North American Finals - Day 1

Landed in good time on Friday afternoon and got to the hotel around noon.  Made my way by shuttle bus too the fields - which actually took a good 40 minutes as the bus did the rounds of other hotels.  By the time I got there the news had come through that Worcester had been involved in a fantastic early morning game against Portland Oregon, and came though in extra time, but had gone down to the Milwaukee HC by the most slender of margins in the next game just 2 hours later!  The Donegal junior B's were involved in a game with their fellow countymen from Philly when I got there....

Junior C Hurling

Worcester 3-8 Milwaukee 2-12

The Worcester Hurling club made their first foray into the junior C competition of the North American Finals this weekend and were very unlucky to go down in the quarter final to Milwaukee on Friday afternoon.  Worcester had to overcome a strong challenge from Portland Oregon in an 8:00am game and were tied at the end of normal time 4-9 each.  The Massachusetts lads pulled it out by a score of 4-14 to 4-10 after playing the 20 minutes of extra time and went on to face Milwaukee in the quarter final just 2 hours later!  Worcester were leading at the break by a score of 2-6 to 0-5 but the extra period in the previous game took it's toll and Milwaukee went on to record a one point victory, 3-8 to 2-12.  A great season for the club, which was founded just 3 short years ago. 

Junior B Football

Donegal Boston 2-8 Donegal Philadelphia 3-21

Hugh Devine and Sean Wogan try to stop
another Philly attack.

Donegal bowed out at the first hurdle in the junior B championship against their counterparts from Philadelphia.  The Philly men had that bit of an edge over the Boston boys, who arrived a their hotel in Cleveland at 4:00 the previous morning.  Donegal also called on the services of Gareth Ruddy, John Cunningham, and John Dougan to take the field.  At the end of the first half the gap was 5 points in favour of the Philly team.  The Boston team's goal came from a penalty taken by Christy McLaughlin, who also accounted for a handful of points.

In the second half the Philly side pressed home their advantage, though at one point the Boston side looked to be making a run at it.  Philly had built up a nine point lead, but a McLaughlin point and a second penalty reduced the gap back to 5.  Philadelphia however went on to record two more goals and run out comfortable winners in the end.

Donegal Boston:  G. Ruddy, P. Doherty, M. Byrne, D. McBride, D. Doherty, S. Wogan, C. McLaughlin, H. Devine, J. Cunningham, J. Dougan, K. McDevitt, M. McDaid, M. Cutliffe.

Boston's Tadgh Lucey (Celtic Cowboys v San Fran)

Cayman Islands GAA Club - in Cleveland for the NACB Finals