Hanover Beats Mervue in Comeback Thriller

It was back to soccer on Thursday in Galway, as we passed the halfway mark on our trip to Ireland.  We trained on the Westside turf pitch in the morning in preparation for our night game at Mervue, and had a relaxed afternoon before meeting for a team meal at GBC, our favorite restaurant in the heart of Galway.  We took the shuttle back to our dorm at the University, and then were met ay 7:45 by Eric in his sleek Mercedes bus for the short hope to Mervue.  Mervue FC has an impressive home facility, with a dazzling grass pitch and a huge turf field, both with floodlights.  We faced off against a combined group of their U18 and U23 players.  Mervue took the initiative right from the start, and with a strong wind in our faces, the harbinger of the rain that would be coming shortly, we spent the entire first half defending.  With the help of some decent tackling at the back and a very friendly goalpost, we managed to struggle out of the first half with the score tied at 0-0.  Any thought that having the wind at our backs would be an advantage in the second half was dispelled 10 minutes into the second half when Mervue broke down our defense and scored a clinical goal to take a 1-0 lead.  A combination of factors would soon turn the tide, however.  We were the fitter squad, and despite being reduced by injury and illness (relax, parents, we're all good), we managed to find more time and space to connect some passes and generate some offense.  It didn't hurt that they were subbing a bit, either.  Midway through the half, Charlie Adams got a ball at midfield in transition and raced into the heart of their defense.  Drawing a defender, he laid a perfectly weighted pass into the path of Blake Palmer, and the senior striker scored his second goal in two games, tying the match.  His modest celebration was well-earned and well-deserved.  We earned several corner kicks, and both Adams and Palmer his dangerous balls into the box.  With 15 minutes to go we nearly took the lead on a great shot by Eli Stack that would have beaten any goalkeeper in NH.  The Mervue keeper made a great dive to deny Stack, but it was a sign of things to come.  With ten minutes to play, goalkeeper Andrew Enelow sent a long ball down the left side that connected with a streaking Eric Ringer, who took a touch into the attacking zone and struck an amazing shot, a 30-yard line drive with just enough dip to fly over the keeper's hands and tuck under the bar.  We saw the end of the game off well, and celebrated our first international win with pizza back at the dorm, delivered by the owner of a small local pizza shop who makes amazing, amazing pizza.  We have accomplished so many of our objectives so far!  We have been trained by two expert coaches, Brian Dougher and Phil Trill.  We have been pushed hard by strong opposition.  We have learned a lot from our many mistakes, but never at the expense of what has become a very good team culture. We are tired and sore, and some of us have the sniffles.  But we have found a great rhythm to the trip.  Friday is another day away from soccer until our film session in the evening. After breakfast tomorrow, we will take a bus trip to a local GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) facility to get instruction in hurling and Gaelic football, two extremely popular Irish sports.  They are expecting 60,000 people in Croke Park in Dublin the Saturday for the semifinals of the national hurling championship. It's already Friday morning as I finish this, so it's time for a bit of rest.  Goodnight!