2010 North American Finals
14 September 2010
2010 NACB PLAYOFFS SUMMARY
By Eamonn Kelly
Several thousand hurling, football and camogie fans thronged to Chicago Gaelic Park over the Labor Day weekend for the 2010 North American County Board national playoffs. It was the biggest NACB playoffs in the history of the county with 87 games played over the 3-day weekend. Sixty eight teams representing 27 cities across the U.S. as well as a team from Vancouver, Canada played in this year’s championship playoffs. Played in perfect weather conditions, the huge tournament was a tremendous success thanks to an excellently coordinated program organized by the Chicago Central Divisional Board under the chairmanship of Gareth Fitzsimons, the playoff committee headed by Tom Dolan and Val McMahon, and the NACB under the chairmanship of Joe Lydon. With the participation of Vancouver in the junior A championship it was the first time in 36 years that a Canadian team was part of the NACB championship. In addition to the regular championships, 4 shield competitions were runoff in junior men’s football, ladies football, junior hurling and camogie. The staging of these shield competitions has proven to be a most popular venture among clubs and players, given that it provides a minimum of two games to teams knocked out in their first round championship games. The only disappointment of the weekend was the failure of several Boston teams to participate in this years playoffs. Of seven qualifying teams only two, Connemara Gaels men’s footballers and Shamrock ladies footballers, made the trip to Chicago.
On the field of play a major achievement was the winning of two of the four senior NACB championships by San Francisco teams, Sean Treacy’s in men’s football and Naomh Padraig in hurling. Three additional titles went to San Francisco, intermediate men’s football, junior B hurling and all-American men’s football. History was created with the following clubs capturing their first national title: San Francisco Treacy’s, Chicago Cusack’s, Baltimore Hibernians, Detroit St. Anne’s and Philadelphia Mairead Farrell’s.
In addition to San Francisco, six other cities shared the winning circle. Chicago teams had a very successful weekend, taking titles in junior C hurling, junior B men’s football, junior A ladies football and camogie A. Two championships were captured by Philadelphia teams in, senior ladies football and Intermediate ladies football. The following cities captured one title: Austin – junior D men’s football; Milwaukee – camogie B; Detroit – junior B ladies football; Vancouver – junior A hurling; Washington DC – camogie C.
Following is a summary of the various championships
HURLING
For the first time in several years no semi-finals were played in senior hurling resulting in a final between the Chicago and San Francisco champions. In a most entertaining game, San Francisco Naomh Padraig overcame a great challenge from Chicago Limerick winning by 5 points to take their second title, the first since 1997.
Naomh Padraig also competed for the junior A championship with their opponents being newcomers, Vancouver. In a marvelous final the Canadian team gave a top class performance to win with a 4 point margin, bringing the first NACB title to a Canadian city since 1978.
2009 junior C champions San Francisco Rovers continue to impress and with onesided victories over Seattle and Denver to captured the B title this year will now challenge for the A championship next year. Best game in this disvision was between the Denver Gaels and Atlanta Clan Na Gael with Gaels winning by a margin of 4 points.
The all-American born junior C hurling division provided one of the most compeitive and exciting championships of the playoffs with 7 cites competing for the title. The Chicago Cusack’s, just a couple of years in existence, won their first NACB championship with wins over Akron, Milwaukee, Portland and St. Louis. Perhaps, the most exciting game seen in some time was that between St. Louis and Milwaukee with St. Louis the winners, 7-6 to 6-7. St. Louis was also part of a most thrilling semi-final with Allentown PA winning by 2 points, 4-8 to 4-6. However, they lost to the Cusacks by a 11 point margin in the final.
MEN’S FOOTBALL
With Boston Champions Donegal not participating in this year’s playoffs only one sem-final was on the schedule, that between Philadelphia Kevin Barry’s and Chicago’s Parnells. It was a most enjoyable match with little between the teams throughout the contest. While the Philadelphia team deservedly won the game by the narrowest of margins, Parnells had every opportunity to win the game or at least force extra time with 3 close range frees in injury time, but failed to convert.
Five goals by San Francisco Sean Treacy’s in the opening quarter denied the potential of a great game between themselves and the Barry’s in the final as there was little between the sides throught the remaining three quarters of the game. Despite this 15 point deficit so early in the game the Philadelphia team fought hard for the rest of the contest going down to the score of 5-9 to 1-8, giving Sean Treacy’s their first NACB championship.
A San Francisco team was also triumphant in the intermediate championship with the Celts recording a 10 point win over their only opponents, Philadelphia Young Irelanders.
There was no winner in the junior A championship as an objection by Chicago McBrides over their victors San Francisco Ulster was followed by a counter objection by the Ulster club, resulting in both team being found in violation of summer sanction rules by the NACB.
