Championship causes many a sleepless night

Championship football is one of the chief causes of insomnia. Most of my worst night’s sleeps have come in the immediate aftermath of a championship match. Win and you’re so wired and excited and adrenaline-fuelled that it takes an age to fall asleep. Lose and you spend the night tossing and turning, regret-filled, replaying the match over and over in your head. Even if you do manage to eventually get some shut-eye, the regret and disappointment hits you like a train when you wake first thing in the morning.

I know you might think that if a trivial matter like football is the only reason I have sleepless nights, then I don’t have many problems. But as Jürgen Klopp famously said, 'Football is the most important of the least important things in life,' and championship football has a way of hitting differently.

Club footballers in Mayo and Galway were unlucky that the first rounds of the respective championships fell on the weekend of Electric Picnic. I bet not too many would have swapped the fields of Stradbally for their local club fields last weekend, though. Sure, Kylie’s pert posterior and funky pop tunes are appealing but is there anything more life-affirming and satisfying than being knee-deep in a championship humdinger? The sacrifice of missing out on one of Ireland’s biggest festivals and social weekends will absolutely have been worth it for those who managed to secure a victory last weekend. Even those teams who lost or drew probably wouldn’t change a thing.

Everything is heightened after a championship match. The sense of euphoria when you win. The anguish and pain when you lose. The soreness and stiffness post-match. Maybe I’m getting older, and maybe it’s due to poor sleep quality in the immediate aftermath, but it takes me much longer to recover from a championship clash than a run-of-the-mill league encounter. The take-away you eat following a championship game is probably one of the tastiest meals you’ll enjoy. Months of clean eating and junk-food deprivation are worth it in that moment. I’m not a drinker but in a similar vein I’d imagine the post-championship pints are sweeter than honey.

In life, it is said that death is the great leveller. It doesn’t matter if you are a politician, prince or pauper, the Grim Reaper will come to us all irrespective of status, wealth or power. In football terms, however, championship is the great leveller. Teams that were flying in spring can come a cropper in early autumn. Sides who couldn’t buy a win in the league, can take a big scalp in the championship crucible. Championship time focuses the minds, raises energy levels and closes the gap between teams that are mismatched on paper.

I’m no mathematician or gambler but I often thought that if you simply backed a draw in every single championship game over the course of a championship weekend you would probably break even and maybe even record a small profit. Last weekend was a case in point. Based on odds given from local bookies, throwing a tenner on each of the eight senior clashes to be draws would have garnered you a tidy profit of €70. I am in no way advocating gambling but I’m just using that example to highlight the fact that most championship ties are close run things. It’s almost a guarantee that there will be a few draws in every round of championship so backing the stalemate is the smart money.

In the senior championship alone there were draws in Aghamore and Castlebar. In intermediate, there was nothing separating Ballinrobe and Parke/Keelogues/Crimlin. In fact, in the 16 matches across the senior and intermediate grades, nine ended with just a single score separating the teams at the final whistle. Balla weren’t given a snowball’s chance in hell against Westport but they pushed them all the way. Like Westport, Castlebar had an impressive league campaign but struggled to shake off an unfancied Charlestown on Saturday. Breaffy were put to the pin of their collar by Kilmeena on their first day out at senior level. Ballaghaderreen, without any form or expectation, slayed a Knockmore team full with players who have two county titles. The other serial winners, Ballintubber, were lucky to nick a draw in Aghamore. There is never anything easy in championship.

Of all the contenders for the Moclair Cup, defending champions Ballina produced the most convincing display and comprehensive win scoring a whopping 20 points. I get the feeling that they’re smarting a little bit from not getting enough credit for capturing the county title last year. The criticism of the quality of last year’s championship from all quarters probably took a little bit of the gloss off their excellent triumph and they would love nothing more than to go back-to-back in style this year. Besides Ballina’s stonking victory, the wins for Ballagh', Ardnaree and Tourmakeady across the different grades will have sent shockwaves around the county and made people take note.

In our own championship, we beat the favourites for the Galway Intermediate crown, St. Michael’s. It was a big enough shock as they got to the Division 1 League Semi-Final while we had a middling enough league run in Division 3. Given our underdog tag and the fact that we fielded nine debutants, it was one of the most satisfying victories I have ever enjoyed. I was walking on air post-match. Our dressing room was electric. The kind of feeling and vibe that only a championship victory can generate.

However, alongside all the epic championship experiences, there are just as many, if not more, disappointing ones. That’s the nature of championship and sport. You have to savour the good days. The prospect of those magical victories are what keep bringing us back each year and keep us going during the January and February slog. It’s only Round 1 so there are many twists and turns yet to come in our season. Still, that big win gives us something to build on and should give our young guns belief.

Like in Mayo, the intermediate championship in Galway is a nest of vipers with danger everywhere and about 10 teams who could all have a decent shout of winning it. I wouldn’t dare pick an intermediate winner in either county. What was also similar to the Mayo championship weekend was the fact that not too many of the big guns in senior really shot the lights out. Corofin, Moycullen and Salthill/Knocknacarra all just did enough to squeeze through. It’s early yet though and they’re all just likely warming to the task.

Once more unto the breach I go for a 20th club championship campaign. At this stage, I’ve seen and experienced a lot but there is a light inside that never goes out. Championship fever and the satisfaction from a championship win never dims. I am sore and tired writing this, but oh, what a beautiful feeling.

One more thing … In the opening round of the Senior Championship in 2023, a total of 7-162 was scored across the 8 ties. In the 2024 campaign's opening round, the corresponding figure was 11-196. Let’s hope that a high-scoring, entertaining opening weekend sets the tone for this year’s competition