Sam Maguire Almost Here!

The Friends of Dublin GAA Boston and Guinness present The Sam Maguire Tour of Boston on Saturday November 12 and Sunday November 13. Dublin Manager Pat Gilroy, 2010 and 2011 Players of the Year, Bernard and Alan Brogan, as well as team members Michael Fitzsimons, Michael Darragh McCauley, Paul Casey, Eamonn Fennell, Rory O’Carroll, and David Henry will be traveling to the United States to share in the celebrations of Dublin’s marvelous victory.

On Saturday night, November 12, there will be a cocktail reception at Porter Belly’s with music by Inchicore. There is a limit of 100 people so don’t delay in securing your ticket! On Sunday the cup and players will appear at venues throughout Cambridge and Boston. The day begins at 11:00am at the Phoenix Landing in Cambridge, 2:00 at the Banshee on Dorchester Ave, 4:00 Mr. Dooley’s, 6:00 The Black Rose, and 8:00 The Blackthorn in South Boston. This is a great opportunity to see the cup first hand and a chance to meet some of the heroes who delivered the first All-Ireland to Dublin in 16 years. Bring the kids for photos and autographs.



Tickets for the Saturday night reception are $100 with the proceeds going to the Dublin Players Fund. Please contact any member of the Friends of Dublin GAA Committee for tickets and information. Sean McCormack at (617) 840-2983, Rory O’Donnell at (781) 738-2783, Kevin Fagan, Brendan Mullen, Joey McCabe, Mick Sammon, Stephen Magill, or Paul Brennan. Also email rodonnell-1@comcast.net or sean@porterbellyspub.com.

Excitement Builds for Dublin's U.S. Trip

Excitement is building in Boston and New York as the throngs of Dublin supporters eagerly await the arrival of Dublin manager Pat Gilroy, along with 2010 and 2011 Players of the Year, Bernard and Alan Brogan, All-Star Michael Darragh McCauley, and several other members of the victorious Dublin football team, and of course the famous Sam Maguire Cup. The connections between the Boston GAA and Dublin are many and strong. More players than can be mentioned in one article have worn the Sky and Navy Blue of the Dubs and eventually played and settled in Boston. Amongst others, some names that come to mind over the years are 1983 Senior All-Ireland winner Kieran Maher, as well as Chris Sage, Mickey Barber, Brendan Murray, Kevin Fagan, Stephen Magill, Gerard McMahon, and most recently St. Judes man, Michael Lyons, who all exhibited their skills on the playing fields of Boston and remained to settle in the area.

Pat Gilroy Celebrates after the Final Whistle.

More than the names mentioned above have put their skills on display in Boston. Fresh from minor and under-21 duty many Dublin greats spent time playing in Boston over the last 30 odd years, eventually to return to Ireland to go on to experience success at senior level with the Dubs. Many reached the holy grail of winning an All-Ireland medal. Dilboy Field and Canton have seen the likes of Charlie Redmond, Mick Deegan, Anto McCaul, Niall Clancy, Brian Burke, Niall Guiden, Keith and Johnny Barr play with the St. Columbkilles Gaelic Football Club, a club with strong links to Dublin football. Boston has also witnessed the likes of Joe McNally and Declan Lally, a member of the 2011 panel, both of who played with one of the areas biggest clubs, Aidan McAnespies. On the hurling front, Alan McCrabbe and Ryan O’Dwyer graced the fields of Canton with their silken skills with the Tipperary and Wexford clubs respectively. Of course Dublin is just one of the counties with a strong relationship to Boston, and we hope that the tradition continues well into the future. With plans for The Mother of All Celebrations well underway in New York and Boston, I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to speak by telephone to manager Pat Gilroy about the upcoming trip and his connections with Boston, and reflect on Dublin’s victory and what it means for Gaelic Games in the capital.

Players of the Year 2010 and 2011
 Bernard and Alan Brogan will be traveling to the U.S.

The traveling party first heads to New York and will be hosted with a banquet put on by the Dublin Gaelic Football of New York on Friday night. Reaching out to the community abroad is a huge tradition in the GAA and for Pat and the players it is a chance to connect to the Irish in the States. “We’re looking forward to the trip to the States, it sounds like it will be quite an occasion,” said Pat enthusiastically. “It’s great to go. I played in New York myself and there is huge interest in the Irish community there. Its great to see the people over there, and people are delighted to see the fellas coming over, added Pat in anticipation of what the trip means to the Diaspora.

The group will then move on the Boston where the recently formed Friends of Dublin GAA will host an evening at Porter Belly’s Pub in Brighton followed by a tour of the city the following day. It will be a great chance not only to enjoy celebrating with the exiled Dubs in the Boston area, but there are also friends and family to catch up with for Pat and some of the contingent. In fact, Pat is no stranger to Boston and has numerous connections in the city. Former teammates, Kevin Fagan, and Stephen Magill, have resided in the area for several years and Pat and has often met the lads on visits to the city. Pat mentioned another lifelong friend, Dessie McCain, who lives in Worcester, Mass. Their fathers were best friends growing up and the family friendship has continued to this day. Some of the players also have connections in the area, be it old club mates or relatives, so the trip represents a great opportunity to re-connect over the weekend.

It has now been more than 5 weeks since that great day in Croke Park and I asked Pat what was going through his mind as the Sam Maguire was being presented to Bryan Cullen. “Great satisfaction after all the work that went in” said Pat. “Over the years a lot of teams put in the same amount of work as us and didn’t win it. It was a fairytale the way we got it. We got a bit of luck this year, and there were plenty of years where we didn’t get that bit of luck.” With 6 minutes to go and down by 4 points, and many people thinking that Kerry had the game in the bag, Pat stated that he was optimistic that his team could pull it off. “I thought if it was close with 10 minutes to go that we would go on to win it. We had the fresher legs and created 2 goal chances in the final 10 minutes” recounted Pat. “Kerry are so experienced, but I felt that we could push on as were the younger team.”

Kevin McManamon was the man to put the ball into the net and score the goal that would propel the team to victory. “Kevin was unlucky not to start, but we are very fortunate to have impact players that we can bring in to the game. Kevin was one of those guys and did a great job for us all year.” So, where to for this team of young players? Pat was 23 when he won his All-Ireland county medal in 1995 and waited 16 years for the second, and that as manager of the team. Pat feels that there could be a championship or two more in this young group of players if they put the work in. “The average age of the team I was on was about 30. For this team it is 23. The lads know how hard it is to win it and if they continue to apply themselves and push hard they could win a few more,” said Pat.

With a 16 year gap since the last major football victory, Pat felt that winning was vital to the future of the games in the capital, especially with pressure coming from other sports. “The victory was hugely important for Dublin GAA” said Pat, “it lifted the whole city. There is huge competition from other sports in Dublin and this was a massive boost not only to Dublin, but with the large population also to the GAA as a whole”. A possible signal of things to come for Gaelic Games in the capital lies in the fact that four Dublin teams in either sport reached finals this year at Minor, U-21, or senior level and Pat agreed. “The future is bright. The hurlers gave us all a lift when they won the National League and that was great to see”. Pat also remarked on the growing popularity of the games amongst the youth of Dublin, and this victory will surely add to that.

