Grounds for change in League of Ireland shines a light on anguish and joy in equal measure
EVERYONE GETS THEIR kicks in different ways.
When Aaron McEneff scored an 89th-minute winner to complete a 2-1 comeback against Derry City last Friday he celebrated the moment in front of fans packed into the recently-opened North Stand at the Ryan McBride Brandywell.
For some it was a form of treachery given he grew up just a few miles away in Carnhill, but McEneff's family's ties to the Hoops are strong. His father Noel was born and raised on Reilly's Avenue, a small row of south inner city cottages in Dublin sandwiched between the Coombe Hospital and Lowe's Pub.
Rovers has always been Noel's club and that passion was passed down to his three sons, as was clear when Aaron sent Stephen Bradley's side six points clear at the top of the Premier Division.
We digress.
When a video of the goal was clipped and shared on social media within minutes of full-time, The Beat's first instinct was to refresh the website of picture agency Inpho to see the reaction of those supporters behind the goal.
It didn't disappoint.
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The faces and reactions were of anguish, disdain, anger and even a little bit of apathy.
There seemed to be one lad in the top corner with his phone out either capturing the moment or his own reaction but, other than that, this was a real-time encapsulation of suffering in the purest form.
In the first row, a Derry supporter who could pass for Dylan Watts has his arms outstretched and his mouth elongated in such a way that he was preparing for the last part of 'F**K OFF'. To his right was another fella simply committing to the good old-fashioned 'BOOOOOOOOO.' In between them, a woman has her hands clasped together like a regular Mass-goer, her glasses resting on top of her hair, a single bit of fringe flowing to the side with her lips and eyes narrowed in equal measure.
'Really, Aaron, really?' you could imagine her saying.
Amid the glut of middle finger salutes and other, more accusatory hand gestures, a bald man with what appears to be a tobacco-stained moustache grips – and this is an educated guess because of lived experience – a can of Stella Artois tightly.
Further back, one committed smoker refused to allow the McEneff goal get in the way of a final drag on his cigarette. There is the lad in Stone Island who just turns to his side and drags the fingers on both hands down his cheeks in a forlorn state of acceptance at the misery.
We've all been there.
Aaron McEneff celebrates his late winner in front of Derry City fans. Lorcan Doherty / INPHO Lorcan Doherty / INPHO / INPHO
Scan the photo and you will see mostly young faces. Red and white jerseys are few and far between. Some are enraged, all are engrossed, and as stated by the X account LOICrowds, and verified by the club, the 'attendance of 4,250 on Friday is their highest attendance at the Ryan McBride Brandywell for a league game since 2006.'
If it wasn't for Derry City, and owner Philip O'Doherty, ploughing £2 million (€2.4m) into the redevelopment of the Brandywell to construct the new stand over the winter it's a sight we would have missed out on. A welcome addition to the aesthetics of a Friday night.
Club director Robert Martin spoke to the Derry Journal last week and it was explained how the club had been turning away demands for an additional 700 season ticket holders because of their limited capacity previously.
They say capacity will rise from 3,700 to 6,300 once upgrades are complete, and it won't just be locals feeling the benefits. The Derry Journal stated that 'the relocation of season ticket holders from the terrace areas and Southend Park stand will also free up room for an additional 500 seats for visiting fans.'
Everyone's a winner, except when those home fans have to endure an away side scoring late in front of them.
Derry don't own the Brandywell – the local council do – so their willingness to invest was crucial in improving standards.
St Patrick's Athletic have been purchasing property along Emmett Road in preparation for redevelopment of Richmond Park. One homeowner of a property backing onto the ground even bid farewell at the start of this season when he pulled the back fence out to get curry chips from one of the vans in the ground.
The commitment of almost €25 million from the Government's Large Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund will see Bohemians redevelop Dalymount Park, but the club confirmed last week that they will remain in Phibsborough for part of the 2026 season. That means Damien Duff may yet end up on the Grassy Knoll behind the goal again.
Shelbourne have also been increasing capacity at Tolka Park by improving terracing that had been neglected, as well as making improvements around the ground as a whole, although when their redevelopment plans really take hold is up in the air after a 250-year lease was signed with Dublin City Council last year.
Sligo Rovers, like Bohemians, were the big winners from the last round of LSSIF, and the Bit O'Red envisage 'the diggers being out' on a redeveloped Showgrounds next year.
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Drogheda United were placed on a reserve list of that LSSIF allotment, the club's plans for a new 4,500-seater stadium on the north side of the town described last November by then Minister of State for Sport Thomas Byrne as 'essentially, they are the next big FAI project.'
Wexford FC were allocated €2m towards a new 6,000-capacity ground closer to the town centre as current home Ferrycarrig Park is on a site that's part of the expansion of the M11.
Galway United submitted a joint venture for a new training base alongside Athenry Swans Hockey but will have to wait for the next round of funding.
All of these projects will go some way to improving Irish football. Even if it just means being able to see the anguish and joy of more people who love the game.
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