Various random things @ the weekend. Friday night taking U-8 coaching. What I would consider a failed session. Some of the lads were being difficult, I didn’t deal with them very well I thought. Went home very frustrated & annoyed with myself. Yes they were badly behaved including some that should know better, but at the end of the day it is my job to coach them.

I went back in to get Leo hurling & watched him take a breathtaking catch on the run. Highlight of my evening. The back garden matches are obviously paying off for him! This afternoon myself & Angela took the two boys on in a game of football. They won. Again.

Saturday morning up at 6.00am, wrote a piece about Eamon O’Shea. Then off to the beach with Hub. Hard to beat Portstewart strand at that time. No people, other than the odd jogger & a few other dog walkers. Hub befriended a couple other black labs & rolled in some foul smelling stuff. Manky or what.

Home, to chase Cáit & Leo off to early morning swimming. Then in to coaching myself. The ratio of coaches to boys was 3:1. Not many clubs can boast that @ U-8. I redeemed myself by taking one of my friends from last night. Much more rewarding, he seemed in better form & it was more enjoyable. Cracking match at the end. These are the days for it. Can’t wait to get outside.

Saturday afternoon A. gone to Derry. Me to follow after Cáit’s party – It was ‘Hot Barbara’s’ daughter’s party, as she was apparently known in her younger days. I called her it once & she reddened & didn’t seem entirely comfortable. Hmmm.

For weeks before we went to Croker I imagined a thousand times Méabh on the steps of the Hogan Stand. The image taken by Caroline Quinn captured it perfectly. Déjà vu. I bought the original from Caroline, & went & had the print framed, two copies. One of me, one for Méabh. I can see it on the wall here as I write this. I gave Méabh hers on Sunday, she was away shopping with Oisin the Cheshire cat on Saturday.

Saturday night out for a meal in Derry with my Uni friends Kierany & Ann Marie. Good craic. They never change. Liking life in Derry too.

Sunday a bit disoriented by the time change. Up the road home after Sorcha decided to wake up. Home in time to sleep for an hour. Delayed red wine fatigue. Off to Ballinderry where they gave us a guard of honour onto the pitch and proceeded to kick us apart, with the ball mind you. Physical stuff but what impressed was their ability to find one another with the ball.

Home etc. Weekend finished. Eventful. Tiring. Fun.