Does the big man have the itch to come back and try to repeat the feats of 2011? Pat is not yet decided.  “I have not made a decision yet. With work and getting a backroom team together I am waiting for some answers before I make a decision,” he said. Pat may not yet have a definite answer on that one, but something is for certain, there will be a great few days in New York and Boston the second weekend in November – especially for the Dubs!

The celebrations in Boston begin Saturday evening, November 12, at 7:00 when there will be a night at Porter Belly’s Pub in Brighton. Tickets are $100 and limited to 100 people. Music by Inchicore, appetizers, and a cocktail reception. Proceeds go to the Dublin Players Fund. The following day there will be a tour of the city. Venues and times to be announced. Check out our Facebook page, Friends of Dublin GAA Boston. For more information contact Sean McCormack or Rory O’Donnell.

By Rory O'Donnell

Big Celebration in Store - Sam Maguire to Boston!

Dublin’s All-Ireland Celebrations Come to Boston

The Friends of Dublin GAA Boston will be bringing the celebrations of Dublin’s All-Ireland Senior Football championship to this side of the Atlantic. The Sam Maguire Cup, Manager Pat Gilroy, and players Michael Dara McCauley, Rory O’Carroll, Michael Fitzsimons, Eamonn Fennell, Paul Casey, David Henry, and Brogan brothers, Alan and Bernard, will be at Porter Bellys Pub in Brighton on Saturday November 12, from 7-11. There will be live music with Inchicore, appetizers, and a cocktail reception. The event will be limited to 100 people with a suggested donation of $100. The proceeds will go towards the players fund. Please contact Sean McCormack or Rory O’Donnell for more information. On Sunday the party will tour Boston and will be at several venues throughout the city. A schedule of appearances will be published as it is finalized. So, keep an eye out for the times and places, this is a great chance to meet the players, bring the kids for photos and autographs, and join in the celebrations!

Sam Maguire Coming to Boston

Sam Maguire to Tour Boston

Dublin Captain Bryan Cullen and Sam Maguire
 will be in Boston the second weekend in November.

The Sam Maguire Cup will be coming to Boston as part of a whirlwind tour of the North East from November 11 – 14. The Friends of Dublin GAA will host Pat Gilroy, Brian Cullen, along with other team members at events in the city. The Cup first travels to New York for a night and will then come to Boston for a couple of nights. This is a great opportunity to see the cup first hand and a chance to meet some of the heroes who delivered the first All-Ireland to Dublin in 16 years. For more information please contact Rory O’Donnell at (781) 738-2783 or Sean McCormack at (617) 840-2983, or email rodonnell-1@comcast.net or sean@porterbellyspub.com.

2011 Season - A Quick Word

Now that the 2011 season is over I would like to thank all of the Boston Northeast clubs for making the championships here the best in North America.  It truly is great to go out to Canton and enjoy the high standard of football and hurling week in and week out - it certainly makes the job easier if not a pleasure.  Thanks to all of you who tuned in to the blog keep up with the GAA events here in Boston.   A big thank you to the Boston Northeast Board, Paddy Barry's, and Siansa 8 for their support this season.  Also, I will be putting unpublished photos from the season on the Facebook page over the coming months - so keep an eye on that.  The auld camera is showing its age these days and needs an upgrade, but feel free to copy or downloand any that you wish to.  Looking forward to the break and then on to 2012!

Rory

Aidan McAnespies Junior Bs defeated by Pittsburgh in Semi-Final.

Semi-Final: Aidan McAnespies 2-4 Pittsburgh Celtics 1-9


Macs had a five point win over local side, Sons of Boru in the quarter final on Friday and headed into Saturday’s game with every expectation of making the final but it was not to be. The Boston representatives lost out by a score of 2-4 to 1-9. McAnespies played well in the first half. Willie Carroll and Jimmy Corrigan did well in the forward line as did old reliable, Peadar Nugent. At the end of the first half McAnespies led by a score of 1-3 to 0-4. Willie Carroll opened the scoring after 10 minutes with a pointed free. After Niall Mullen leveled for Pittsburgh, Peadar Nugent put the Macs into a four point lead with a point that was followed by a goal from close range. McAnespies played the ball well and held the Pittsburgh forwards to the single point for most of the first half, and things looked promising for the Boston side. The writing was on the wall as the game wore on however and fitness became a factor. Nate Mavrer in the middle of the field proved to be problematic for McAnespies. At the tallest man on the field, Mavrer won plenty of ball for the youngsters and gradually the possession battle swung to Pittsburgh. Late in the half the Celtics landed three points to close the gap to two points at the break.

Action from McAnespies v Celtics in Semi-Final.

Pittsburgh opened the second half with three quick points, and as McAnespies tired the Pennsylvania side took over. With plenty of running and a short passing game the Celtics opened up McAnespies back line with increasing frequency and points came from Niall Mullen, Ryan Dowd, and Niall Hawking. McAnespies looked to get the ball into corner forwards Benny McGettigan and Peadar Nugent at every opportunity, and McGettigan goaled to put Macs back on top for a brief period. As the game reached the later stages options coming out of defence were limited as tired legs got the better of the McAnespies players. When Pittsburgh goaled to take a one point lead with 10 minutes to go they looked to be in control. Another point followed and with time running out McAnespies needed a goal to pull off an unlikely victory. In injury time the Boston side almost did just that. The ball bobbled around the penalty area but a McAnespies boot could not connect for a decent shot and with that the final whistle sounded. Disappointing for McAnespies, though in truth a win would have amounted to stealing the game.


In the final Pittsburgh secured an easy win over their mid-west rivals Detroit, which makes you wonder what might have been.

Macs: E. McKenna, O. Guirke, P. McCusker, C. Traynor, G. Hennessey, M. Bogue, P. Nugent, E. McCusker, S. McGettigan, W. Carroll, J. Corrigan, R. McCrystal, E. Daly, P. Ryan, P. Nolan. Pitsburgh: C. Heaney, D. Kelly, F. Finnan, D. Coyne, R. McAleenan, D. Ruben, N. Mavrer, K. Hathaway, R. Macel, R. Dowd, D. Kennedy, N. Hawking, N. Mullen.


By Rory O'Donnell

Na Fianna San Fran defeat Galway in Senior Hurling Final.

Final: Galway 1-6 Na Fianna San Francisco 3-14


Galway arrived in San Francisco with a team that was severely depleted from the one that lifted the Boston championship the week before. The Galway boys made the most of it and defeated Vancouver in the semi-final on Saturday by a score of 0-17 to 0-13. Conditions on Treasure Island were difficult given the stiff cross-field breeze. Galway led at the break by four points, 0-9 to 0-5, though it seemed the breeze favoured them in the first half. Vancouver worked their way back into the game and got within one point late in the game, but Galway stuck to the task and three points late in the game saved their bacon. It looked as if Vancouver had the momentum, but Keith Killilea put a point over on 24 minutes, and Paul Guinan pointed two late frees to give Galway the four point cushion. Vancouver had chances to win the game but on one or two occasions when it seemed as if a goal was on, could not produce the goods. Galway went on to face Na Fianna who looked very good in their semi-final defeat of their local San Francisco rivals Naomh Padraig.

