Chicago CYC a Huge Success

By Rory O’Donnell  

The 2016 CYC was held at the Gaelic Park Complex in Oak Forest IL about 20 miles south of Chicago last weekend.   The prestigious tournament involving 2,500 players from teams all over the United States and Canada is the highlight of the season for underage teams in North America.  With over 400 games taking place over the course of four intense days at the top-class facilities this is the largest Gaelic sports event in the world outside Ireland.  The fields were in impressive shape and the organizers rode the tackles of major deluges on Thursday and Friday afternoon to juggle the schedule and run all the competitions off smoothly. 

ISYL U16 - Camogie Champions

There was a major presence from the Boston area at the tournament, and some major successes too from all 3 of the local clubs.  In total 23 teams were entered between the 3 clubs, and 7 cups made their way back to eastern Massachusetts on Sunday night and Monday morning.  On two occasions local teams met in knockout situations.  

ISYL U10A Football Champions

The U10A footballers of St. Brendan’s and the ISYL met in the semi-final with the ISYL making it on the final and coming out eventual winners, and the U8C footballers of Trinity Milton and St. Brendan’s met in a heart stopping final with Trinity coming through by a whisker, 0-3 to 0-2.

The Irish Sports Youth League, based at the Irish Cultural Center in Canton, entered 15 teams from U8-U18 in Boys football, hurling, Camogie and Girls football, and came away with a haul of cup and shield trophies.  There were victories for the ISYL Boys U10A Footballers, Girls U14B Football, and U16 Camogie.  The girls U16 footballers won the shield and there were several successes in hurling with shields won by U10, U14, and U16 Hurlers, and U14 Camogie.    

St. Brendan's U10A Hurling Champions.

There were also players from the ISYL who featured on North America County Teams that were victorious in U18 Camogie and boys U18 Football.  The North American U18 hurlers and girls U18 footballers won their shield competitions.  Players who attended the NACB County Team Camp were Sean Winston, Danielle O'Driscoll, Peter Bannon, Roisin Bannon, Dennis Harrington, Aidan Joyce, Stephen Joyce, Shane Kenny, Kieran O'Driscoll, Declan O'Sullivan. 

St. Brendan’s brought 5 teams to Chicago and made it to 4 finals with the U10A hurlers winning the championship, beating Ottawa Gaels in the final.  The U8A hurlers made their final and were narrowly beaten by the puck of a ball to St Pats Fairfield CT.  In football the U10A semi-final was another all Boston affair and the Dorchester based club lost to the ISYL in the semi-final with the local team going on to win it and bring the cup back to Boston.  St. Brendan’s fielded two U8 teams, A and C, and made it to both finals, however in the U8A final the Dorchester side were beaten by Rangers NY, and the U8C team played their hearts out only to lose by a single point to neighbors, Trinity Milton. 

Trinity Milton U8C Football Champions

Trinity Milton, came away from the competition with 2 trophies, the first in the history of the club that was founded in 2009.  The U10C and U8C football trophies were won by the relative newcomers to the underage scene in the Boston area, and both teams went unbeaten for the tournament.  There was tremendous excitement for the U8C final in which the youngsters from both teams played a storming game of football.  With all of the other teams from each side finished with their competitions there was plenty support on hand from each club to cheer on the young kids.  Parents and players alike lent tremendous support to each side, and amid a cauldron of excitement, the players from each team put on a fantastic show.  The game went down to the wire with Trinity pulling off a 0-3 to 0-2 win.  The Trinity U12s, along with assistance from players from Indianapolis, reached their final against the odds but lost to Buffalo in the final game by a score of 3-6 to 0-5. 

Boston Club Cup Winners

U8C Football – Trinity Milton

U10A Football – ISYL

U10A Hurling – St. Brendan’s

U10C Football – Trinity Milton

U14B Football – ISYL Girls

U16 Camogie – ISYL

Boston Club Shield Winners (All ISYL!)

U10 Hurling

U14 Hurling

U16 Hurling

U14 Camogie

U16 Girls Football

North American Team Cup Winners - U18 Boys Football, U18 Camogie

North American Team Shield Winners - U18 Hurling, U18  Girls Football