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Light Rain East Meadow hosts 'World Cup of Irish Football'
International Gaelic football tournament held in Eisenhower Park
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.
