Western Divisional GAA Round Up
Edmonton: An Exhilarating Display of Championship Football
By JOHN O’FLYNN
VANCOUVER - The Western Divisional Board of the GAA wrapped up its 2005 schedule in Edmonton (July 29-30) with an exhilarating display of championship football by the Vancouver Harps men’s team over the Calgary Chieftains in the Cup Final. Sean Minagh of Vancouver played solid in goal as he turned away many attempted shots on goal with excellent management of the team as a whole by Vancouver coach Sean Quinn.
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GAVAN CONNOLLY and Denis Walsh as Gavan is the first recipient to be presented with the award for fair play both on and off the field.
PHOTO: Brendan Flynn
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The Harps were undefeated in league and tournament play with consistent displays of sportsmanship as opposing teams threw all sorts of tackles and boots into upending Vancouver's Championship quest. Congratulations to Vancouver's Gavan Connolly who was the first recipient of the Denis Walsh Award for his fair play both on and off the field.
The Calgary Chieftains provided tough competition throughout the season as they grudgingly handed over their championship mantle of the last two years to the “West Coast Express” from Vancouver. It was amazing to hear a rousing “sing off” competition started by Calgary back at the Edmonton clubhouse with the Vancouver team. The Chieftain songs and chants were possibly the only victories over the Harps on the weekend though the Edmonton hosts were quick to compliment the tenor style of Vancouver's chorus.
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VANCOUVER MEN’S TEAM in Edmonton was the winning men’s team.
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The Edmonton Wolf Tones displayed their pride with large numbers of players who participated throughout the season and on the weekend. The club continued to demonstrate the “grit” that is needed for upward success and were competitive each time they took to the field. As always, the Edmonton Irish Sports and Social Society has the classiest Irish Centre in Canada and remains the hub for Western Canada's Gaelic Games.
On the women's side of the Western Divisional Board, the Edmonton Wolf Tones continued to dominate in all aspects of league and tournament play. The Cup Final was an easy walk over the Calgary Chieftains with the Vancouver Harps laying low in B.C. so as to avoid the Wolftone “juggernaut.”
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EDMONTON WOMEN’S TEAM was the winning women’s team.
PHOTO: Brendan Flynn
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It is no wonder that four of the 'Tone players were selected for Team Canada and it is expected that the Edmonton athletes will play a major role in Team Canada's success at the international Gaelic football tournament in Ireland on September 26 to 29.
It was good to see the 10 women from the three clubs, who form the Western Gaels, play a match against all_comers during this weekend so as to build up their team chemistry in advance of the Powerscreen 7's in Toronto over the Labour Day weekend.
Kudos to Edmonton's Luc Berthiaume who arranged for the Western Gaels to train in Alberta mid-August to build up the team's strength. Luc, a professor at the University of Alberta, is to be commended for his generosity with his time and talent.
Thank you to the hard working members of the Western Divisional Board who serve graciously on behalf of the Gaelic Athletic Association. Noel Tuohy and Kim Tulloch (Calgary); John O'Connor, Christy Whelehan, Danielle Bodnarek (Edmonton); Ronan Deane and Gavan Connolly (Vancouver).
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