Former junior C champions Chicago Patriots continue their progress with impressive displays to capture the junior B championship with a one point win over Detroit Wolfe Tones in a most competitive final.
While Philadelphia St. Patrick’s defeated Austin Celtic Cowboy’s in the junior C final by the score of 2-8 to 1-2 an objection by the Austin club was upheld by the NACB and their team was declared the winner of the C championship.
Teams representing 8 cities competed in the junior D championship with the Baltimore Bohemians being the eventual winners to take their first ever national championship. They had a reasonably easy passage to the title with big wins over St. Louis, Phoenix and Mason Dixon in the final. The most competitive game was that between Mason Dixon and Twin Cities with the Maryland team winning by the score of 3-10 to 3-6. This competition included for the first time a team from the Chicago Fire Department.
The All American men’s football championship continues it’s growth in popularitywith six teams from different regions of the country, including the Chicago Fire Department, competing this year. A Western divisional team defeated a Philadlphia divisional squad in the final to capture the beautiful Stephen Breen Memorial trophy.
LADIES FOOTBALL:
After a lapse of 13 years the ladies football senior cup goes back to Philadelphia as the Mariead Farrells club is gradually taking the place of the great Emerald Eagles team of the mid 90′s, who won 4 consecutive national titles. The Philadelphia team was very impressive in defeating 2009 winners Fog City Harps by a large margin in the final.
A Philadelphia team also captured the intermediate championship with the Notre Dame club defeating their only opponents, Washington DC Gaels, by a big margin in the final.
Teams from Atlanta, Chicago, Boston, Charlotte and San Francisco competed for the junior “A” trophy. Most games were one-sided with the exception of the final in which Chicago St. Brigid’s overcame a fine challenge from San Francisco Clan Na Gael to regain the trophy they last won in 2007.
A similar pattern existed in the junior B championship where the final turned out to be the best game of the series in which Detroit St. Anne’s defeated San Diego Na Fianna by 3 point to win the club’s first ever national title
CAMOGIE
The camogie championships were run on a different format than in previous years. Applying a round robin system three finals were played to determine winners in A, B and C divisions.
The weekend activities came to an end with a reception on Sunday night at Gaelic Park. Guest speakers from Ireland were, Sean Walsh, Chairman of the Munster Council, Joe McDonagh, chairman of the GAA International Committee and former GAA President, Pat Quill, President of Ladies Football Association. They all paid tribuute to the wonderful Gaelic Park facilities, and congratulated the Chicago Central divisional board and its playoff committee along with the North American Board officers for their contribution to the success of a wonderful weekend.
Following are all the scores from the 2010 NACB playoffs:
2010 North American County Board GAA Playoffs Results
Senior Hurling:
Final – San Francisco Naomh Padraig 3-14 Chicago Limerick 1-15
Junior A Hurling:
Quarter- final
Milwaukee 2-10 Los Angeles St. Pat’s 2-8
Semi-finals
Vancouver 7-27 Washington DC 0-4
San Francisco Naomh Padraig 3-9 Milwaukee 1-11
Final
Vancouver 3-14 San Francisco Naomh Padraig 2-13
Junior B Hurling:
Quarer-finals
Denver Gaels 2-11 Atlanta Clan Na Gael 1-10
Indianapolis 3-12 Philadelphia Shamrocks 0-3
San Francisco Rovers 2-19 Seattle 1-5
Semi-finals
Denver 2-12 Twin Cities 1-3
San Francisco Rovers 1-9 Indianapolis 0-11
Final
San Francisco Rovers 3-13 Denver 1-4
