11 blue morsels, all working tirelessly in unison, shimmying the plastic ball meticulously between the red resistance.  From end to end, the sphere ricochets over the smooth azure surface, and then with one swift rotary motion, the ball strikes the hindmost position of the goal creating a deafening thud and a soul-destroying defeat for the challengers.

It is a game that knows no boundaries other than those framing the table.  One’s social order means nothing in a game that doesn’t discriminate on gender or economic status.  It is a game won on the table from passion, hunger and twisting, not from politics, lies or deceit.  It is a game that develops a common bond between all who partake, builds friends of strangers and turns frowns to smiles.  It is Foozball – a beautiful game indeed.

To give something back to the game that has given me so much, came the Mark Tanner Memorial Fooz Doubles Championship, a prestigious and competitive tournament played by those with a love for fooz.  

32 of the most formidable fooz partnerships in Ireland were officially entered with qualifiers taking place over the week of December 16 - 20 and Championship and Plate finals played during the week of January 6 - 10. 

Through all of the blood, sweat and glory, a healthy sense of comradeship gathered momentum, new friendships were forged and 170 Euro was raised for GOAL, but at the end of the day, foozball was the real winner.