The Galway Hurlers made the final but did not have enough for Na Fianna.

Galway were up against it in the final. Na Fianna were fit and sharp and Galway did not get much change from the opposing back line. By the time the first half was 20 minutes old Galway were behind by eight points and it did not get much better. Kieran Grehan pointed five times, four from frees, while wing forward Shane Maher netted two goals, the second coming with five minutes left in the half. For their part Galway got a sterling performance from Killian Murphy at corner back and Sylvie Lennane in the half back line. Galway pointed twice from Paul Guinan frees and really should have had more to show for their efforts on the scoreboard. There were several missed scoring chances that would have put some respectability on the scoreboard. At the break Na Fianna led by a score of 2-8 to 0-2. The trophy looked destined for San Francisco.


And so it was. Galway lifted their effort somewhat in the second half, but were still not a match for the local outfit. Shortly after the restart Maher had his hat trick and further points came from Grehan and Jody Brennan. Galway managed scores from Fintan O’Leary, Killilea and Guinan. It became a matter of waiting for the final whistle as the outcome was in no doubt. Paul Guinan netted from a 21 yard free to make things look respectable but Galway just did not have the horses, while for Na Fianna it must have seemed too easy. It must be noted that Turloughmore native and Galway HC veteran, Josie Fahy, togged and made an appearance in the final minutes of the game. The last time the finals were held in the Bay Area a decade ago Galway also faced Na Fianna in the senior hurling final. Back then it was Galway who had the facile win with a team that contained names such as Budddy Curley, David Franks, Jeffrey Lynskey, and Martin Cullinane. It seems however as if the Galway Hurling Club is back on the rise after 10 years in the doldrums.


Galway: D. Kilmartin, A. Murphy, K. Murphy, D. McMahon, S. Lennane, L. Byrne, D. Murray, G. McNamara, P. Guinan, F. O’Leary, J. Byrne, K. Killilea, J. Kinsella, S. Corbett, J. Fahy. Na Fianna: M. Bagery, L. Gormley, A. Cuddihy, J. Walsh, G. Wheelock, A. Cunnane, J. Hayes, S. Burrows, J. Molloy, S. Maher, K. Grehan, J. Brennan, M. Doyle.


By Rory O'Donnell

Late Goal Dashes Barley House Wolves Championship Hopes

Final: Barley House Wolves 3-4 St. Louis 1-11


The Barley House Wolves of Concord NH made the final of the Junior C Competition with victories over Oregon and Indianapolis on Friday and Saturday respectively. On Friday the Wolves demolished Oregon, a new club to the hurling scene. Saturday’s semi-final against Indy proved a far sterner test. The Wolves went down early. After 10 minutes the side from the Granite State were down by 2-2 to no score, and looked like they were at risk of going down to a hiding. The Wolves bucked down and thanks to some hard work in defence, especially from Eddie Clements, Dennis Traynor, and Lore Forde gradually turned the tables. Points started to flow from Rory O’Mahoney, Dan Hanna, and Matt Pulomina at half time the sides were level. The Wolves kept up the pressure and in the second half the job was made easier as goals came from O’Mahoney, Derek Reiss, and Alec Foley. The Wolves headed into Sunday’s final with hopes high to add a North American Championship to their Northeast title.

St. Louis Defend a 21-Yard BHW Free.

The sternest test of the weekend for the Granite Staters proved to be the final. Despite leading for most of the game and having had plenty of chances to add to the lead, the Wolves lost out at the very end by the narrowest of margins having conceded a late goal. St. Louis, one of the biggest and well-established junior hurling clubs in North America displayed some fine shooting skills. Several scores from the mid-western outfit were worthy of the senior stage. The Wolves took control of the contest with about 10 minutes left in the first half and added to their lead in the early stages of the second. St. Louis however kept chipping away with the points and when the chance came to take a late lead they took it. The Wolves had a chance to steal a late winner but the opposition keeper pulled off the save of the game.

The Wolves relied on a first half goal from Derek Reiss to keep in the game in the early going. St. Louis took a five points to one goal lead. Rory O’Mahoney added one in the points column for the northeastern side, and with 20 minutes gone netted a goal after the Corkman latched on to a poor clearance. At the half the Wolves led 2-2 to 0-6.

Rory O'Mahoney in Action in the Semi-Final.

Things looked very promising for the Wolves for most of the second half. The Concord men worked hard for the ball and in defence closed down the space. A goal came from Dan Hanna early on. St. Louis answered with three points, two lovely efforts from distance. Darragh Madden stemmed the tide with a point and at that stage the Wolves lead was three points. With the Wolves living dangerously St. Louis pointed again from distance and the lead was now a dangerous two points. With minutes left on the clock St. Louis won a free from 21 yards and planted the ball in the net to take the lead. Now it was the Wolves who had to press and they did. Chances were generated, but a score did not come. Disappointment with the final result, but having come within a hair of winning the championship on their first try, the Concord boys have much to be encouraged by for the future.

BHW: D. Trainor, R. Brown, S. McCarty, M. Gregoire, E. Clements, L. Forde, M. Pulomena, D. Hanna, D. Madden, R. O’Mahoney, R. Valas, A. Foley, D. Reiss, S. Baron, R. Burnham.


By Rory O'Donnell

Mairead Farrell's too much for Tir na nOg in Ladies Final

Final: Tir na nOg 3-7 Mairead Farrells Philadelphia 3-9


Tir na nOg suffered a tough loss in the Ladies Senior Football Final against a sharp Mariead Farrell’s side from Philadelphia. Tir na nOg had a long layoff since winning the Boston championship, while Farrell’s had a competitive semi-final on Saturday versus the local Fog City Harps team. The Boston side looked dead and buried with 5 minutes to go, but two late goals gave hope, however, there was not to be a winner for the Boston team and Farrell’s celebrated their second championship in a row.

Tir na nOg almost pulled off an incredible comeback but fell just short in the end.

Farrell’s got off to the better start. Adele Gallagher pointed a free to get things going. Natalia Hyland leveled for Tir na nOg as the Boston ladies looked to get into the game. With Tir na nOg on the attack and looking like they were beginning to put their stamp on the game, Farrell’s struck with a breakaway goal. Ciara Moore was the scorer after the Philadelphia side swept up the field. The Boston side continued to work their way into the game and put two well worked points over the bar. Mairead Luttrel and Natalia Hyland were prominent in the efforts Tir na nOg. The Philly side then hit with goal number two. This time it was a well worked score with the opening created by some slick handpassing. As Tir na nOg tried to put the setbacks behind them, and worked hard to keep the scoreboard ticking over, Philly displayed some very good football with the Fegan twins from County Down instrumental in many of their moves. At the break the team from Philly led by a score of 2-4 to 0-5.

