Football fever grips Foxhall

TIERNEY’S of Foxhall exists in a unique space.
Eighty-one steps to the left of the famous public house stands the sign welcoming guests to the county of Galway. Ninety-three steps to the right is the sign greeting new arrivals to the proud land of Mayo.
The postal address includes Tuam in the title, but some people will tell you Tierney’s stands on Mayo soil.
On Sunday afternoon, it was an utterly neutral space — packed to the rafters with the fun and passion football followers bring to matches between the closest of neighbours and the greatest of rivals.
Proprietor Tom Kelly was holding court as time ticked towards throw-in and the man with proud Galway blood in his veins was deep in conversation across the bar with Mayo followers John Casey and Eamon Quinn. 
Laugher echoed from the trio before John told The Mayo News about the intricacies of life along the borderline.
“I live down towards Roundfort but my father was from over the road there in Kilconly and we’re all related back and over. There will be great craic today while the game is on, but once it’s over we’ll be all the one again,” he added as a cheer went up when Lee Keegan appeared on the big screen.
“He was one tough boyo,” a powerful man in a maroon top exclaimed before his Mayo neighbour told the world, “I wish he was togged out today.”
“Ye don’t need him. Aren’t ye hot favourites!” Tom shouted across the bar with a glint in his eye. “Ara, go way with ya. How are we favourites? “Didn’t we lose four players this morning,” responded a Mayo man after news came through that Kevin McStay had made four changes to his starting 15.
There certainly was no segregation in the room. Supporters of both teams were seated together around tables and all along the bar.
One woman even passed through with the colours of both counties hanging around her neck.
“Teresa, are you feeling a bit confused?” a man at one of the tables queried as she laughed and made her way towards waiting friends. 
Darragh Maloney, RTE’s match commentator, told television viewers it was the 94th championship meeting between Mayo and Galway.
“Were you at the first one, Tom?” Mayo fan Stephen Niland asked the proprietor as Aidan O’Shea won the throw-in and looked towards the Galway goal.
“Send it in!” he was urged. “How can he send it in, he should be within himself waiting for it,” came a shout from the corner as the door opened and Mick Curley arrived with a Galway cap on his head.
“Welcome back from Glastonbury,” a friend joked as he ordered a drink for the new arrival and Tom Kelly explained why Mayo were finding it so hard to curb the influence of an impressive Galway forward.
“Comer is like a weanling you’d let out of a shed – impossible to hold,” he explained.
Meanwhile, in the corner three friends were discussing a mutual acquaintance. “What’s the story? He hasn’t any heed on the match at all,” one man wondered before another responded with great authority. “He’s in love. He’s goin’ around smiling for himself, not a bit of heed on football.”
Soon, the referee Sean Hurson was the on the receiving end of wrath from the Mayo followers. “Ye must be sending free bales up to him in Tyrone. He’s giving ye everything,” one passionate green and red supporter told her Galway friends.
At half-time, Galway were five clear, 0-8 to 0-3, and a Mayo man at the bar was already congratulating his neighbour.
“Ye have it. Well done to ye.”
It was hard to figure whether the speaker was being sarcastic or not, but the recipient was paying no heed to him. “What are ya sayin? Ye have a hurricane behind ye for the second half, surely ye’ll win it,” he replied as barman Jamie Igoe worked wonders rehydrating thirsty customers.
The second half began with Mayo on the front foot and Enda Hession on the pitch. “G’wan the Garrymore man!” rang around the pub when one of their own got the ball and drove up the pitch.
Ryan O’Donoghue kicked a Mayo point from downtown and the roof shook in Foxhall. A few minutes later David McBrien blasted home a goal and a man emerging from the toilet was told to retrace his steps.
“Go in again and we might get another one,” a superstitious friend roared joyously.
Moments later “Mayo are back!” was the call heard above all else when Cillian O’Connor arrowed over a point and the leaders were heading for home. “Blow it up ref,” Niall Kearns encouraged the referee from his position in the middle of the room and then suddenly the television went blank.
Numerous conspiracy theories were instantly thrown into the ether.
“Did you not pay the TV license Tom?” “Some Galway fella did that now that they’re losing.” “It must be the lightning.”
“Throw on Home and Away there lads.”
The picture appeared again moments later and the closing quarter unleashed shrieks, screams, sighs and highs in Foxhall. Followers of both sides pleaded with God for favours, complained about refereeing decisions and watched time slide towards infinity.
The final moments were torture for everyone in Tierney’s.
Mayo fans begged the referee to end the game, Galway fans begged the ball to fly into the net. Those maroon intercessions were only denied by the last-gasp goal-line intervention of Eoghan McLaughlin and when the final whistle sounded seconds later the Mayo roars echoed off the walls in Foxhall.
The green and red had won and it was time to celebrate, but along the borderline they know that football, family and life itself is forever intertwined and nothing will ever change that.