DJ’S JOTTINGS – NUMBER 16 (San Marino)

 

 

Earlier in the year the opportunity arose to visit San Marino for their midweek European Championship qualifier with the Republic of Ireland. Although within Italy’s borders, San Marino has somehow managed to remain independent for 1,700 years and is the oldest republic in the World. It is just 24 square miles in area and has a population of 25,000. The language spoken is the local dialect of Sammoranese, or Italian, German or English!

 

Our route involved a Ryanair flight from Stansted to Bologna-Forli and a 45 minute drive in a pre-booked taxi. The last 16 mile stretch, inland from Rimini, is almost entirely uphill, with the final section to San Marino City being particularly steep and involving a number of hairpin bends. The Hotel Joli is a good quality 3-star base and with the Irish in town there is plenty of craik in the hotel bar.

 

The following day provides some time for sightseeing. Three fortresses are located at the highest points of the City, providing spectacular views of the Italian countryside some 2000 feet below and out to Rimini and the sea beyond. A cable car can be taken to get to the town below. A statue of Garibaldi celebrates his military accomplishments rather than his responsibility for a type of biscuit while the Torture Museum whiles away a painful hour or so.

 

The stadium is 8 kilometres from the city, but we manage to hitch a ride on a coach laid on for the Irish supporters. It does however take some time to get everyone out of the bars and onto the coach, especially the four lime green Elvis Presleys!

 

The Stadio Olimpico is close to the main road to Rimini and is part of the Campo Sportivo at Serravalle. There is a baseball stadium and indoor sports hall in addition to the main 5,115 capacity stadium that not surprisingly caters for athletics as well as football. It is a 2-sided ground with all-seated stands along the touchlines. The main stand has a timber roof while only the rear central section of the other side is covered.

 

30 euros gets almost the best seats right by the VIP area where Sir Bobby Robson, JohnToshack and Packie Bonner are among those identified. Programmes are only provided for the VIP’s but a friendly steward obtains copies for our party.

 

The stadium is also used by A.C. San Marino who play in Serie C1 (3^rd tier) of the Italian League. The remaining 16 San Marino clubs have their own competitions, the Titan Cup, named after the main mountain, played for since 1937 and a league that only started in 1985.

 

Internationally, San Marino are one of the real minnows, with predominantly part-time players that had recently been humbled 13-0 by Germany. The Irish have the likes of Keane, Kilbane, Duff, O’Shea and Finnan and the vast majority of the 3000 crowd on their side. Ireland struggle however and despite taking the lead soon after half-time miss some good chances to make the game safe. San Marino who hardly ever score manage to scramble an equaliser from their only real chance. Their lone striker Morani, lying prone on the ground with two defenders and the keeper around him sticks out a leg and the ball trickles into the net in slow motion. San Marino are seemingly heading for their first ever point in the European Championship, but in the 4^th minute of stoppage time and with practically the last kick of the match the appropriately named Stephen Ireland scores with a close range shot. At the final whistle the San Marinans are crestfallen and the Irish breath collective sighs of relief.

 

The run to the airport is at far too early an hour after a late night session and as it happens pointless. Snow at Stansted means that our plane does not arrive so we have to rebook on an evening flight and spend the day mooching around Forli. Still a fine trip nonetheless and another in the list of European countries that have been ticked.