Chapter 6
6
Match day couldn’t have been more perfect as cloudless skies and the subtle breeze coming off the Mourne Mountains kept the August morning temperate at a comfortable twenty-three degrees Celsius. Parking her car into a reserved parking space, Maeve stepped out to give a quick once over of the ground at Pairc Esler GAA Stadium. Several fans, and families with their kids in tow, were lining up at the entrance to take in a bit of the pregame warmups between The Mournesmen of Down and the newly formed Olympic Gaelic Football Team, just as a long line of fifteen busses from around the County, waited in lines to let off their passengers ready for a fun day of watching what everyone called ‘the beautiful game.’
For anyone who might be experiencing a Gaelic football game for the first time, Maeve made sure that in the special commemorative program each person received as they began entering thought the gates, they had an explanation of the odd rules and athletic stamina needed to understand, watch, and play a form of football that used numerous skills from just about every aspect of rugby, soccer, both Australian and American football and even basketball. But as many fans would tell you with pride, it is because of Irish football those games even exist.
A new fan was born every minute. It only took watching a couple of games in person or on the television to convert new devotees to the fast-paced game. With its unexpected moves, rules on how long a player could possess the ball, how to pass it, and even gain possession again in a matter of seconds while running down the field to the goal post was addictive. There was excitement in every play as the strategy and power used were never the same or the outcome expected.
Approaching the staff and player entrance to the stadium, a gentleman dressed in a red and black tailored suit to support the Down team, greeted her as she opened the door to step into the building.
“Good morning, Maeve. Are you ready? Congratulations on the sell out.”
Maeve went over and hugged the gentleman who in his early seventies had been working at the stadium grounds, even before the stadium was built. Paddy O’Mara, the head maintenance and grounds keeper for the stadium was considered by all the Mournesmen their biggest fan. He never missed a game home or away, and he was proud to boast that all his sons and grandsons played for Down; even his two great grandsons were just starting out on the children’s teams this year in Armagh.
“Ready as I’ll ever be. Now I wanted to let you know, I left you a little surprise in the box where you’re sitting. It’s a personal thank you from Chairperson Devaney and the whole staff at Down GAA.”
“Thank you, doll. I know all of us are grateful for all your hard work to make this game and the participation in the festival such a success. We’re all here for anything you need personal or otherwise. Enjoy today, you earned it,”
Before finding her seat in the Down GAA staff box, Maeve wanted to take just a peek at the field where the warmups were going. Walking through the players tunnel out onto the grounds, she was confronted with the players from both teams in small groups stretching and executing short running sprints to loosen up their reflexes. A few were even practicing tipping up the ball with their toe to give themselves extra running yards to avoid a penalty for taking more than five steps to keep position of the ball.
A referee whistle sounded, along with an announcement the warm-up practice was over, and for people to make their way to their seats, since the game would be starting in fifteen minutes. To avoid the coming stampede of players heading to the locker rooms, Maeve stepped to the side, and waited for the path to clear so she could make her way to her seat. But just as she was ready to step away, she saw Liam jogging towards her in the tunnel.
He stopped in front of her, as she signaled good luck to him. Without any forewarning, Liam grabbed her upper arms and pulled her into a rock-hard embrace, bending down to claim her mouth with his. The unexpected assault took her breath away, and instinct triggered her to instantly wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing into the length of his body, holding on to stay upright.
The mind melting kiss ended as quickly as it has happened, and as Liam pulled away from her, looking like a man possessed; with what, she wasn’t sure. Releasing her, he headed into the direction of the locker room without speaking a word.
After that, Maeve was a walking zombie. She didn’t remember even making it to her seat, or that both Oonagh and Shane, who she’d invited as her guests to sit in the box for the game, couldn’t get her to focus and acknowledge they were standing there.
“Jezus Maeve, what the bloody hell is wrong? Are you having a stroke or something? Answer me damn it! Shane, get me a bottle of water.”
“What for?”
“For Christ’s sake, just get me a fricking bottle of water!”
“Here.”
Oonagh took the bottle of water and poured a bit of it into a cup.
“Don’t make me do this Maeve … you better answer me quick!”
When she received no response, Oonagh tossed the contents of the cup at Maeve’s face. The ice-cold water instantly did the trick as Maeve woke up from her trance and began sputtering from the water dripped down her face.
“What the hell? Oonagh why did you do that?”
“Because for the last five minutes you haven’t uttered a word to both Shane and me trying to get your attention. What happened?”
“He kissed me.”
“Who kissed you,” Shane replied.
“Shane, quiet! Now Maeve, what are you babbling about? Who kissed you?”
“Liam.”
“Don’t joke with me,” Oonagh responded. “When did he kiss you?”
“Just now as I was making my way to our seats. I was standing in the tunnel watching the warmups and I gave him a good luck signal, and the next thing I knew we were lip locked.”
“Damn girl, was it any good … I mean the kiss?” Shane blurted out.
Oonagh roared at Shane. “For the love of God, would you fecking shut your gob?!”