Things did not get any better for the Boston girls in the second half. Having opened with the first score Tir na nOg could not make a dent in the deficit. There was great work from the Boston team to try and turn the game around, but to no avail. The opposing girls were quicker to the ball and when Tir na nOg scored, Philly had an answer. After adding a point to their lead, Philly hit with goal number three. A high ball into the box was picked up by Sabrina Moore and the corner forward took her chance well. Points were added by Orla Fegan and Moore and entering the final 10 minutes Philly led by 11 points. Tir na nOg had some life left in them and were by no means out of ammo. The Boston side pushed hard and were rewarded with a goal from Jenny Murphy. Time still ticking away and Paula McGrath netted a second – five points in it and injury time. Incredibly Tir na nOg scored a third goal to reduce the gap to 2 points, could the impossible happen? It was not to be as Philly won possession and played out the clock to retain their NACB title. Disappointment for the Boston side, but credit must be taken for their never say die attitude. As for Mairead Farrell’s, the Philly side will be going for three-in-a-row on home soil next year.


Tir na nOg: L. Brick, T. Moran, S. Patterson, L. Fennell, M. Luttrell, S. Delahunty, H. Noonan, N. McEvoy, P. McGrath, N. Hyland, C. Nee, S. Bannon, J. Murphy. Mairead Farrells: D. DeBaldo, A. Sheilds, L. McGullion, B. McManus, N. McGowan, D. Johns, A. Gallagher, S. Fegan, S. O’Hara, O. Fegan, N. Walsh, S. Moore, C. Moore.


By Rory O'Donnell

Wexford Hurlers Win First NACB Junior Title

Final: Wexford 3-13 Na Fianna San Francisco 2-7

Action from the Junior A Final.

Wexford’s journey to their first junior hurling title was not without its bumps. At first it seemed as if the journey to San Francisco was all for nothing after the team was disqualified for showing up late on Saturday morning for an 8:00am start, but the Slaneysiders were given a reprieve and a game Sunday morning against Toronto. Wexford took their second chance and came away with a comfortable win by a score of 3-20 to 1-10. The Wexford boys then had to gather themselves for a 12:00 final against local side, Na Fianna. Wexford survived both battles to emerge victorious with a few players limping through the final stages of the final. Steven Corcoran was invaluable at corner forward, his speed an accuracy caused problems for Na Fianna, while at the back Peter Nolan, Denis Brennan, Ronan Shaughnessy and James Brennan were solid.

The first half of the final saw Wexford pull away into a lead that they retained for the rest of the game. Not that things were comfortable all the way through. Corcoran was the man to put the first few points over the bar, and a goal after 10 minutes settled Wexford. Na Fianna managed two points and when in attack looked dangerous if given the space. Wexford worked hard and showed composure when clearing from defence however. With the Boston side leading by 1-6 to 0-4 Na Fianna propelled themselves right back into the game with a goal from a ball down the middle and over the top. Andy Shore in goal got a stick to it but the ball ended up in the roof of the net. Wexford answered by finishing the half strongly and netted twice. The first came from Tony Murphy. Corcoran provided the assist, and a minute later put one away for himself. At the break Wexford looked to be in a commanding lead, 3-6 to 1-5.

Wexford Celebrate the NACB Junior A Hurling Championship.

The second half was not quite as comfortable for Wexford. Playing their second game in the space of three hours, there were a few players hobbling. Na Fianna enjoyed plenty of possession and on a few occasions threatened the Wexford goal. Wexford made good use of the outlets available in the forward line. Peter Ryan, Murphy, and Corcoran accounted for points to keep Wexford’s noses ahead. Mid-way through the half Na Fianna scrambled a goal to bring them within six points, but that was the last score of the game for them. Shore made one fine save and Wexford fell back to hassle and harry. With Wexford looking very tired Corcoran popped up for a beautiful score to give the Bostonside a boost. The game ended with Wexford points from Corcoran and Moloney to lift their first North American junior trophy.


Wexford: R. Leydon, P. Nolan, D. Brennan, R. Shaughnessy, A. Shore, J. Brennan, S. White, T. Moloney, D. Reddin, C. McArdle, P. McArdle, T. Murphy, S. Corcoran.


By Rory O'Donnell

Aidan McAnespies Win Third NACB Senior Football Title

Final: Aidan McAnespies 1-14 Parnells Chicago 1-7


Aidan McAnespies brought a full squad of players to contest the senior football championship and were the talk of the finals. Sean Treacys provided the opposition for the semi-final and the reigning NACB champions went into the game with high hopes of retaining their title. McAnespies had to work hard to dispel those hopes, especially in the first half. Treacy’s went into an early three points to one lead, and the stiff breeze forced McAnespies into a short passing game to work the ball into scoring post. The Boston side eventually figured out the formula and started to put some scores over the bar. Plunkett Kane showed the way and accounted for three points, while Paul O’Donoghue, Gareth O’Neill, and Sean Cournane scored one each to put McAnespies into a 0-7 to 0-5 lead at the break. The second half proved easier as Treacy’s began to tire. In fact Treacy’s were limited to two points in the second half, while McAnespies netted three times; Kane, O’Donoghue, and O’Neill were the goal scorers. McAnespies had every reason to be confident going into Sunday’s final against Parnells Chicago.

Plunkett Kane in action in Saturday's Semi-Final.

Parnells made the Boston side work for the victory in the final. The Chicago team swarmed defence in an effort thwart the vaunted McAnespies forward line, and when in attack looked dangerous. It was a tight first half. McAnespies tried to get their running game going and Colm McCrory was instrumental in the effort. The Monaghan man tried to open up the Parnells defence with his trademark running and accounted for two points. Parnells took the game to McAnespies however, and caused a lot of problems for the back line. With 20 minutes gone it was four points each. Points from Eoin Keating and Paul Carey kept the Chicago side on level terms. Sean Cournane and Plunkett Kane also pointed for McAnespies, while corner forwards Paul O’Donoghue and Cournane had a tough time of it with the conditions and crowded Parnells defence. McAnespies also suffered a setback when Ryan McCloskey had to leave the action due to a leg injury and was replaced by Rory Bracken, who in turn experienced a recurrence of his shoulder injury and also had to be taken from the field. Kane and Sean Cournane pointed late in the first half to put McAnespies two points ahead at the break, 0-6 to 0-4.

Niall Kerr lifts the NACB Trophy.

