First Pub League of 2022

We couldn’t have asked for a better spring day to kick off this year’s pub league — the sun was shining but not too hot, and barely any breeze to compensate for.

Bayer Ear Clinic (5|2) vs. Talnua (6|8)

The competition was stiff for this first match. With a host of new players on either side and veterans shaking off the winter rust, focusing on the fundamentals was the key. Kiefert proved to be a strong force for Bayer in the full forward position. When Matt McGuire was able to poc balls directly to him, he barreled towards the goal — though Keith Healey had some great saves against Kiefert’s shots.

Talnua had some new players, Matthew and Chavez, hold down the midfield for the first half. For their first game, they did a great job of catching poc outs and rounding up loose balls, moving them to the full forward lines where Paul and Kendall moved them into the net.

The second half is where the tides turned. Colin and (new camog) Ashley stayed strong in the back line and kept the pressure on Bayer’s forwards. Talnua also stepped up their communication, which allowed them to connect passes between Keith, James, and Tim, who scored some points from a distance to secure the win.

Man Shave (3|8) vs. The Irish Rover (7|16)

The Rover came out strong for their first game of the season. Ryan proved to be a strong force in the full forward position along with Adam O’leary — clearly ready to get back on the pitch. The first half of the game was pretty even. Spencer had some great saves against The Rover’s shots on goal, though it is hard to block Jamie’s laser-like points from the half-back line.

Anthony and Deb were standouts for Man Shave. Clearly, Anthony beat most of us to the fitness department this early in the season. Deb fought hard for loose balls and was able to send some great shots over the bar.

The hard, dry, ground of spring in Colorado gave the Rover some lucky points with some wild bounces that may not have been so high if the ground had the moisture that Kentucky Blue Grass craves…

Man Shave’s newer players, Gus and Connor, did a great job for their first match — especially when matched up against the veteran players who stacked the Rover’s attendance for the day. And with some more training sessions under their belts to fine-tune the nuanced skills of the game, they will prove to be stiff competition.