There was celebrity and action aplenty at the Irish Cultural
Center on Saturday afternoon. A crowd of
around 700 hardy souls braved the cold temperatures to see the locals take on
New York and the top tier players from Ireland take the field to contest the 2014 All Star game. While the All Stars produced exhibition
stuff, the Boston versus New York game got heated as sparks flew in the second
half with neither side willing to concede defeat. The inclusion in the proceedings of underage
players from the Boston area as well as the Shannon Gaels who traveled from New
York made the connection not only between the two cities in the Northeast
corner of the United States, but also with the folks at the highest level of
the GAA in Ireland who came in numbers.
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| The Boston and Shannon Gaels Under 12 teams got proceedings off to a start. |
The day started with a Boston Under 12 side facing the
national champions, Shannon Gaels from Queens New York. The Boston kids were under pressure for most
of the game as the Gaels exhibited some great hand passing skills and broke
through for some early scores. Boston
generated their share of chances but at the half there was a sizeable gap on
the scoreboard. The second half saw the
New Yorkers continue their dominance, but Boston had success in putting some
scores in their column.
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| Kieran McDevitt (2013 Team) and Mark Dunphy (2014 Team). |
Goals were the order of the day in the All Star game as the
2013 side came out winners by a score of 5-5 to 9-7. It was a great occasion for two local players
who came through the underage ranks, Kieran McDevitt and Mark Dunphy, who got
their chance to share the field with the stars.
The young Americans were very much involved and fitted into proceedings
seamlessly. Rob Hennelley produced some
fine saves to earn the man of the match award, while at the other end Bernard
Brogan, Sean Kavanagh, and Aidan O’Shea fired home some bullets. The 2014 side attempted a second half
comeback, but despite the efforts of Ryan McHugh and Paddy McBrearty to find
the path to goal, the 2013 teams defence, and Hennelly, prevented a comeback
with some scrambling rearguard action.
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| 2013 bang in another goal. |
With the final whistle the youth players who come in numbers stormed the
field armed with notebooks, pens, jerseys, and footballs in search of autographs. One enterprising youngster produced a bag
with several county jerseys, pulling out the relevant one based on the player
doing the signing! Connections were made
and restored as folks based on this side of the pond connected with players
from their local areas or counties after the game. It is a testament to the
association and the players that they make themselves available without question
to meet and chat, take photos, and all in the best of spirits.
2013 Team: Rob Hennelly
(Mayo), Bernard Brogan (Dublin), Seán Cavanagh (Tyrone), Martin Dunne (Cavan), Lee
Keegan (Mayo), Drew Wylie (Monaghan), Aidan O' Shea (Kerry), Michael D.
Macauley (Dublin), Colm Boyle (Mayo), Conor McManus (Monaghan), Seamus O' Shea
(Mayo), Cian O' Sullivan (Dublin), Donnchadh Walsh (Kerry), Rory O' Carroll (Dublin),
Paul Flynn (Dublin), Colin Walshe (Monaghan), James O'Donoghue (Kerry).
2014 Team: Keith
Higgins (Mayo), ), Neil Gallagher
(Donegal), Paul Murphy (Kerry), Michael Murphy (Donegal), David Moran (Kerry), Cillian
O' Connor (Mayo), Paul Durcan (Donegal), Neil McGee (Donegal), Fionn Fitzgerald
(Kerry), Ryan McHugh (Donegal), Colin O'Riordan (Tipperary), Shane Walsh
(Galway), Paddy McBrearty (Donegal), Tony Kernan (Armagh).
Boston 1-9 New York 1-9
The senior football match between Boston and New York really
showed the potential for competition between the cities. The game was keenly contested throughout, and
on a number of occasions players were cautioned as things heated up down the
stretch. Boston started fast and looked
like they could take the spoils in the late stages, but New York outscored
their opponents four points to one in final few minutes to salvage a draw. An unfortunate episode late in the second
half saw Kieran O’Connor, New York’s full back, suffer an ankle injury that
will require surgery.
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| Boston Football Team |
The game opened with Cormac Joyce-Power and JJ Matthews trading
points. Boston got off to the faster
start and moved the ball well and at speed for the opening 10 minutes as the
forward line looked lively. Noel Graham
added to the lead, while a penalty following a pick-up in the square was deftly
put away by Robert Croft. Gary Brilly at
center back had drawn the assignment of marking Longford man, Matthews, and was
a leading light in Boston’s efforts.
Brilly’s anticipation and follow through when challenging for the ball was
an example to his side. A Matthews goal
following a solo run through the heart of Boston’s defence settled the visiting
side and the New Yorkers proceeded in putting the Boston back line under heavy
pressure. Boston defended well, and at
times appeared to have an extra defender to help close down attacks as New York
deployed the sweeper system. Corner
forward Colm McGinn who dropped back to shore up the defence left Niall Gallen
to shield the corner backs on the Boston side.
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| New York Football Team |
At this stage options were scarce for Boston to move the ball past their
own half forward line as it was all hands to the pump in defence. New York’s half back line held what looked
like a perimeter that their opponents could not breach. Brian Connor, formerly of the Connemara
Gaels, converted a free and Mike Hallissey stole forward for a point to put the
visitors into the lead heading into half time.
Truth be told, the gap between the teams could have been more were it
not for a fine save from Connolly who tipped a ball heading for the corner
around the post. Some wayward shooting
from New York did not help their cause, and a rare Boston move into the
opposing half saw Croft level the scores just before the break and make it 1-3
each.
The second half saw New York pick off two early points, Gary
O’Driscoll and a Connor free, before Paddy Coakley was called upon to pull off a
save from close range prevent a goal. Boston
found their groove as the half progressed and tallied five points on the
trot. Ian Whelan drew Boston level, and Dan
McCabe put a well worked effort over the bar that began with his Wolfe Tones
clubman Gary Brilly in the back line. McCabe
pointed again and Croft put two frees over the bar to see Boston into a three
point lead as the hosts who had looked tired, found life with about 15 minutes
left. Things had been getting testy with
referee Tadhg Lucey issuing yellow cards to try and maintain order amid flare
ups on and off the ball, a few of the players wearing the result of the
skirmishes after the game. With the end
in sight and the game looking like it was headed in favour of the hosts, New
York lifted themselves and drove forward.
With the push on to restore parity, Connor put another free over the
bar, and shaved the top of the crossbar shortly afterwards to reduce the gap to
one. Ian Whelan won a couple of key
midfield balls to relieve the pressure on his side. Joe Fitzpatrick put Boston back into a two
point lead, and almost restored it to the three only to see his effort drop
just short. A lengthy stoppage ensued as
Kieran O’Connor suffered a bad ankle injury when in possession. After play resumed points from Ciaran Hughes
and Matthews brought the teams level before the whistle for time sounded.
Boston: Eoin
Connolly, Niall Gallen, Damien Doolan, Sean Doherty, Mike O’Brien, Gary Brilly, Sean
Conneeley, Ian Whelan, Sean Moriarty, Joe Fitzpatrick, Noel Graham, Coleman
Mulkerrins, Dan McCabe, Cormac Joyce-Power, Robert Croft. Subs:
Matt Smyth, Paddy Coakley, Gareth O’Neill.
New York:
Gavin Joyce, Ronan McGinley, Kieran O’Connor, Ger McCartan, Keith
Scally, Mike Hallissey, Keith Quinn, Brian Connor, MJ Fitzgerald, Keith O’Connor,
JJ Matthews, Ross Wherity, Luke Loughlin, Gary O’Driscoll, Colm McGinley. Subs:
Richie Morgan, Ciaran Hughes.
By Rory O'Donnell
