WESTERN CANADIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS 2008
First Round - Brockton Oval, Stanley Park, Vancouver, BC

PHOTOS: Anthony Kimbley JAMES DAVOREN, player/coach/captain of Vancouver Harps Hurling team, is presented with the hurling MVP by ISSC president Marcus Treacy.

STEPHAN HANNEY, captain of Vancouver Celts is presented with the Men's Gaelic football MVP.

RENE MCGLOIN of the Vancouver Harps is presented with the Ladies Gaelic football MVP.

VANCOUVER HARPS Men's Team, undefeated in championship play in 2008.

RED DEER EIRE OG, completed their first championship season in 2008 and came third after competing gamely in all six of their championship clashes.

TARA PHILLIPS of the Vancouver Harps with the Kevin McFadden trophy at the Vancouver tournament.

By RONAN DEANE

VANCOUVER - The Vancouver Irish Sporting & Social Club, and its representative Men's and Ladies' Gaelic football teams and the Vancouver Harps, hosted a feast of Gaelic games and Irish culture at the rugby ground in Stanley Park on July 12, on what many will contend has been the best B.C. tournament in many a long year.

The cup campaigns for the Tom Butler (Men's) and Tom Gibbons (Ladies') titles for the four Western Canada Division clubs commenced under glorious conditions on Saturday morning.

In Ladies play, the Calgary Chieftains showing impressed everyone in the division, as 16 ladies togged out for the red and the white.

Although they were unable to get the victory in the championship against the title holders, the Vancouver Harps, they did secure their first win in the new millenium west of the BC/AB border by taking the plate title. The Edmonton Ladies that made the journey to Vancouver were welcomed and were able to play a number of games.

An impromptu visit to the fields by the Wild Rose of Western Canada, Vancouver's own Erin Mac Pherson, did not go unnoticed by the players, as she chatted with spectators on the sidelines.

Red Deer Eire Og tasted its first games of championship football, competing admirably against the winners from the previous two years, and though they played out an entertaining draw with Edmonton, they were awarded the spoils due to the Edmonton team's grace in accepting its poor showing at the Vancouver tournament (indeed that was the case for Edmonton versus the Chieftains also).

It was Rory Lynch, fittingly enough, that scored Red Deer's first championship point. Vancouver rolled the dice allowing the Edmonton fixture to count and will be grateful that they were able to eke out a narrow victory against their guests. In the last game on Saturday, the Harps and Chieftains played out a very tough physical encounter, that proved to anyone who wasn't sure before, that this was championship football.

VANCOUVER TOURNAMENT SUMMARY
While all the WCC action was going on on the field of play, Rebecca Coloma and Fred Nguyen (fresh from their exploits at North American Championships [where Fred was Champion once again]) of the DeDanaan School of Irish Dance, entertained the jam-packed Brockton Oval Clubhouse overlooking the fields.

Mr. T (from the A-team), Wayne (of Wayne's World fame), along with a host of other fictional characters, were also on hand to witness the flight of the young man's feet. Seriously!!! Special thanks to Leslie Wilson at De Danaan for taking the time out of their busy schedules to showcase their talented dancers.

Everyone enjoyed a fine meal at Mooses DownUnder off Pender, and dinner was followed by a suitably rip-roaring session lead by Mark Downey and his lovely duet partner.

A rebel song contest ensued, and ballads of glory and bloodshed were presented to an enraptured audience. Barry Sinclair, of Calgary, a popular winner with a gut-wrenching ceol sung from the heart.

As has become the case in recent years, a number of players from both the men's and ladies footballing teams (from north and south of the border) took to the floor to show that their fancy footwork is not confined to the Gaelic football field. Rince h-iontach a tharla ar fud an teach tabhairne.

Sunday was the day of the finals. Red Deer (Men) and Calgary Chieftains (Ladies) took the plate titles on offer, defeating the Edmonton and Harps second string teams respectively.

In the Kevin McFadden Tournament, the Vancouver Ladies finally overcame the might of Seattle to win their first tournament title on home soil. A solid display from the Harps, with new girl Evelyn Griffin playing a powerful role in attack, but the plaudits went to Rene McGloin awarded the MVP for the tournament.

In the JJ Hyland, it was a home town affair, with the Vancouver Panels vying for the title. The Celts had defeated the gutsy Calgary outfit by a single point to join the Harps in the decider.

After Amhran na bhfian was played to a respectful crowd, a great match ensued. The Harps having the better of the early exchanges, but not being able to capitalise on the scoresheet.

Level at half-time, the Celts, led from the back by the mercurial Stephan Hanney, turned on the style getting the crucial scores. In the end, the scoreline did not reflect a gallant performance by both sides.

Tom O'Flynn looked on as a fine display of hurling on the green of the Oval drew the attention of the cricket teams over the hedge. Having seen the vintage exhibition, the cricketers returned to their own game grateful that they wouldn't have to deal with the clash of the ash.

James Davoren, responsible for organising hurling practices in downtown Vancouver since April, deservedly took the MVP award.

JJ Hyland Memorial Trophy (Men's) - Vancouver Celts (defeating the Vancouver Harps)

Kevin McFadden Memorial Trophy (Ladies') - Vancouver Harps (defeating the Seattle Gaels)

West Limerick Holdings Hurling Challenge - Vancouver Harps (defeating the Seattle Gaels)

GAELIC FOOTBALL PLATE WINNERS
- Men's - Red Deer Eire Og
- Ladies' - Calgary Chieftains

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