Gaelic games take over Nassau

Ireland's games took center stage last weekend in East Meadow, as about 3,000 players from England, Ireland, Canada and the U.S. competed in international Gaelic football and hurling tournaments.

The four-day Continental Youth Championships, sponsored by the Dublin-based Gaelic Athletic Association, were held July 28-Aug. 1 in Eisenhower Park. They drew an estimated 10,000 spectators, and featured 150 teams of boys and girls ages 8 through 18.

"It's basically the World Cup of Irish football," said Philip Hughes, a Long Beach resident and the coach of the Long Island Gaels U-14 squad.

The tournaments kicked off with a parade in Rockville Centre on July 28. Though some squads had yet to arrive or were finishing games at Eisenhower Park, the parade featured about 27 groups from Ireland, Canada, England and the U..S.

The Rockville Centre St. Patrick's Parade Committee is one of the main organizations that fund the Gaels organization, which supports adult and youth Gaelic football teams. The other supporting organizations are local chapters of the Irish American Society and the Ancient Order of Hibernians. Unlike other sports, players compete for free because of the financial support.

The Gaels sent 51 players to the CYC tournament. Other organizations brought as many as 300 players, but Gaels President Seamus Kerr said that his group, which was founded in 2001, continues to grow. "The main focus is to get everyone together and to generate interest," said Kerr, a Rockville Centre resident.

The Gaels had a full squad for the U-14 division, and combined with the Bronx Celtics for the U-16 division. Girls and boys from other age groups were scattered among other team rosters.

What is Gaelic football?

Some describe Gaelic football as combining concepts from basketball and soccer. The game is played on a pitch, about the size of a soccer field. Typically there are 15 players on a team: six forwards, six backs, two midfielders and a goalkeeper. A game consists of two 30-minute halves.

Using a ball that is similar to a soccer ball, but heavier, players can carry it four steps. To advance it farther, they must pass to a teammate, kick, shoot or dribble. Youth league players can dribble by bouncing or kicking the ball up to themselves.

Hand passes are punched, not thrown. Throwing is against the rules and can result in a technical foul. Tackles are made through shoulder-to-shoulder contact.

To score, players have the option of kicking or punching the ball over the goalposts for one point, or kicking it past the goalkeeper in the net for three points.

Gaels midfielder Michael O'Hara, 14, says he prefers Gaelic football to soccer because of the skills required, but mostly because of the rough nature of the sport. "I like it because of the hitting," O'Hara said. "It's a fun

contact sport."

Gaelic football is considered by many to be Ireland's most popular sport, along with hurling and soccer. Hurling is similar to Gaelic football, but players use sticks called hurleys to move a smaller ball to the net or goalpost.

The Gaels

For most of the players on the Long Island squads, the CYC was a learning experience. Gaelic football's local hotbeds are the Bronx and Rockland County, but team organizers hope to groom Long Island players into international competitors. The Gaels have already sent male and female players to the New York state squad, which plays in tournaments in Ireland and England.

During last Friday's competition, the U-14 boys squad appeared out-sized and out-manned in games against teams from Canada and New Jersey. But the combined Gaels/Celtics U-16 team held its own, competing with some of the best teams in the

division.

Regardless of the outcomes, the coaches were pleased with their players' efforts and expressed their optimism about the teams' future. "This gives them a chance to meet kids and make friends for life," Hughes said. "It's also a great experience for them, and gives them a chance to polish their skills."

To recruit and develop players, the Gaels hosted a free weeklong Gaelic football training program in June. The teams compete against other squads from the tri-state area, and the organization welcomes new players, from ages 8 through 16. For more information, visit www.ligaelsminorsboard.com or e-mail juvenilegaelic@longislandgaels.com.