On a night when Man Utd won in Rome, all astronomers’ eyes were on Belfast for the NAM 5-a-side football tournament. And what a nail-biting, cliche-ridden, game of three halves it was! In a cliff-hanger of a final Edinburgh narrowly defeated the home team 2-1. Local conference organiser and lightning-quick centre forward Tomaldo Miller reported that he was ’sick as a parrot’ at the final whistle.

The group stages had provided great excitement along the way. Edinburgh topped Group A on goal difference only. Group B was an exciting 3-way contest between Belfast, Liverpool and Cardiff, who fought out some close games, including a 2-2 draw between Cardiff and Liverpool, with Cardiff’s ace striker Nathan Rory’s equaliser with the last kick of the game.

Many players excelled themselves in both skill and entertainment value. Leicester’s ‘golden Gordon’ provided lively goal-hanging antics, including trying to score instead of waiting for a goal kick to be taken. Cardiff’s ‘rolly goalie’ demonstrated the Welsh abilities at rugby when he took out ball and man in one goalmouth scramble.

But in the end football was the winner, Brian.

Report courtesy of Cardiff University’s Prof. Derek Ward-Thompson

The result from the all-important 5-a-side football competition was a victory for Edinburgh, beating local favourites QUB 2-1 thanks to a late penalty. Full match reports to follow if and when we can find an unbiased reporter…