2010 IBERIAN CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS

[Lorcs]

2010 IBERIAN CHAMPIONSHIP FINALS

Barcelona Gaels played host to the fifth and final round of the 2010 Iberian Gaelic Football Championships on Saturday 19th June, following the earlier rounds in Valencia, Marbella, Madrid & Pamplona.

Madrid Harps Ladies had already wrapped up the title a fortnight previously in Pamplona, but all was to play for in the men's event, with Barcelona just 1 point ahead of both Valencia and Madrid at the start of the day – it really was winner-takes-all!

MEN

A perfect pitch, 25º heat and some light cloud meant that everything was set for a great day's football. In addition to the three Iberian teams, and in the absence of Pamplona, 23 hardy souls made the trip down from Toulouse and Lyon, although the results against the French teams were not to be taken into account for the business-end of the day.

Madrid Harps struck the first blow, defeating Valencia Sant Vicent in a game they managed to control quite convincingly. The madrileños had travelled with a full squad, whilst the men from the Levante had only 2 substitutes to get them through the day – given the heat, this was probably no small factor. Madrid, despite seeing a penalty saved, eventually ran out winners by 4 points (2-07 to 0-09)

Barcelona-Valencia was next on the cards, with Valencia needing a win to have any chance of reaching the final on aggregate score difference. Barcelona's forwards ran riot however, and the game was practically over as a contest in the first half, although the men from Valencia kept plugging away to the end, to no avail. Final score 3-07 to 1-02.

Given these results the group game between title-holders Barcelona & Madrid was a bit of a damp squib, both teams choosing to make sure all squad-members got a run-out, testing tactics and looking for a chink in their opponent's armour, with a draw the final result (0-04 each)

The final was to be a different matter, with both teams almost at full strength, although Madrid had lost their main free-taker to a hamstring injury during an earlier clash. Barcelona got off to a flying start, racking up a 3 point lead in the first minutes, as some erratic goal-kicks, loose defending and inconsistent refereeing had Madrid nerves on edge.

At this point a lightning break down the pitch led to an excellently taken goal from the Madrid lads, and morale was quickly restored. Towards the end of the half an excellent save from the Madrid goalkeeper, combined with several missed chance for the Gaels, meant that at half-time the teams were still level (1-00 to 0-03). The 2010 Championship would go right down to the wire - everything was to be decided on 15 minutes of football...

The second half saw Madrid snatch the lead, notching another goal and several points, whilst Barcelona's forwards were well marshalled by the Harps' defence. Barcelona did have their chances however, erring with several efforts for points, and almost breaking the crossbar with a thunderous 20m free. A goalmouth scramble could also have yielded a green flag for the Gaels, but the Harps' last line of defence just about held out. Another few points were added, for a 6-point win for Madrid Harps on a final scoreline of 2-04 to 0-04.

Toulouse and Lyon, with a heavy contingent of non-Irish players, contested games throughout the day against all of the Iberian teams, and also played a match between themselves - although the rumoured Spain-France international failed to materialise! Both teams demonstrated that there is plenty of talent north of the Pyrenees, and if recently-formed Toulouse can recruit all those Irish Airbus workers, they will be a force to be reckoned with in the future.

With this result, Madrid Harps proclaimed themselves worthy winners of the 2010 Men's Championship, with 2 tournament wins, 2 runner-up spots – and 3rd place in their home tournament! One of the most curious aspects of this year's competition is that no team has managed to win their home event - perhaps the pressures of organising these increasingly complicated competitions distracts teams from the job in hand on the day on the pitch?

Congratulations, on an individual level, to Donal Keaney (St. Peter's Warrenpoint) , named tournament MVP, and to Sergio Canive, who signed off from his Harps career with a massive performance throughout the day.

The competitive nature of the Regional Championship is clearly shown by the fact that no team has ever managed to retain the title - Madrid now move to the top of the honours list with 3 titles (2010, 2008, 2005), to Barcelona's 2 (2009, 2007) and Marbella's 1 (2006).

Curiously, had Barcelona finished 2nd in Pamplona, rather than 3rd, a tie would have occurred, with both Madrid & Barcelona teams on 106 points... no-one is quite sure what the criteria are for resolving this situation, so it's an issue to be looked at in time for the 2011 edition of the European Rules!