McAnespies were forced to defend early in the second half as Parnells kept the pace up. The shooting from the Chicago side was wayward however and McAnespies were let off the hook with four wides. Philip Toner and Colm McCrory added a point each to the McAnespies lead, and McAnespies had the ball in the net at one stage, but the referee had blown for a penalty. O’Donoghue took it and John Rafter pulled off a fine save for Parnells to put the ball out for a 45. O’Donoghue made amends somewhat and put the ensuing kick over the bar to make it 0-4 to 0-9 with just over 15 minutes left. Things began to get a little dirty as challenges got heavy and Parnells grew a little desperate. Little added a point for McAnespies, but the Boston side almost conceded a goal but a high ball into the box came off the crossbar. The game was still very much up for the taking. Chicago made a push for a goal in the final 10 minutes and it was backs to the wall for McAnespies for a while. Parnells tagged two points, one from Cunningham and another from Carey. With 5 points in the game McAnespies started to live dangerously. Parnells needed a goal and went for it, hitting the post. With five minutes to go McAnespies led by six. Hughes made it seven as the clock ticked away. Parnells netted a late goal as full time approached to reduce the deficit to five points but back came McAnespies with a classic goal from Plunkett Kane to more or less put the issue to rest. The move began with Little and involved Toner before all Kane had to do was finish into the empty net. It was a hard earned third NACB senior football championship for McAnespies but a wholly deserved one.  McAnespies went unbeaten for the season at senior level, winning all 10 Boston Championship games and both NACB games.  


Macs: C. Kendrick, N. Gallen, R. McCloskey, S. Hughes, N. Kerr, G. O’Neill, P. Kane, C. McCrory, P. Toner, P. O’Donoghue, M. Little, S. Cournane, B.Curran, R. Bracken, M. Bogue, W. Carroll,R. McCrystal. Parnells: J. Rafter, J. Hegarty, S. Gallen, D. Givney, E. Keating, S.Prendergast, W. Sherlocl, J. Cunningham, R. Werity, S. Donaghue, R. Doherty, P. Carey.


By Rory O'Donnell

NACB FINALS - HOW THE BOSTON TEAMS FARED

It was a hectic weekend on Treasure Island in San Francisco over the Labor Day weekend.   Treasure Island sits in the middle of San Francisco Bay and is accessible from the Bay Bridge which crosses from San Francisco to Oakland.  The island is named after Robert Louis Stevenson, author of the book of the same name, who lived in San Francisco for a time.  It is a man made island and was created for the San Francisco Exposition in the 1930s using material dredged from the harbor.  It has also served as a Naval Yard and with several 1930s era buildings on the island, movies have been shot there.  Land on the island is slated for development and the San Francisco GAA opened two fantastic playing fields and a clubhouse.  Pairc na nGael now serves as a home from which to promote and grow Gaelic Games games in the Bay Area.   The site was abuzz for three days of Gaelic Games with teams from across the United States and Canada competing for North American Championships in different categories.  Boston teams made 7 finals and took home 2 cups. Aidan McAnespies won their third senior football and Wexford won their first junior A hurling championship.  Tir na nOg came within 2 points of the Ladies Senior Football championship, while at Junior C Hurling the Barley House Wolves looked good for the title but conceded a late goal to St. Louis to lose out.

Senior Football:  Aidan McAnespies won their third NACB senior championship by beating Parnells Chicago in the final 1-14 to 1-7.
Senior Hurling:  Galway made the final but lost heavily to Na Fianna San Fran by 3-14 to 1-6.
Ladies Senior Football:  Tir na nOg lost out to a very good Mairead Farrell's from Philly in the final, 3-7 to 3-9.
Senior Camogie:  Eire Og made the final but were beaten by St. Mary's Chicago in the final.
Junior A Football:  Wolfe Tones narrowly lost in the quarter final to Vancouver.
Junior B Football:  Aidan McAnespies made the the semi-final, but lost to eventual winners Pittsburgh Celtics 2-4 to 1-10.
Junior A Hurling:  Wexford beat Na Fianna San Fran to win their first NACB championship, 3-13 to 2-7.
Junior C Hurling:  Barley House Wolves of Concord, New Hampshire made it to the final game amidst a crowded field and lost narrowly to St. Louis by a score of 1-11 to 3-4.
The Boston All American team also made the final, and ended up on the losing end of the final game.
Reports coming.

NACB FINALS - SATURDAY UPDATE

There will be seven of the nine teams from the Boston Northeast Board in action tomorrow in the finals:
Senior Football:  Aidan McAnespies beat Sean Treacy's San Fran 3-8 to 0-6 in today's semi-final and will play Parnells Chicago in the final tomorrow.
Senior Hurling:  Galway defeated Vancouver 0-17 to 0-13 and will play Na Fianna San Fran in tomorrow's final.
Ladies Senior Football:  Tir na nOg will contest the Ladies Senior Football final with a bye.
Senior Camogie:  Eire Og will play St. Mary's Chicago in tomorrow's final.
Junior C Hurling:  Barley House Wolves play in tomorrow's final.


Sylvie Og Lennane under the ball for Galway.



Junior A Hurling:  Wexford get a second chance and will play their semifinal against Toronto at 8:00 tomorrow morning.  Should they win the final will be played later in the day.

All American Football:  The Boston All American team are in tomorrow's final thanks to a win over Chicago, 6-14 to 1-2.



Pre-game talk for the Wolves before their semi-final.



Rory O'Mahoney for the Wolves v Indy in the semi-final.



Ollie Guirke for Macs Junior B versus Pittsburgh.





Plunkett Kane for Macs versus Sean Treacy's.



NACB FINALS - SATURDAY AFTERNOON STATUS 2:00

Still In:

Ladies Senior Final: Tir na nOg in final Sunday.
Camogie: Eire Og play Chicago St Mary's in final Sunday.
Junior C Hurling:  Barley House Wolves from Concord,NH into Sunday's Final.
Senior Hurling:  Galway play Vancouver in semi-final at 3:30 today.
Senior Football:  McAnespies play SF Sean Treacy's at 5:00 in semi-final today.

Out

Junior A Football:  Wolfe Tones beaten in Friday's Q/F by a point.
Junior B Football:  Aidan McAnespies made it to today's semi-final by beating Sons of Boru (SF) by 5 points Friday, but were beaten by Pittsburgh Celtics in today's semi-final 2-4 to 1-9.

Click the link to listen to a run down of last weekend's finals in Boston.

‘Macs and Galway lead Boston charge

Barley House Wolves win Junior C Hurling, Tir na nOg win Orla Benson Cup

Barley House Wolves 2-6 Portland 1-4

Barley House Wolves Captain Ray Valas.

The storied Barley House Wolves of Concord New Hampshire won the first Junior C Hurling championship held in the Northeast.  The team was formed by a unit of the New Hampshire National Guard following a tour of duty in Afghanistan five years ago.  There were some great performances for the boys from Concord. Denis Trainor pulled off some great saves in goals, and the at the other end the goals came from Rory O’Mahony. Eddie Clements literally came off the plane from Kuwait to line out at center back, and there were strong performances from Darragh Madden, Sean McCarty, and Ryan Brown. 


Tir na nOg 3-14 Boston Shamrocks 1-6

Tir na nOg completed a sweep of trophies in the ladies competiton by winning the Orla Benson Cup on Saturday.  The Boston Shamrocks put up a brave performance but were unable to match their rivals.  The Brighton ladies will be heading to San Francisco to represent the Boston division at Senior Football level and to hopefully bring a championship back to the North East.

Tir na nOg with the Orla Benson Cup.

A big Thank You to Tom Cummings for his support of the Boston GAA. You can catch Tom at WUNR 1600 AM Thursday nights from 8:00 to 10:00pm.

