February 17, 2011
By Staff Reporter
Several thousand hurling, football and camogie fans thronged to Boston’s Irish Cultural Center in south suburban Canton over the Labor Day weekend for the 2008 North American County Board national playoffs. Played in perfect weather conditions, the 66 game tournament was a tremendous success thanks to an excellently coordinated program jointly organized by the Boston Northeast Divisional Board and the NACB. Clubs from 24 cities across the country participated in the playoffs that consisted of seventeen championships up for contention. Two new championships were added to this year’s schedule, ladies intermediate football and all-American born men’s football. In addition, 2 shield competitions, ladies junior football and camogie, and an over 40 men’s football competition, were part of the schedule resulting in a tournament of 20 competitions, the biggest since the introduction of this NACB playoff format in 1982.
A record ten cities shared the winning circle. Chicago headed the list with four championships, senior hurling, senior camogie, men’s junior C football and ladies junior “B” football. Boston and San Francisco followed with each winning three championships. Boston clubs captured the men’s senior football, men’s intermediate football and ladies senior football titles while San Francisco teams were winners of the men’s junior “A” football, ladies intermediate football and junior camogie championships. Two championships went to Philadelphia with their All-American born team taking the first ever all-American football championship and the Shamrocks club winning the junior “A” hurling title. The following cities captured one title: Austin, men’s junior “D” football; Charlotte, men’s junior “B” football; Indianapolis, junior “C” hurling; Milwaukee, junior “B” hurling; Washington DC, ladies junior “A” football. History was created as a result of NACB championship trophies going to the cities of Austin and Indianapolis for the first time.
The inauguration of the all-American men’s football championship was a remarkable success. Four cities, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia and Washington participated in this championship with all 3 games attracting good attendances. Most encouraging was the big attendance at the final between Philadelphia and Washington DC despite the attraction of the men’s senior football final in progress in an adjacent field at the same time. Philadelphia won by 2 goals after an exciting and close contest. It was a fitting and emotional victory for Philadelphia as they captured the new and beautiful Stephen Breen memorial cup presented in memory of teenager Stephen Breen, son of Philadelphia divisional board vice-chairman Sean Breen, who died last year after a life long illness.
As in previous years, the playoffs produced some great games and close encounters but also some poor and one-sided affairs. It was a great weekend for the Chicago Limerick hurlers who won their second senior hurling championship, their first since 1977. Having played at junior level for most of this decade Limerick were considered underdogs to take the 2008 title. However, they played excellent hurling, easily defeating a weak Boston Wexford team in Saturday’s one-sided semi-final and went on to defeat San Francisco Na Fianna by 4 points in a closely contested final. Na Fianna’s juniors came close to taking the junior “A” title but were defeated by Philadelphia Shamrock by just 2 points in a wonderful final. Six teams competed in the junior “B” hurling championship with Milwaukee retaining the title after winning it for the first time last year. A record 7 teams played for the junior “C” competition with Indianapolis winning their first championship, defeating the newly formed Chi
cago Cusacks in a one-sided final.
In senior football, Boston McAnespies upheld their tag as favorites in capturing their second title, having last won it in 1998. Ironically, the three other contestants in this year’s championship, Chicago Parnells, Philadelphia Kevin Barry’s and San Francisco Sean Treacy’s were contesting at senior level for the first time in the NACB playoffs. The closest and most exciting contest was that between Parnells and Sean Treacy’s which went into overtime and ending in near darkness with the Treacy’s coming out on top. Kerry Boston experienced little trouble in taking their first Intermediate football championship having easy victories over San Francisco Ulster and Boston Galway. However, Ulster’s junior team was successful, taking the junior “A” title with a 4 point victory over Philadelphia Young Irelander’s in an exciting final. Some of the best football games of the weekend took place in the junior “B” championship with two games going into overtime. The San Diego Setanta/Philadelp
hia St. Pat’s game was a classic, producing a total score of 3-30 with Setanta winning by a point. Setanta were also involved in an earlier overtime game in which they hung on to beat Cleveland St. Jarlath’s, also by one point after a thrilling encounter. Another classic was the quarter-final clash between Charlotte James Connolly and New England Celtics with the Charlotte team winning with a final and incredible score of 4-21 to 6-12. A fine Charlotte team went on to take their first “B” division title, defeating San Diego in the final. There were several one-sided games in the junior “C” championship with the all-American born Chicago Patriots the most dominant team. They defeated a very young and promising Boston Celtics team, also an all American born squad, in the final. Several new teams competed in the junior “D” competition with one of them, Austin Celtics, winning their first title.
