S.S. eL

It's been a whirligig week in the land of eL. Noses seem to be have been pushed to one side by the determination of football fans to follow the World Cup; to prolong the autopsy into the completely unforeseen implosion of St. George's gold-laden emissaries against the cheating Portuguese; and don't mention the Italians.

Not content with reaching the World Cup Final for the 253rd time they've hoovered up headlines all over the geoid with their off field dealings. After all the drama and excitement our clubs have genuinely generated recently it's embarrassing to watch the Italians pout and twirl in search of attention. They are such drama queens, but you've only to see them roll around after a challenge to realise that.

The madness of recent times back home has been exacerbated by the transfer carousel, which is spinning furiously and relentlessly. Like the closing stages of a Monopoly game assets are being bought, sold, loaned, mortgaged and liquefied in the transfer tornado. Money is being produced from under the board, get out of jail free cards are being cashed in and almost anyone who's given the option is taking a chance.

Ollie's pulling rabbits out of his hat, Liam Kearney's beating a hasty exit in the car, Finn Harps are ironing out their problems, choose your own user for the old boot, and wonder where the next house or hotel will spring up.

Some may offer up the pressures of professionalism as a reason for the defection of Liam Kearney from our game, or the hissy fit of Georgie Boy in the Deep South. Thankfully our players and club officials haven't taken to defenestration, but as mentioned earlier our Latin friends are more adept when it comes to histrionics.

But the core business for the fan is the football, and the swirling results of recent times have made for an ever more intriguing battle. Pat's will rue the break as they've stumbled back into the action; it's pass the parcel as the top 4 exchange the leadership like it were a brown envelope; Drogs have become beatable. In the first division Cobh are on fire whilst Limerick continue to defy the odds.

And yet this week I expect support to galvanise for the Louthmen and their Southern nemesis as both clubs enter the European arena. With the exception of a few needlebrains, eL fans will be urging both sides on to greater voyages in the name of the good ship eL, an oft holed vessel which we're all happy to row and bale out when needed, for now it's all we've got. HEAVE - HEAVE, ad nauseum.