By Eamonn Kelly
The North American County Board of the GAA held it’s annual pre-playoff meeting last weekend in San Francisco, the host city for the 2001 national championship playoffs. The NACB officers, along with representatives from some divisional boards, met with members of the Western divisional board under the chairmanship of Hugh Duggan. The purpose of the meeting was to review the arrangements already in place by the local committee for the playoffs, which are scheduled for the Labor Day weekend.
In addition, it provided the a rare opportunity for the American board to convene in person to address other business needs, rather than through teleconferencing, which has proved the most cost-effective way for the board to conduct affairs in light of the huge geographical distance that separates most of the national and divisional officers.
Following preliminary meetings on Friday evening, the first item on the agenda on Saturday morning was a group inspection of the Polo Fields, the playing facilities where the 1997 tournament was staged. While the playing schedule for this year’s tournament is estimated to be almost double that of the playoffs four years ago, it was determined that the facilities can ne configured to provide three adult and one underage playing field along with adequate seating accommodation.
With the addition of teams competing for the first time from Charlotte, N.C., and Phoenix, 16 cities will be represented at this year’s tournament. Including the underage schedule, it is expected that over 60 games will be on the schedule for the three-day weekend.
During a four-hour meeting that followed the field inspection, Hugh Duggan gave an account of the arrangements made to date on such matters as accommodation and transportation, considered among the crucial items for the successful staging of this huge tournament. As in previous years, to comply with a playoff regulation that prohibits a divisional champion from getting a bye to the final, the home division, where possible, has agreed to provide the forth team for such competitions as senior hurling and football, which will have teams from only three divisions competing. It was also agreed that the local San Francisco St. Brendan’s junior team be allowed to make up the eighth team in the men’s junior "B" competition. Charlotte has been assigned to the Atlanta division and will compete with the Atlanta Gaels for entry into the playoffs.
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Draws
Following is the draw for the 2001 NACB championship playoffs:
Senior Hurling: Western 1 (San Francisco, San Jose) vs. Western 2; Northeast (Boston) vs. Central (Chicago).
Junior Hurling: Central vs. Western
Northeast — Bye.
Men’s Senior Football: Northeast vs. Philadelphia; Western vs. Central.
Men’s Intermediate Football: Western 1 vs. Western 2; Northeast vs. Philadelphia.
Men’s Junior "A" Football: Central vs. Southern California (Los Angeles, San Diego); Florida vs. Western 2; Northeast vs. Midwest (Buffalo, Cleveland, Detroit, Pittsburgh); Philadelphia vs. Western 1.
Men’s Junior "B" Football: Florida vs. Northwest (Seattle); Atlanta (Atlanta, Charlotte) vs. Western; Midwest vs. Denver; Phoenix vs. Washington, D.C.
Women’s Senior Football: Western 1 vs. Northeast; Western 2 vs. Central.
Women’s Junior Football: Qualifying game — Midwest vs. Atlanta; Midwest/Atlanta vs. Western; Denver vs. Northeast; Florida vs. Northwest; Philadelphia vs. Southern California.
Camogie: Northeast vs. Central; Western vs. Philadelphia.