A brilliant Boston Roscommon ladies football team was the dominant team in the senior championship and easily won their first NACB title beating both Chicago St. Brigid’s and Boston Shamrocks by large margins. Two teams competed in the inaugural Intermediate championship with San Francisco Fog City Harps defeating Boston Tir na Nog to become the first winners of the new trophy. Teams from Atlanta, Philadelphia, Seattle and Washington DC competes for the junior “A” trophy with Washington DC Gaels capturing it for the first time with a thrilling one point victory over Philadelphia Notre Dame in the final. As in previous years the ladies junior “B” football championship with teams from nine cities competing, produced a mix of poor and highly entertaining games. Chicago McBrides emerged the deserving winner with impressive displays. They defeated Detroit St Ann’s by 7 points in the final to capture their first NACB ladies football title.
Chicago St. Mary’s retained their senior camogie title with a 5 point win over Boston Eire Og while San Francisco Shamrocks also retained their junior camogie trophy with an easy over St. Mary’s junior squad. Washington DC Gaels defeated Denver Gaels to take the junior shield.
The weekend activities came to an end with a reception on Sunday night at the Irish Cultural Center. Guest speaker from Ireland was Jimmy O’Gorman, Chairman of the Munster Council. Besides praising the Irish Cultural Center facilities, he congratulated the Boston Northeast divisional board and it’s playoff committee along with the North American Board officers for their contribution to the success of a wonderful weekend. Also out from Ireland were Liz Howard, Camogie President, Liam Mulvihill former GAA Secretary General and the following referees: Seanie McMahon, Keith Delahunty, Terrance McShea, Pat Fox and Kieran Quigley.
2008 NACB PLAYOFF SCORES
Senior Hurling:
Semi-finals
Chicago Limerick 6-23
Boston Wexford 0-7
San Francisco Na Fianna 3-13
Boston Tipperary 2-14
Final
Chicago Limerick 4-14
San Francisco Na Fianna 3-13
Junior A Hurling:
Semi-final
San Francisco Na Fianna 2-13 Boston Tipperary 1-8
Final
Philadelphia Shamrocks 3-10 San Francisco Na Fianna 2-11
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Junior B Hurling:
Quarter-finals
Washington DC 1-14
Denver 1-10
Phoenix 2-6
Seattle 9-26
Milwaukee 2-18
Minnesota Twin Cities 1-3
Semi-final
Milwaukee 1-15
Seattle 2-7
Final
Milwaukee 3-15
Washington DC 3-6
Junior C Hurling:
Preliminary game
Seattle 1-10
Portland Me 0-6
Quarter-finals
Indianapolis 3-7
St. Louis 1-8
Milwaukee 8-17
Concord Barleyhounds 0-1
Indianapolis 1-16
Philadelphia Shamrocks 1-8
Denver 4-1
Seattle 1-0
Semi-finals
Chicago Cusacks 6-12
Denver 0-3
Indianapolis 6-13
Milwaukee 1-8
Final
Indianapolis 5-9
