After the kebab-skidding incident in Leinster House last week, there was no sign of own goals among politicians yesterday when they togged out with homeless World Cup players, Fair City actors and "Eircom luminaries" for a series of fund-raising games.
The venue was the Home Farm soccer pitch in Whitehall, Dublin, a location familiar to its best-known political citizen, Taoiseach Bertie Ahern.
Mr Ahern, a keen soccer fan, was not there, but FF councillor Deirdre Heney, who works for his brother, Minister of State Noel Ahern, lined out in the forwards for the politicians.
Political hostilities were suspended for the day.
Independent Dublin North Central TD Finian McGrath, who would have kept a wary eye on Ms Heney's Dáil ambitions in his constituency, dispensed advice from the sidelines.
Indeed, Mr McGrath was seen swapping jerseys with Fine Gael's Damien English in a sporting coalition.
Fianna Fáil's Barry Andrews, as befitted the family's political pedigree, showed some neat timing on the field.
Independents Neil Blaney from Donegal and Paudge Connolly from Cavan- Monaghan, had travelled far and played with gusto.
Fine Gael's Richard Bruton dashed to Home Farm from RTÉ.
Fianna Fáil's Pat Carey watched from the stand as the rain beat down mercilessly.
The event, which was sponsored by Van Fleet, was to raise funds for the participation of our World Cup squad, made up of homeless people, in the July finals in Edinburgh.
The "Eircom legends" included Pat Fenlon and Eamonn Collins from Shelbourne, Paul Doolin from Drogheda, Martin Lawlor and Fred Davis.
Jim Bartley, an acting legend dating back to the days of black and white television and Tolka Row, was marshalling the Fair City players, who included Dave Mitchell and Pat Nolan.
At the end of the goal count, there was a consensus that everybody had achieved a quota of goodwill for turning out for such a good cause on a foul day.
