KC GAC’s First Gaelic Football Match
As the growth of the Kansas City Gaelic Athletic club (KCGAC) continues apace, the report of the first match for the bi-state city is now in.
KCGAC travelled to Fayeteville in Arkansas last Saturday, June 22, 2008, as the halfway point between Kansas City and their oppostion, Little Rock GAA, for their 1st game of Gaelic Football.
They played on a small pitch so full sides of 15 a team, weren’t appropriate, and it seems the Arkansas outfit had some help from a fellow Arkansas GAA club, both of which wouldn’t have particularly favoured the Kansas City club, but the day wasn’t really about the score; it really was about the game being played at all.
An excerpt from the PRO of KCGAC, Dan Weinbaum’s report:
The second half began and I think we caught a brief second wind.
We scored a point.
And at that moment I felt very good. Honor preserved.After a few more on our side, a couple of goals as well and a continuous flash of purple topped by a closely shorn shock of red hair, the match was over….. but…. because I’m brilliantly mad, I suggested we play 10 minutes more. A total of 70 minutes playing time.
It was a day of passion, a day of gritty determination, a day of dry heaving in the grass.
Do read the full account of the day from Dan.
There’s a lot of people in KC who bang on about Irish this and Irish that without ever really doing anything particularly Irish. This year the KC GAC have formed, have turned up week after week and trained in Ireland’s most popular sports, and have also centered some social activities around Irish activities. From such dedication their numbers have grown, their training facilities have improved greatly, and now they have played their 1st game having travelled some considerable distance to do so.
It’s all made me feel all the more down that I’ll be here painting in Wexford while my county of Dublin take on Westmeath in Croke Park up in Dublin, a game I’d ordinarily be on Hill 16 for.
Anyway, historic stuff for Kansas City. Congratulations to the the KC GAC and here’s hoping for further growth in numbers during 2008 and for more games to come.
Read Also:
• National Attention for KC Gaelic Football
• Dublin v Kerry
• Championship Sundays Like this
• Is Kansas City more Irish than the Cayman Islands?
• Irish Counties in Kansas City
Eolaí gan Fhéile:
Thanks for the kind words. We had a good time.