Taking the Fields of Glory: Midwest Gaelic Athletic Association Winds Up Successful Season

Taking the Field of Glory: GAA Monthly
Midwest Gaelic Athletic Association
By Vincent Beach

Regular Season Scores
We reported last on games through July 10.  Picking up the next week (7/17), the Syracuse men defeated the hosts, Albany Rebels, in Gaelic football by the score of 5-11 (26) to 1-5 (8).  Down in Cleveland the same weekend, the Saints hosted a double header at Páirc na Naomh against the footballers – Pittsburgh Celtics and Pittsburgh Banshees.  The ladies squared off first on a very wet day that saw the Lady Saints win their first full-sided match against the Banshees by the final score of 2-3 (9) to 3-5 (14).  The Banshees did not go down easily as they scored two late goals.  In the second match, the Celtics reigned again.  The Saints were competitive in much of the game holding the high scoring Celtics to just one goal (lowest in the season).  The final score was Pittsburgh 1-10 (13) to Cleveland 0-6 (6).  In hurling, Akron traveled up to Rochester for the final match of the season.  Akron won out 5-11 (26) to Rochester 1-7 (10). 

We previously missed out on some scoring from the Cincinnati-Detroit series.  Back on June 19^th Detroit fell to Cincinnati 2-10 (16) to 4-10 (22), but the following weekend were victorious scoring 4-14 (26) to 2-12 (18). 

Final Standings

The Midwest Invitational
On July 26^th on a strip of land between the USA and Canada, the Midwest and Central Division GAA with the help of the Global Games Development Fund and the Detroit Wolfetones GAA hosted the first of hopefully many regional tournaments.  On Michigan’s Bell Isle State Park, ladies’ and men’s football teams compete for the inaugural cup.  Matches were kept to fifteen minutes per half except for the finals which were twenty minutes per half. 

Representing the Midwest men were Cleveland, Detroit, and Pittsburgh while Chicago James Joyce stood for the Central Division.  The Midwest ladies included Cleveland and Pittsburgh while Central produced two teams in Chicago Aisling Gaels and Chicago Erin’s Rovers.  The best teams of each pool of round robin play would meet in the finals.  Games were as follows:

In the Men’s final Pittsburgh beat out the home club of Detroit 0-9 (9) to 0-6 (6).  With some excellent scores bombing forward from defense, the Wolfetones’ Patrick Newell walked away with the Man of the Tournament belt. 

In the Ladies’ final Chicago Aisling Gaels beat the Cleveland ladies 5-8 (23) to 1-3 (6).  The Woman of the Tournament belt went to the Aisling Gaels’ Sinead Molloy. 

The Midwest Division Finals
The regular season determines the seeding for the weekend long tournament held this year in Pittsburgh.  The winners at each level of the competition go on to represent the Midwest at the USGAA Finals. 

For Ladies’ football there were only two teams: Cleveland St. Pat’s – St. Jarlath’s GAA (aka the Saints) and Pittsburgh Pucas.  The championship was held on Sunday and the game lived up to the hype that is becoming this great rivalry again.  The Banshees came out strong in the first half, but Cleveland won the second half stifling scoring opportunities. The early scores became the difference in the game, as the Banshees raised the cup in front of a home crowd with the final score of 1-12 to 1-8.  Both teams will represent the Midwest: Pittsburgh as Junior B and Cleveland as Junior C (Development Level). 

Hurling in the Midwest continues to grow and now includes four teams.  With Roc City and Cleveland being in their first three years of existence, they can qualify for the developmental level .  Bids for the USGAA Finals were won by Pittsburgh Pucas (Junior C) and Cleveland (Junior D). 

 USGAA Finals
This year’s finals will be held in Boston on August 20, 21, and 22.  Initial match-ups for the Midwest teams are: Intermediate Men’s’ Football – Pittsburgh Celtics versus Northeast Division (team TBD, Saturday game); Men’s Junior C Football – Cleveland Saints versus Charlotte James Connelly; Men’s Junior D Football – Buffalo Na Fianna versus Tacoma Rangers (Saturday Game); Hurling Junior C – Pittsburgh Pucas versus Denver Gaels; Hurling Junior D – Cleveland Saints versus Jersey Shore HC; Ladies’ Football Junior B – Pittsburgh Banshees versus Philadelphia Notre Dame; Ladies’ Football Junior C – Cleveland Saints versus Southeast (TBD).  All the above games are Friday unless noted otherwise.  Good luck, Midwesshhht abú!

Ohio Celtic Festival
The Cleveland Saints are gearing up to have a few matches at this year’s festival in Mentor.  Contract [email protected] if you are interested in playing; there will be youth games and an over forties “masters” game. 

CLE Youth
The youth sessions of the summer will continue each Sunday from 3PM-4:15PM for football and 4:15 to 5:30 for hurling each Sunday at the WSIA.  All ages will play at the same time on different areas of the pitch.  New players are always welcome.  We review skills and drills, and then let the players scrimmage.  Check the ClevelandGAA.com website for registration. 

Al O’Leary
The annual tournament will be held by the Akron Celtic Guards on October 2.  Reach out to Akron for more details on this great hurling and camogie tournament. 

Cleveland GAA Golf Outing
Cleveland will be back out whacking in the annual golf outing on October 9^th at Copper Top in Valley City.  Check the Club website or social media for more details on the scramble and dinner special.   

Cleveland Adults
Remember – new players are always welcome and can join throughout the summer.  The men’s football team will continue training on Tuesdays at Impett Field in Westpark and on Thursdays at the WSIA – both starting at 6:30PM.  The hurlers are now training at Edgewater Park (lower rugby field) at 6PM.  The Ladies’ will continue with twice a week sessions on Wednesdays and Fridays at Impett, starting at 6:30PM. Please visit the club website or contact the club directly to stay up to date on schedules, as the summer times and days could change with sunlight and game schedules.  

Go raibh míle maith agaibh (thanks y’all) to our readers and supporters.  We need your help and involvement, but would most like to share the fun of Irish sport and Cleveland community with you.  Consider getting involved at any level.  Special shout out this month to Pipefitter’s Local 120 who are helping us prepare for next year’s 7-a-side tournament and for expanding the use of our fields for the youth program by welding up some backstop posts.  Local 120’s finest includes Marty Somerville, Danny Gallagher, and John McGowen. 

Fáilte (welcome) to all.  The Gaelic Athletic Association is Ireland’s largest sporting organization and a bit of home for the Irish abroad here in the US of A.  Beyond sports, the Association also promotes Irish music, song and dance, and the Irish language as an integral part of its objectives. Cleveland GAA is open to all who want to play competitive sports, meet new people, and join an athletic, fitness-minded club for all ages. 

Follow @ClevelandGaelic on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter for the 2020 activities for Men, Women, and Youth.  Or visit ClevelandGAA.com.

*Vincent Thomas Francis Xavier Beach is a proud Greater Clevelander and emigrant of Michigan.  He joined the St. Pat’s Gaelic Football Club in 1999 and, with much help, is the current caretaker of the Cleveland GAA.  His Irish is a cross of dialects from the University of Cincinnati and An Cheathrú Rua.  With his wife, Michelle, he enjoys watching time absolutely fly by as their children, Ambrose (12), Bernadette (10), and Cedric (7), grow.  His other hustles are coaching CYO basketball at St. Mary of Berea, coaching soccer in Olmsted TWP, and slangin’ some engineering skills on local concrete and pipe projects.