Wolfe Tones win Junior A Championship

Donegal 1-12 Wolfe Tones 2-14

Wolfe Tones won their first junior football championship in seven years on a rainy Saturday afternoon on Canton. As the first downpours of hurricane Irene began to fall the Tones tightened their grip as the game wore on. After a first half where Donegal were fortunate to find themselves on level terms, the Tones made amends for their first half misses shortly following the restart and controlled the second half to comfortably take the title.

The remarkable thing about the first half was that there was so little between the teams by the time 30 minutes were played. The Tones did most of the attacking but Donegal remained in touch thanks to some dogged defending, in particular from Kieran McGee and Barney Friel. Dean Matthews’ free taking kept the scoreboard ticking over for Donegal, while some good fortune shone on the northerners. The Tones were twice through for a goal but only yielded a point for their efforts. After Christy McLaughlin pulled off a great save the Tones won a penalty. Kieran McGee bundled over Mick Sammon in the area but Marty McGeough’s penalty shot was over the bar. Shortly afterwards Mick Sammon had the goal at his mercy only to be put off his shot at the last minute and might have had a claim for a penalty. Donegal finished the half with two fantastic points from Eamonn McCarney to level affairs at the break, six points each.

Wolfe Tones Celebrate the Junior A Championship.

The Tones made up for their first half misses before the second half had a chance to put some time behind it. Sammon goaled emphatically from the throw-in. Declan Kinahan won the ball and played Sammon in, and the veteran finshed well from an angle. Sammon goaled a seond time five minutes later to put those first have misses well in the rearview mirror, and Donegal were very much behind the eight-ball. With the way the game was going, there was not too much encouragement to be found for Donegal supporters that a comeback could be on the cards. There was a brief period of hope when Paul Boyce, Lee Car, and Matthews pulled Donegal within two goals, but the Tones came right back an popped over two themselves, one each from Shane O’Brien and Marty McGeough, to restore the eight point differential. Donegal introduced Brian Kelly with about five minutes to go and might have wondered why they did not do so earlier. The big man was placed on the edge of the box and the first high ball played in resulted in a goal. Kelly won the ball and laid it off to Paul Boyce whose shot flew into the top corner of the net. The Tones were still ahead by four points and played out the clock. The Tones now represent Boston at junior A level for the first time since 2004 in Denver.


Donegal: C. McLaughlin, K. McGee, B. Friel, N. Doherty, D. Nolan, P. McLaughlin, R. Ivers, P. McLaughlin (0-1), E. McCarney (0-2), P. Boyce (1-1), D. Matthews (0-6), L. Carr (0-2), D. Green. Tones: W. O’Dowd, G. Callaghan, A. Rooney, C. Malone, D. Maguire, K. Gorham, P. Collins, D. Kinahan, J. Farrell (0-1), G. Molloy, A. McGeough (0-1), M. Sammon (2-2), M. McGeough (0-9). Sub: S. O’Brien (0-1).


By Rory O'Donnell

McAnespies Take Junior B Championship

Aidan McAnespies 2-10 Galway 1-7


Aidan McAnespies took the junior B championship in convincing style over Galway on Saturday afternoon. After a close first half McAnespies pulled away in the second with some hard work in the back line and an uncanny ability to find the roving Stephen McGettigan when in attack.

Aidan McAnespies Junior B Captain Eoin McCusker
and Boston North East Board Chairman John Farrell.

The sides opened with a point a piece and it remained that way for the first 10 minutes of the game. Galway did most of the attacking, but had little to show for it. There were some badly missed chances from close range. The tribesmen made a breakthrough thanks to the persistence of Peter Ryan. Ryan won the ball on the edge of the box and eventually got a shot off that came off the inside of the post and into the net for a goal. Galway followed with two points, one each from Jamie Kehoe and Tom Moloney. McAnespies finished the half strongly however. Two quick points from Benny McGettigan and Nigel Regan were followed with a goal. It was a well worked score with the ball ending up in the hands of Shane Traynor who picked his moment and finished low into the corner from 14 yards. Scores level. Gary Clarke and Eoin McCusker finished off the first 30 minutes with a point each and McAnespies ahead by two points.


Galway opened the second period with two points, and the sides were on level terms, but that was as good as it got for the Brightonians. McAnespies gradually took control of the game from that point on. The direction of traffic for next 10 minutes of the game was mostly headed towards the Galway goal. Christopher Traynor fought hard in the McAnespies back line, while Gary Clarke, Peadar Nugent, and Stephen McGettigan were involved in some well worked scores. McAnespies second goal came with 15 minutes to go. Nigel Regan found Stephen McGettigan alone on the edge of the box and McGettigan finished on the turn. Peadar Nugent and Regan followed the score with a point each, and McAnespies lead was six points. Galway had a couple of chances at a goal, on each occasion Eugene McKenna was on the spot to make the save. As the game moved into injury time and the rain began to fall Galway were in bad need of a couple of goals to make a comeback. McAnespies fell back to defend and kept the door closed on any hopes of a Galway comeback. It was a delighted captain Eoin McCusker who accepted the trophy and it is onwards to San Fran!

Macs: E. McKenna, O. Guirke, C. Smith, C. Treanor, P. McCusker, T. Tuite, G. Clarke (0-1), W. Carroll (0-1), E. McCusker (0-1), P. Nugent (0-1), S. Traynor (1-3), N. Regan (0-2), J. Taylor. Sub: S. McGettigan (1-1). Galway: M. Hynes, J. Savage, I. Gleeson, G. Bannon, P. Ryan (1-0), JJ O’Neill, A. Moran, P. Hackett (0-1), R. Burns, J. Kehoe (1-2), S. McNulty, T. Moloney (0-3), S. Bannon. Sub: R. Ward (0-1).


By Rory O'Donnell

Wexford Win First Junior Hurling Title

Junior Hurling Final


Fr. Tom Burke’s 0-12 Wexford 1-18

Wexford claimed their first ever junior hurling championship with relative ease on Friday night. The Slaneysiders never looked in danger throughout the 60 minutes and led from start to finish. Eoghan Kavanagh put in a man of the match performance at corner forward, while the Wexford back line held firm against anything the Tom’s could throw at them.

The Wexford Junior Hurlers Celebrate their first junior hurling title.

Wexford lorded it over the first 30 minutes of the game and held a nine-point lead at the break. Eoghan Kavanagh seemed like the unstoppable force at corner forward for Wexford. Kavanagh accounted for seven of Wexford’s first ten points, five of those from play. Wexford also had the measure of their opposing forward line. Tom’s forays forward often fell on barren ground and scores were hard to come by. Points came from John Cuddy 65’s and a great effort from CJ Power, but Tom’s were unable to penetrate the Wexford rearguard with any sustained degree of success. With about 20 minutes gone a goal came for Wexford. A free from well inside the Wexford half went long and into the Tom’s penalty area. The ball managed to avoid contact from boot or stick and ended up rolling into the back of the net. While Tom’s were having no luck, Wexford got the bounce of the ball when it was not needed. Tom’s managed a two well earned points from Eugene Cummins and CJ Power before the break to give themselves some measure of hope going into the second half.