Shane raised his hands in defeat and sat himself back down in his seat, mumbling under his breath that she didn’t have to be mad at him, he was just trying to help. Besides, the players were now on the field ready to start the game. Within minutes, he was so absorbed in the game, he forgot about what had just happened only moments ago.
Oonagh handed Maeve a stack of napkins to dry her face, and she continued rambling at her about more details to what had happened.
“Your guess is as good as mine. I was just standing there, and he just walked over and planted on one on me. I didn’t even think he was in the least bit interested any more after meeting up for drinks last night.”
“Wait a minute, back up. What happened last night?”
Maeve spend the next couple of minutes filling Oonagh in on her conversation with Liam. She wasn’t sure what to believe any more. At this point she just wanted everything to be over with, and not having to keep opening old wounds as her feelings and emotions were continuously toyed with.
“I’m done Oonagh. I want to move on, as I know I’m well ready to do.”
“Then you shall. But in the meantime, it wouldn’t hurt to ask the fairies for some guidance as well.”
“Stop! That’s enough with the fairies! I need a water, and this time please just hand it to me, not toss is in my face.”
Oonagh gave her a hug before handing over a bottle of water. Sitting back in her seat Maeve fixed her eyes towards the field to watch the game. The stadium was packed, and people were cheering loudly as each of the fifteen players were introduced on both teams.
Then the game began.
Both teams were well matched against each other, avoiding any possibility of penalties. A few times the crowd shouted out technical fouls to the referees when the infraction happened in front of them, and they didn’t give out a yellow card to the offending player. After the first half of the game, both teams were tied against each other.
Then the unthinkable happened.
Liam had the ball and was moving down the field towards the goal, keeping the ball in play as he passed it between each hand as his footwork worked in rhythm to the five-step count. A player on the Down team tried to knock the ball out of his hand by shoulder bumping him, but as he tried to bump Liam a second time, he wasn’t watching how close he was and caused himself and Liam to trip, making them both land on each other. Liam’s head was slammed into the ground by the Down players full weight.
Fans thought out the stadium began shouting at the referees to stop play because there was an injured player, as everyone watched in horror as the game continued. Liam lay on the ground unconscious for a couple of minutes as the referees finally understood what had happened and stop the game to let the team medics out onto the field. The whole stadium went silent as they watched the medics trying to wake Liam up.
Maeve screamed when she saw the hit, but thought he was fine and would get right back up. But when the crowd started shouting and the medics were running out onto the field, she lost all composure and knew she had to get down to the locker room to see for herself if he was alright. Oonagh and Shane grabbed her and started leading her down the steps to get to the players tunnel as fast as they could, as the people all around them were standing and staring at the field watching the drama unfold.
“Come on Maeve. Hold it together, we’ll get you there.”
Shane pushed people out of the way, as Oonagh hugged Maeve close to her to take her through the opening he created. They had just reached the players tunnel when they saw Liam lying on a wheeled stretcher being run down to the team locker room. Maeve lost it and started to shake with fear.
“Is he awake? Did you see if he was awake?”
“I don’t know, let’s get to the locker room and see.”
Walking into the locker room, Maeve held on to Oonagh’s hand for support. She could see the medics from the Olympic Team surrounding Liam conducting all kinds of tests, talking to each other. On hearing his voice repeat back an answer to one of the medics, she burst into tears and ran over to the table he was now laying on.
“Liam?!”
One of the Olympic Teams coaches tried to stop her. “Ms. Quinn, isn’t it? You can’t be here. Can you please step back.”
“Leave her alone coach, she’s with me.”
“With you? You have a concussion, but I didn’t think that it was that bad that you gained a girlfriend while you were out.” The coached looked at Liam and then back at Maeve as she stood in silence.
“It’s an issue I’ve been meaning to fix. Please let her come over here, or her best mate who is standing over there by the door will give you a tongue lashing that will leave you with your own concussion.”
The coach stepped back to let Maeve through, where she found Liam was lying propped up in a semi-sitting position. She rushed to his side, touching to make sure it was really him, before laying across his chest to hug him.
“Hey, I’m fine, it’s just a concussion. I’ll be right as rain in a few days.”
“I am so sorry. Please forgive me, I was so stupid … I not going to let you go ever again.”
“Maeve honey, can you look at me please?”
Lifting her body off his chest, she moved to give him the closer look he was requested. He smiled at her, before grasping her hand and bringing it up to his lips, placing a gentle kiss on her fingers.
“I’m the one to blame. It took me getting knocked out to straighten me out. I didn’t mean to play any games. I should have just swallowed my pride and followed you. That’s what I wanted to tell you last night, but I was just too damn stupid. I’m not going anywhere, and I’ve been waiting for far too long, to make things right.”
Maeve leaned in to kiss him again.
Kissing her as passionately as he could with a room full of people, he broke away from their contact to whisper in her ear.
“I do know one thing that has come out of this whole situation.”
“And that would be?”
“I am no longer carrying around a permanent red card penalty stapled to my heart.”