paddy had a seven seater that got us all over and back.

One of the cousins we never saw the entire game, he opted to go to the Ultra end with my son where the energy and noise level is where testosterone finds its natural home. At 66, I like matters more sedate, sticking my fingers in my ears each time some auld fella behind me let out a whistle in protest at a refereeing decision that incurred his displeasure. He seemed to cop on pretty quick and desisted from any further shrill blasts, allowing me to enjoy a swig from my hipflask without spillage due to the startle effect.

During the game I explained to my daughter that my first live soccer match was at the tender age of five in Belfast, one of the home internationals which saw England beat the North by three goals to one. 61 years later the passion has not left me. I guess if I was to pop my clogs at a game my wife would say I died doing what I loved. A cliche but no less true for that.

Last night's game pulled a capacity crowd. A fan outside asked one of the stewards where he could purchase a ticket only to be told they were sold out. I am sure they found a way to let him in. It is indicative of the interest in local soccer that stadia can reach max capacity. The amount of young children that turn up with their parents augurs well for sustainable interest well into the future.

A 0-0 draw can be a great game to play in. I only ever had the experience once when the mercurial Brendy Mead helped our wing hold out to a much stronger H Block opponent. Out of the many goals scored on the pitches of Long Kesh it says something that the stand out match was scoreless. Watching a goalless game can be something else. A goal livens a match up like little else. A game without goal, it sorta lacks climax. That sums up last night's outing.

On a sun drenched park the Drogs did well to hold the league leaders in check. That is the sixth match on the trot where the Hoops have failed to come away with all the points from the encounter. This was the fourth draw in the series with the remaining two being decided in favour of the Wizards from Weaver.

The Hopps were better at the back than at the front. At one point in the first half it was fascinating to watch how the men from Tallaght played five men across the back in a formation of three triangles. As soon as one looked vulnerable from a Drog probe players would move the ball in such a way that a new triangle was suddenly stroking the ball, skillfully moving it up the pitch and out of harm's way.

What few chances fell the way of the Rovers were frustrated by Emmanuel Adegboyega, man of the match and deservedly so. His pace and precision tackling more than once stopped Shamrock Rovers from putting even more distance between themselves and closest challengers St Pats. Apart from his match saving tackles the game's stand out moment came when Luke Heeney hit the upright with a piledriver from outside the box, rattling both the woodwork and the Hoops nerves. An if only moment, but soccer is a rollercoaster, more vagary than victory.

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