Wexford Captain Peter Nolan is presented with the Cup by
Boston North East Board Chairman John Farrell.

Tom’s made a better first of things in the second half, however, eating into Wexford’s lead proved to be elusive. After Kavanagh extended Wexford’s lead a further two points, Tom’s tallied four points in a row and hopes were raised among the Tom’s faithful that a comeback could be on the cards. It did not materialize however. Wexford were too good and never allowed Tom’s to get closer than seven points. Kavanagh sprang into action again with two more points and Wexford shut up shop at the back. Jamie Kehoe and John Joe O’Neill controlled the middle of the field. Late in the game, with Tom’s needing a couple of goals to have a chance CJ Power created an opening but Matt O’Donnell in goals for Wexford was equal to the shot. A well deserved first for Wexford who can look forward to their first foray at junior level next weekend in San Francisco.

Tom’s: J. O’Halloran, M. Moore, L. Guinan, P. Staunton, C. O’Callaghan, J. Dowling, E. Cummins (0-2), B. Smith (0-1), J. O’Callaghan, C. J. Power (0-2), G. Madden, J. Cuddy (0-7), C. Moore. Sub: J. Dooley (0-1). Wexford: M. O’Donnell, T. Ryan, P. Nolan, D. Brennan, J. Brennan, R. O’Shaughnessy, J. Kehoe (1-3), JJ O’Neill (0-1), C. Keirns (0-1), P. Ryan (0-1), R. Leydon, E. Kavanagh (0-12), B. O’Shea.


By Rory O'Donnell

Galway Win First Senior Hurling Title in 10 Years

Wexford 1-10 Galway 1-11


Galway won their first senior hurling championship since 2001 amid scenes of jubilation. Mid-way through the season it appeared as if Galway were dead and buried, but the tribesmen were there for the last game and came out winners in an exciting and controversial finish. Conditions were less than ideal, but excitement was in no short supply. The game went to and fro, with the lead changing hands on several occasions. Wexford looked like they had the job done as they led by a point in injury time, but Galway dug it out in the end with an equalizing point from an Eoin Guinan free, followed by the winner with virtually the last puck of the game from Fintan O’Leary out on the wing.

Galway Captain Killian Murphy raises the cup.

Wexford got off to the better start. Two Tony Murphy frees and a Cathal Kenny point from play put Wexford into an early three points to no score lead. After Galway got themselves on the scoreboard with an Eoin Guinan free, Wexford goaled. Damien Kilmartin pulled off a great save but conceded a 14-yard free. Murphy took it with singular intent and buried the ball in the back of the net. Galway eventually began to play some good hurling and pulled themselves back into contention. With Kilmartin playing solidly in goal and the back line buckling down, the gap between the sides narrowed. Keith Killilea floated a ball into the box and Guinan fetched it cleanly, turned and billowed the net. The sides matched each other on the scoreboard for the remainder of the half. Wexford led by three points, 1-7 to 1-4.


Galway turned the deficit into a lead soon after the restart with points from Brown, Guinan, and Burke. The game settled into a stalemate where neither side could establish a clear advantage over the other, and with the advance rain from hurricane Irene arriving in Canton, the conditions did not lend themselves to good hurling. Galway enjoyed most of the possession and had Brennan, McCree, and Brown playing well, but the scores did not come for the tribesmen. Galway were guilty of failing to take advantage of the chances that came their way. Having played second fiddle, yet still in the game, Wexford saw that the chance to win it was still there and they grasped it.  Wexford soon leveled the scores and it was game on again. Cathal Kenny and Guinan traded points before Wexford went ahead through Tony Murphy after the Galway back line failed to clear their lines adequately. With time ticking away it increasingly looked as if Wexford would be the ones to inch it over the line.

There was a twist in the tail and a little bit of controversy before all was said and done. After missing a couple of chances late in the game, Eoin Guinan pointed a free from 30 yards to level things. With Wexford on the attack and searching for an opening for the winning score, Galway fought hard to clear their lines. The tribesmen eventually won the ball back and Brennan found O’Leary on the wing and the Corkman pointed from out on the wing to put Galway in the lead. Wexford looked like they might have had one last chance to level the scores. It appeared as if the whistle had gone for a free, but the referee signaled for full time, and with that Galway supporters and players burst into cenebration. The last time Galway won the championship the North American Finals were in San Francisco, and the tribesmen brought home the county championship. Ten years later the Brighton side have a chance to repeat the feat and we wish them the best of luck!

Wexford:  M. O’Donnell, G. Dunphy, G. Callnan, B. Dalton, A. Shore, D. Redmond, S. White, M. Molloy, D. Magill, J. Lyng, T. Murphy (1-3), S. Corcoran (0-4), C. Kenny (0-1).  Galway:  D. Kilmartin, K. Murphy, C. Woods, D. McMahon, A. Brennan, S. Linnane (0-1), N. McCree, G. Burke (0-1), K. Killilea, F. O’Leary (0-2), A. Callnan, S. Brown (0-3), E. Guinan (1-4).

By Rory O'Donnell

McAnespies Senior Football Champions

Connemara Gaels 1-12 Aidan McAnespies 2-15


Aidan McAnespies won the Boston senior football championship for the first time in three years in convincing fashion. The South Boston based side outplayed the Gaels for the duration of the game, and the balance in the McAnespies team served them well. The Gaels hung in for the first half, but a goal early in the second half established a six point lead, and from that point on the eventual champions were in control. The Gaels looked like they had a chance to pull off a comeback late in the second half as the westerners crept within three points, but McAnespies underlined their credentials by responding with three quick points to affirm their dominance.

McAnespies Captain Niall Kerr raises the cup.

McAnespies were off and running from the throw in. Colm McCrory pointed with the first move of the game, finishing in trademark style. Sean Cournane followed with another well taken point before the Gaels opened their account through a Robbie Fox point. McAnespies were full of running in the early going and the Gaels back line had to work hard to contain their opposite numbers. Gary O’Neill, Mark Little, Philip Toner and Colm McCrory opened up the spaces for the running game, spaces that the Gaels back line struggled to close down. The Gaels eventually worked their way into the contest. Brian Connor was the fulcrum for the Gaels in getting the early ball into the corner forwards, however the McAnespies back line were up to the task on most occasions. The Gaels managed to get on the scoreboard, but had to work hard for their rewards. Near the end of the half McAnespies had a great chance to put some daylight between the teams when Sean Cournane escaped his marker and was found all alone on the edge of the box but Brian Joyce pulled off a fantastic diving save to put the ball out for a ’45. At the half McAnespies led by three points, and might have felt that it should have been more.