A special mention must be given to the other participating teams this year – Pamplona, newly-formed Seville, and the reborn Marbella Costa Gaels – for the effort invested in organising tournaments and travelling consistently.


LADIES

A fantastic day's football was also had in the Ladies Tournament, where Barcelona, Valencia and Madrid were chasing the silverware on offer to the tournament's winners, with Madrid's "Harpettes" having already assured the overall Championship title with victory in the previous round Pamplona. Madrid, despite losing key players to injuries & holidays, managed to field 5 players and (with some reinforcements from Valencia) made in through to the final, where Barcelona's greater hunger eventually saw them triumph by 4 points (2-08 to 0-10).


Roll on Europe, and the 2011 Championship 


FULL RESULTS

Men
Barcelona   1-06   1-03   Toulouse
Madrid   2-07   0-09   Valencia
Barcelona   3-07   1-02   Valencia
Madrid   0-05   3-05   Toulouse
Valencia   2-03   3-03   Toulouse
Barcelona   0-04   0-04   Madrid

Men's Final
Barcelona   0-04   2-04   Madrid


Ladies
Barcelona   1-06   1-04   Madrid
Madrid   2-08   0-04   Valencia
Barcelona   1-13   1-05   Valencia

Ladies Final
Barcelona   2-08   0-10   Madrid


For further information contact:

************************
Madrid Harps GAC
www.madridgaa.com
MadridHarps@gmail.com

Contact:

Itziar     +34-687-735-074
Evan     +34-645-164-913
************************

[ardal]

As an ex foggy who dappled in the GAA on the main land (EU continental plate above water per se), what's the craic now. There most only be a round or maybe even only the final to go. Are Barca simply winning everything in every sport there still? Any young pretenders? How are the only team with only local players doing, or are they still the only team; hopefully not?

Are EU teams still bringing in dodgy stringers?

Why no news, updates, interest

[Lar Naparka]

Janey, there's seems to be a lot of teams playinng out there.
Are they all composed entirely of Irish ex-pats or are there any natives playing the game?

[armaghniac]

Lar this part of the report might give an idea "Toulouse and Lyon, with a heavy contingent of non-Irish players"

[Lar Naparka]

Lar this part of the report might give an idea "Toulouse and Lyon, with a heavy contingent of non-Irish players"

I guess I phrased my question poorly.
I was thinking more in terms of local involvement than of just non-Irish playing.
Do many locals in any place there is a Gaelic team turn up for matches?
Is there any effort being made to set up structures for underage players or to have any sort of social activities?
It's great to see so many playing the game on the continent and that competitions are being organised but are any efforts being made to establish permanent bases in any of those cities?

[Bogball XV]

Janey, there's seems to be a lot of teams playinng out there.
Are they all composed entirely of Irish ex-pats or are there any natives playing the game?

Madrid used to always have a few spaniards (basques mostly iirc) playing for them.  Dunno about the rest of them.  Normally you'd have a few ex-pats from Oz, UK, yanks etc who've never kicked ball before heading along to play too - usually a good social thing, and I don't just mean drink - barbies, take the kids and wives along to games etc..

[Denn Forever]

Janey, there's seems to be a lot of teams playinng out there.
Are they all composed entirely of Irish ex-pats or are there any natives playing the game?

Madrid used to always have a few spaniards (basques mostly iirc) playing for them.  Dunno about the rest of them.  Normally you'd have a few ex-pats from Oz, UK, yanks etc who've never kicked ball before heading along to play too - usually a good social thing, and I don't just mean drink - barbies, take the kids and wives along to games etc..

Can you imagine if we had that kind of good weather here?

[irunthev]

There are about 20 girls playing with Madrid, over half of them would be non-Irish and probably 20 to 25 men, with maybe about ten of them being  non-irish. As is normal anywhere overseas, there are a number of solid soldiers among the Irish contingent, guys who have been  around for years and then there are a number of Irish who come and go in fits and starts throughout the season. They train twice a week and have a tournament every month in a different part of Spain. Thus far in 2011 Barcelona won the first tournament played in Seville and Madrid won the one played in Madrid. The Madrid ladies, wo have fielded two teams at each tournament so far, have won both tournaments in their competition.