Junior C Hurling:
Preliminary Rounds
Seattle 0-1 Indianapolis 4-4
St. Louis 1-10 Madison 2-3
Akron 2-7 Chicago Cusacks 2-15
Quarter-finals
Indianapolis 2-2 Philadelphia Allentown 2-8
St. Louis 7-6 Milwaukee 6-7
Chicago Cusacks 4-12 Milwaukee 1-2
Portland 4-9 Denver 1-3
Semi-finals
St. Louis 4-8 Allentown 4-6
Chicago Cusacks 1-15 Portland 0-0
Final
Chicago Cusacks 4-17 St. Louis 4-6
Men’s Senior Football:
Semi-final
Chicago Parnells 1-10 Philadelphia Kevin Barry’s 1-11
Final
San Francisco Sean Treacy’s 5-9 Philadelphia Kevin Barry’s 0-8
Men’s Intermediate Football
Final
San Francisco Celtics 1-9 Philadelphia Young Irelanders 1-6
Men’s Junior A Football
Quarter-final
Chicago McBride’s 3-10 Philadelphia St. Patrick’s 2-5
Semi-finals
San Diego Setanta 0-8 Chicago McBride’s 0-15
San Francisco Ulster 5-18 Pittsburgh 0-7
Final
San Francisco Ulster 2-21 Chicago McBrides 0-11
(objections sustained – no winner)
Men’s Junior B Football
Quarter-finals
Boston Connemara Gaels 0-8 Chicago Patriots 3-13
Washington DC Gaels 1-3 Philadelphia Young Ireland’s 0-11
Detroit Wolfe Tones w.o. Los Angeles Wild Geese forfeit
Charlotte James Connelly 2-4 Cleveland St. Jarlath’s 1-13
Semi-finals
Detroit Wolfe Tones 3-12 Cleveland St. Jarleth’s 2-8
Chicago Patiots 2-8 Philadelphia Young Ireland’s 2-3
Final
Chicago Patriots 1-8 Detroit Wolfe Tones 2-4
Men’s Junior C Football
Quarter-finals
Austin Celtic Cowboys 4-15 Chicago Cusacks 0-2
San Diego Setanta 1-10 Denver 1-3
Semi-final
Philadelphia St. Patrick’s 1-5 San Diego Setanta 0-6
Final
Philadelphia St. Patrick’s 2-8 Austin Celtic Cowboys 1-2
(Austin declared winner following objection)
Men’s Junior D Football
Preliminary Rounds
Baltimore 2-10 St. Louis 1-5
Phoenix 6-4 Atlanta 2-3
Quarter-finals
Phoenix 5-11 Chicago Fire Dpt. 1-6
Buffalo 1-2 Mason Dixon 2-8
Kansas City 0-4 Twin Cities 3-8
Semi-finals
Baltimore 4-19 Phoenix 0-1
Mason Dixon 3-10 Twin Cities 3-6
Final
Baltimore 2-12 Mason Dixon 1-5
All-American Football
Quarter-finals
Philadelphia 2-15 Buffalo 3-7 (extra time)
Western 1-19 Mid-Atlantic 0-2
Semi-finals
Western 1-15 Cleveland St.Pat’s 1-1
Philadelphia 2-19 Chicago Fire Dpt. 1-2
Final
Western 3-16 Philadelphia 2-2
Over 40′s Men’s Football
Final
East 7-7 West 1-1
Ladies Senior Football
Final
Philadelphia Mairead Farrells 3-19 San Francisco Fog City Harps 1-4
Ladies Intermediate Football
Semi-finals
Philadelphia Notre Dame 4-12 Washington DC Gaels 0-3
Ladies Junior A Football
Quarter-final
Atlanta Clan Na nGael 2-1 San Francisco Clan NA nGael 2-14
Semi-Finals
San Francisco Clan Na Gael 2-12 Boston Shamrocks 0-1
Charlotte James Connelly 0-8 Chicago St. Brigids 3-7
Final
San Francisco Clan Na Gael 2-5 Chicago St. Brigid’s 4-9
Ladies Junior B Football:
Quarter-finals
Denver 0-3 Chicago Rovers 1-5
Semi-finals
San Diego Na Fianna 11-15 Baltimore 0-0
Detroit St. Anne’s 3-5 Chicago Rovers 1-2
Final
San Diego Na Fianna 1-5 Detroit St. Anne’s 1-8
Camogie (round robin)
Washington DC Gaels 3-1 Denver/Seattle 2-2
A Final
Chicago St. Mary’s 4-11 San Francisco Shamrocks 3-3
B Final
Milwaukee 1-2 Denver 1-0
C Final
Washington DC Gaels 5-2 St. Louis 0-1
Shield Competitions
Jr. B Hurling
Final
Seattle 3-7 Twin Cities 2-5
Jr. C Hurling
Milwaukee 2-9 Indianapolis 0-4
Madison 0-6 Denver 0-1
Akron 3-14 Seattle 1-9
Final
Akron 4-8 Milwaukee 4-4
Men’s Jr. B Football
Charlotte 1-11 Washington DC 1-8
Boston Connemara Gaels 2-20 L.A. Wild Geese 2-2
Final
Boston Connemara Gaels 0-21 Charlotte 1-1
Men’s Jr. C/D Football
Buffalo 2-6 Kansas City 0-11
St. Louis 4-8 Atlanta 2-5
Denver 7-7 Buffalo 1-3
St. Louis 7-12 Chicago Fire Dpt. 0-1
Final
Denver 1-6 St. Louis 0-4
Ladies Jr. Football
San Francisco Fog City 2-12 Atlanta 1-7
Final
San Francisco Fog City 2-6 Denver 1-5
Eamonn Kelly – PRO NACB