The closest the Gaels came was immediately after the restart when Paul Conroy pointed a free to make it a two point game. McAnespies then took off in a real way. The cross field ball into O’Donoghue continued to work, once the Kerryman gets the ball into his hands the expectation is that a score will follow, and so it did after Mark Little provided the feed. The intensity level picked up with the hits coming hard and fast, each side looking for the breakthrough. It came for McAnespies after Sean Cournane and O’Donoghue had a two on one and O’Dongohue provided the finish into the net. Conroy pointed a free for the Gaels, but McAnespies hit with a second goal. This time it was a bit fortunate as Joyce made another great save from Courane, but the rebound did not fall kindly for the Gaels goalkeeper and now the difference was eight points heading into the final 15 minutes. The Gaels started to look a little desperate and brought Conroy into a full forward position and played the high ball in. The tactic paid off when Danny Cummins latched on one and goaled. Conroy pointed twice to make it a three point game and a miracle comeback looked possible. McAnespies turned it up however and re-established control with three quick points, two from O’Donoghue and one from Cournane to put any such notions to rest. It was a fully deserved win for McAnespies who ran the table and proved themselves to be ahead of the pack all year. Best of luck in San Francisco to represent the divison.

Aidan McAnespies Celebrate their Senior Football Victory.

Gaels: B. Joyce, L. Wylie, G. Kelly (0-1), B. Murphy, J. Duane, P. McNicholas, P. Conroy (0-6), B. Connor (0-1), S. Conneely, R. Fox (0-1), B. Carroll (0-1), N. Judge (0-1), D. Cummins (1-0). Macs: C. Kendrick, N. Gallen, R. McCloskey, H. Gill, N. Kerr, S. Hughes, G. O’Neill (0-2), P. Kane, C. McCrory (0-1), P. Toner (0-1), M. Little (0-3), P. O’Donoghue (1-4), S. Cournane (1-3). Sub: R. Bracken (0-1). T. Walsh (0-1).


By Rory O'Donnell

Boston Finals Results

The finals were played last Friday and Saturday.

Senior football: Aidan McAnespies 2-15 Connemara Gaels 1-12
Senior Hurling: Galway 1-11 Wexford 1-10
Orlando Benson Cup: Tir na nOg 3-14 Boston Shamrocks 1-6
Junior A Football: Wolfe Tones 2-14 Donegal 1-12
Junior B Football: Aidan McAnespies 1-10 Galway 1-7
Junior Hurling: Wexford 1-18 Fr Tom Burke's 0-12
Junior C Hurling: Barley House Wolves 2-6 Portland 1-4

I apologize that reports are not published. I have had no power since Sunday morning and will put them up as soon as we are back in action.

Boston Finals Brought Forward due to Hurricane Irene

Hurricane Irene is due to hit the Boston area in force Saturday night, Sunday, and Monday.  The finals schedule has had to be brought forward as a result.  All of the finals will be played by Saturday night.  The revised schedule is as follows:

Friday Aug 26
5.30PM JNR Hurling Final:  Fr Tom Burke's v Wexford.

Saturday Aug 27
12:00PM JNR B Football Final:  Aidan McAnespies v Galway


1:30PM JNR A Football Final:  Donegal v Wolfe Tones


3:00PM Senior Hurling Final:  Galway v Wexford


4:30PM Senior Football Final:  Aidan McAnespies -v- Connemara Gaels

Field B.


1:00PM JNR-C Hurling Final:  Portland v Barley House Wolves


2:30PM Orla Benson Cup Final:  Boston Shamrocks -v- Tir na Nog

Semi-Finals Score and Finals Schedule

Semi-Finals Scoreboard

Junior Hurling
Fr. Tom Burke’s 2-13 Galway 0-7


Junior B Football
Aidan McAnespies 3-15 Armagh-Notre Dame 2-2
Galway 3-12 Mayo 2-5


Junior A Football
Aidan McAnespies Wolfe Tones
Donegal 1-10 Shannon Blues 1-4


Senior Football
Connemara Gaels 2-15 Galway 2-13
Aidan McAnespies 1-15 Christopher’s 1-13


Senior Hurling
Galway 1-25 Tipperary 3-17

Finals Schedule

Saturday August 27
2:30 Junior B Football: Aidan McAnespies v Galway
4:00 Junior Hurling: Wexford v Fr. Tom Burke’s
5:30 Junior A Football: Donegal v Wolfe Tones

Sunday August 28
1:00 Orla Benson Cup: Tir na nOg v Boston Shamrocks
2:30 Senior Hurling: Galway v Wexford
4:00 Senior Football: Aidan McAnespies v Connemara Gaels

Sun Aug 21 - Senior Hurling S/F: Galway v Tipperary

Galway 1-25 Tipperary 3-17


Galway and Tipp played an absorbing 60 minutes of hurling in the championship semi-final Sunday afternoon. Galway ended up deserving winners having played possibly the best hour of hurling that I have seen from them so far this year. Tipperary could have stolen the game in what was set up to be a dramatic finish. Two very late goals almost turned the tables on their opponents, but Galway also had a goal in them at the death and deservedly will be in next weekend’s final.

Galway's Fintan O'Leary shoots for goal.

It was even steven in the first period with neither side managing to establish an advantage over the other. Galway held the edge in scoring. Tipperary relied on a goal from Mark Flaherty to keep in touch with Galway who played with a little more urgency and sharpness than their opposite numbers. Fintan O’Leary was in good form for Galway. The tribesmen made a novel move of putting Andrew Brennan, who normally plays at center back, into the center forward position. Galway’s scores were spread around between forwards O’Leary, Guinan, Callnan, and Brown as well as McCree in midfield. Tipperary might not have enjoyed as much in terms of possession, but on occasion penetrated the Galway back line and generated goal chances. On one such occasion Mark Flaherty expertly popped the ball over the advancing keeper’s head and into the back of the net. At the break Galway led by a score of 0-12 to 1-7.

The teams traded three points each to start the second half. Galway got a lot of work out of McCree in midfield, as well as Brennan, Guinan, and O’Leary. The tribesmen put some daylight between themselves and the opposition. Points from Guinan, O’Leary, Brown and McCree put Galway up by four. Meanwhile Conor Woods was having a great game at wing back for Galway. Tipperary were not about to concede and with the last few minutes of the game approaching, hit with a goal from poacher Paul McGrath. Galway came right back and restored the lead with a goal of their own from Eoin Guinan. Keith Killilea played a cross-field ball and Guinan blasted the ball past the keeper from inside the box. If Galway felt comfortable they had to think again as Tipp scored a third goal and reined in the lead yet again. This time it was Stephen Lambert who billowed the net. Galway worries were allayed somewhat after Paul Guinan put an insurance point over the bar just before the final whistle. Galway back in the final and this time against local Brighton rivals, Wexford.

Galway:  D. Kilmartin, K. Murphy, M. Malone, C. Woods, A. Brennan, S. Lennane, N. Macree, D. McMahon, E. Guinan, F. O’Leary, A. Callnan, S. Brown, G. Burke.  Tipp:  S. Delaney, J. Fitzpatrick, J. Kindregan, A. McRedmond, C. Leahy, B. Howley, E. Hayes, P. Fanning, E. Kent, W. Walsh, P. McGrath, M. Flaherty, B. Hartnett.

By Rory O'Donnell