World Footy News

The following article is courtesy of ARFLI's Public Relations Officer, Danny Persse:

On a clear Autumn Saturday the 20th of October 2007 the Dublin Saints unveiled their new residence An Cumaan Parnell by Dublin Airport with an off season scratch fixture against 2007 ARFLI premiership runners-up the South Dublin Swans.

Both teams lined out numbering many of Ireland’s international players recently returned from triumph in Denmark with Roger Clarke the Irish international coach donning a Saints guernsey.

The ball was eventually thrown up at 3.15pm with former ARFLI president “Big Tony” officiating assisted by Tommy Madigan. Both teams started brightly with the Saints kicking up a small slope to the runway end. A sturdy Saints backline headed up by stalwarts Sam White and Shaun Smith battled hard against the 2007 Grand Finalists and at quarter time it was the Saints 1 goal 3 points to Swans 3 goals 2 points.

The Swans pulled away when they got their crack at the runway end in the second quarter and with the assistance of a gusting breeze they booted 3 goals 3 behinds, with no reply from the Saints.

At Half time it stood: Swans 6.5 (35) leading Saints 1.3 (9)

The Saints came out fighting in the second half outscoring the opposition 2 goals 3 to the Swans 2 straight goals.

As the final quarter began the Swans kicked an early goal and it was all over for the Saints and as a Singapore Airlines Jumbo lifted from behind the pitch and disappeared into the South Dublin sky, the Swans flew home with a victory on their opponent's new patch.

Final Score: Swans 11.7 (73) defeated Saints 4.6 (30)