JOE'S CHANCE
An Droilín
Joe sat on the bench while the tide of battle ebbed and flowed around him. The noise in the Community Centre was deafening. It looked like the entire population of the town was there, wildly cheering for the teams. It was the final of the under 12's and Joe's team (the Cats) were locked in combat with (the Raiders).
The score was tied and time-out was called out with seconds to go. It looked like going into extra time - "Get in there Burke and hustle". Joe could hardly believe his ears. The coach was putting him in. Then he knew - their star player, Ron, was being rested for the extra time, that was now certain. Joe's heart was thumping as they lined out for the jump ball. He was small for his age and rarely got a pass from the bigger team mates.
He knew he had to depend on his speed and ball control. Hour after hour he had practised against the gable of the house where his father had put up a basket. He raced back and forth at top speed, changing hands, turning right and left, twisting and shooting - now came the moment of truth. The whistle, the jump ball and the Raiders were on the attack. The Cats supporters groaned in agony. The shot hit the rim of the basket and ran loose. Joe was on it in a flash. He moved to the left and was past his marker. The crowd was going mad. Joe was strangely calm as he streaked towards the basket. he felt as if he was looking at himself from a distanc. "Stay cool,stay cool!" he told himself "Don't get too close now".
He could hear feet pounding behind him as he lifted himself higher than he ever thought he could go. As the ball left his hand, he knew it was a winner. He was hit from behind as he hurtled through the air, everything seemed to be happening in slow motion. He could see the ball rising in a beautiful curve and heard the sweetest sound he ever heard in his life - the silky swish of the net. He could hear the hooter as he hit the floor and crashed into the backwall. All hell broke loose as the entire hall erupted. Everybody hugged everybody else and the whole hall hugged Joe.
Later when he was called to receive his medal the loudest cheer of the night was reserved for the smallest man on the squad. Nobody measured him but he looked to be about ten feet tall.
This article was from the 1987 Christmas Blitz An Droilín