Chicago Cusacks 2-11
Men’s Senior Football:
Semi-finals
Boston Aidan McAnespies 1-10
Philadelphia Kevin Barry’s 0-8
San Francisco Sean Treacy’s 2-9
Chicago Parnells 1-8 (OT)
Final
Boston Aidan McAnespies 2-15
San Francisco Sean Treacy’s 1-7
Men’s Intermediate Football
Semi-finals
Boston Kerry 4-10
San Francisco Ulster 0-7
Final
Boston Kerry 1-13
Boston Galway 0-7
Men’s Junior A Football
Semi-finals
San Francisco Ulster 2-12
Boston Donegal 0-8
Philadelphia Young Ireland’s 3-13
Chicago McBrides 2-6
Final
San Francisco Ulster 2-9
Philadelphia Young Irelanders 1-8
Men’s Junior B Football
Quarter-finals
Charlotte James Connolly 4-21
New England Celtic 6-12
Detroit Wolfe Tones 2-8
Philadelphia Kevin Barry’s 0-8
Cleveland St. Jarlaths 1-12
San Diego Setanta 1-13
Semi-finals
San Diego Setanta 0-20
Philadelphia St. Pat’s 3-10 (OT)
Charlotte James Connolly 3-21
Detroit Wolfe Tones 2-5
Final
Charlotte James Connolly 1-10
San Diego Setanta 1-5
Men’s Junior C Football
Quarterfinals
Chicago Patriots 3-12
Washington DC Gaels Gaels 2-10
Pittsburgh Celtics 3-6
Philadelphia Eire Og 0-12
Boston Celtics 4-15
Buffalo na Fianna 1-4
Semi-finals
Chicago Patriots 7-21
San Diego Setanta 0-8
Boston Celtics 4-13
Pittsburgh Celtics 1-10
Final
Chicago Patriots 2-15
Boston Celtics 0-10
Men’s Junior D Football
Quarter-final
Phoenix Gaels 2-9
St. Louis 2-10
Fredrick Mason/Dixon 2-2
Baltimore 4-18
Charlotte James Connolly 4-14
Fredrick Mason/Dixon 1-0
Semi-final
Austin Celtics 3-16
Baltimore 2-8
St. Louis 1-11
Charlotte 1-5
Final
Austin Celtics 1-17
St. Louis 2-5
Men’s All-American Football
Semi-finals
Philadelphia 2-7
Chicago 0-3
Washington DC 5-10
Boston 1-5
Final
Philadelphia 4-7
Washington DC 3-4
Ladies Senior Football
Semi-final
Boston Roscommon 7-28
Chicago St. Brigid’s 0-6
Final
Boston Roscommon 1-17
Boston Shamrocks 1-8
Ladies Intermediate Football
Final
San Francisco Fog City Harps 4-13
Boston Tir na Nog 3-5
Ladies Junior A Football
Semi-finals
Seattle Gaels 1-7
Philadelphia Notre Dame 5-23
Washington DC Gaels 4-8
Atlanta Clan na Gael 2-8
Final
Washington DC Gaels 5-8
Philadelphia Notre Dame 4-10
Ladies Junior B Football:
Preliminary game
Pittsburgh Banshees 8-7
Denver Gaels 2-5
Quarter-finals
Atlanta Na Fianna 0-10
San Diego Na Fianna 0-7
Chicago McBrides 1-22
Charlotte 1-0
Detroit St Ann’s 2-16
Seattle Gaels 3-4
Pittsburgh Banshees 4-6
San Francisco Fog City Harps 1-13
Semi-final
Atlanta Na Fianna 1-8
Detroit St. Ann’s 3-6
Chicago McBrides 6-20
Pittsburgh Banshees 0-6
Final
Chicago McBrides 4-8
Detroit St. Ann’s 2-7
Senior Camogie
Final
Chicago St. Mary’s 1-10
Boston Eire Og 1-5
Junior Camogie
Final
San Francisco Shamrocks 5-10
Chicago St. Mary’s 1-6
Junior Camogie Shield
Final
Washington DC 6-6
Denver 0-1
Men’s Over 40 Football
Final
West 2-6
East 0-7