Sean O’Connor: The bond between fans and a football club is something very special

Seán O’Connor is with you this week.

LOVE, LOSS AND SHELBOURNE

What does your football club mean to you? It may sound like an obvious question, but football can mean many things to many different people. For some it’s a social place to meet friends on the terraces every week, while some parents bring their children in the hope of converting them, whether it’s Finn Harps, Shamrock Rovers or Galway United.

For others, however, it is essential. It’s cathartic. It’s a family affair. Seven days ago I spent a few hours at Tolka Park with Eric and Maurice Frazer before Shelbourne played St Pat’s (link to my Shels piece here). While sitting in the stands, the brothers explained that for them Shels is much more than a football club; it is a family that supports theirs through thick and thin.

The Frazer family ties to the club go back to the 1940s, but since the couple lost their sister Thelma in the Stardust fire of 1981, they told me how the Drumcondra club has been with them every step of the way in their 43 year-long struggle for justice. A fight that finally saw the truth last month, when verdicts of unlawful killing were handed down for all 48 victims of the Artane nightclub fire.

From a newspaper notice the club issued just days after the tragedy to express its condolences to the Frazers, to a minute’s applause and tribute banners at Shels’ home game against Shamrock Rovers last month, the brothers credit the club for keeping them together as a family.

“Shelbourne has been an integral part, not only in the Stardust (fight for justice), but also for us as a family,” Eric said.

It was impossible not to admire the courage and strength of Eric and Maurice to speak so beautifully about their late sister after what has undoubtedly been an unimaginably difficult time for the family.

All week I’ve been thinking about what football actually means to the people who love it, and the one word I keep coming back to is memories.

43 years may have passed, but Eric and Maurice can still remember Thelma going to Tolka to cheer on Shelbourne, or traveling to Cork and Waterford to follow the team. The same night I spoke to the brothers, Damien Duff pulled a Reds supporter out of the crowd to help give a post-match team speech. That is a memory that the fan and his mates will certainly not soon forget.

Everyone can remember their favorite moments, whether it’s winning the cup final, a memorable away trip or holding your father’s hand as you walk up the steps of the stadium for the first time. My father Aiden passed away in 2010, but not a week goes by where I don’t think of the evenings in Santry spent watching Sporting Fingal. They mean more to me than anything.

For some, it’s more than just a game. Memories are all we have in the end, right?

IRELAND COMPANIES

Last Friday it was confirmed that John O’Shea will once again take interim charge of Ireland for June’s friendlies against Hungary (home) and Portugal (away), amid the FAI’s much-criticised search for Stephen’s successor Kenny will push further. It’s the same backroom team next month too, apart from Brian Kerr, who won’t be joining the squad due to previous commitments.

We broke the news last week that Jim Crawford’s U-21s will play England U-20 in a friendly in June, as well as Croatia’s U-21s, with the Boys in Green gearing up for a grand final four Euro 2025 qualifiers this autumn. The U-21s have never qualified for a European Championship before and are second in Group A, two points behind leaders Italy ahead of the run-in.

On Monday came the unexpected news that midfielder Sinéad Farrelly is retiring from international football, having won just eight caps since her debut just over a year ago. David Kelly reflected on the US-born player’s spell here in green.

LEAGUE OF IRELAND

A huge double-header awaits in the League of Ireland this Bank Holiday weekend, with tonight’s Dublin derby between Bohemians and champions Shamrock Rovers the highlight. With four Hoops wins and a draw in their last five league games, Bohs are aiming for a long-awaited victory over their rivals. Aidan heard from Dayle Rooney ahead of the Dalymount clash that Bohs must believe they can win these big games. (Link to Aidan’s Friday piece)

St Patrick’s Athletic are winless in their last four but will hope to end that run tonight when they host Drogheda United in Inchicore. This week, Saints boss Jon Daly confirmed that his captain Joe Redmond will be sidelined for three to four weeks with an ankle problem, a blow considering the number of games in the next month.

I also heard from Northern Ireland defender Ryan McLaughlin, who reflected on his formative years at Liverpool, his regrets at turning down a number of loan offers when he was young and how the Premier League club look after their former players, with Liverpool currently 29-year-old club finances. year UEFA B license course. (Link to my Friday Pat’s piece here).

The story last weekend was undoubtedly Damien Duff plucking a supporter from the stands for the team huddle after their big 1-0 win over the Saints in Tolka.

The Shels boss reflected on the viral moment here and his approach to the derby win that kept them on top. I also spoke to Ciaran Harmon on Saturday, the fan who was soon standing shoulder to shoulder with Duff and Gavin Molloy on the pitch shortly after the final whistle.

As their five-in-a-row bid continued, Shamrock Rovers put four past Drogheda on Monday evening to move to within two points of Shels. Aidan spoke to 21-year-old Conan Noonan about his form this season and his long road back to fitness after a Covid-related heart scare.

Aidan’s video preview of this weekend’s Premier Division action can also be found here. (Link to Aidan’s video)

Stay tuned to the Irish Independent for the latest League of Ireland news, match reports and our video review of the weekend.

DDSL KENNEDY CUP ROW

In a rather remarkable move, the DDSL have been banned from this year’s Kennedy Cup and Gaynor Cup tournaments, putting the potential futures of some of Dublin’s top talent in huge jeopardy.

The Schoolboys FAI (SFAI) informed the DDSL that the decision was due to the financial position of the league and their decision to withdraw from the SFAI. It seems absolutely ridiculous that young footballers are being excluded from the country’s two most prestigious tournaments due to issues beyond their control, and potentially missing out on trial offers from clubs in Britain and elsewhere. A meeting, mediated by the FAI, took place yesterday to try to find a solution and one can only hope that common sense prevails.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT

Daniel McDonnell spoke to Derry City’s Sadou Diallo about his time at Manchester City’s academy, how his Islamic faith comes before everything else, and how he is loving life in Derry City having arrived just under two years ago.

If you have any ideas or questions, please feel free to contact me at [email protected] or @SeanOCSport on Twitter.

Thanks for reading and enjoy the Bank Holiday weekend.