International Hurling Match at Etihad Stadium Melbourne

In a competition organized by Etihad Airlines in Ireland named "Best Club Down Under" Clarinbridge GAA Club from County Galway won the competition from hundreds of Clubs. Their reward being a trip to Australia to take part in the first ever International Hurling game. This will take place at Etihad Stadium on Friday 28th October. The match which will start at 5 45 pm will be the curtain raiser to the Australia versus Ireland International Rules match and will feature the Australasian "All Stars" against Clarinbridge from County Galway.

About the teams:
The All Stars were selected as the best 25 hurlers from the four States that competed in the 2011 Australasian Championships in Brisbane in early October. Of the 25 players selected 23 will be involved against Clarinbridge which shows how highly they rate taking part in the inaugural International Hurling game.

The All Star players taking part in the match are:
Western Australia: Peter Casey, Michael Farrell, John O'Connell, Kieran O'Keefe, Fergus Short
Victoria: Mark Briody, Stephen Coyne, Padraig Fanning, Donal Heffernan, Colm Kennedy, Sean O'Leary
New South Wales: Conner Hassett, Eoighan O'Brien, Alan O'Neil, Thomas Quirke, Daniel Whyte
Queensland: Rory Conroy, Barry Egan, Patrick Lanigan, Oisin Lynch, Robert O'Leary, Thomas Quinn, Kieran Roche

The team will be managed jointly by Kieran Quinn (Queensland) & Eamonn Fitzgerald (W.A.)

Clarinbridge GAA Club are the reigning All Ireland Hurling Club Champions and will be a formidable opponent for the All Stars. They have been in existence since 1889 and play in the maroon colours of Galway.

Their team for the game is:

1

Aaron Bindon

2

3

4

Shane Heavey

Aidan Quinn

Alan Carr

5

6

7

Thomas Neylan

Paraic Cormican

Liam Madden

8

9

Michael Forde

Alan Hooban

10

11

12

Bernie Conlon

David Donohue

Kevin Conlon

13

14

15

Richard Burke

Micheal Donoghue

Hugh Forde

Reserves

Management

16

Conor Lawless

Michael Forde Snr.

17

Sean Trowell

Tom Conlon

18

Ciaran Keane

Michael Dillon

19

Enda Armstrong

Bosco Forde

20

Martin Forde

Damian McGrath

21

Kevin Flynn

22

James Brett





2011 Kepplers Australasian Gaelic Games

The 2011 Kepplers Australasian Gaelic Games will be held in Brisbane at Gaelic Park, Bowhill Road, Willawong from Sunday 2 October through to the finals on Saturday 8 October (Minor Football & Camogie Finals will be played on 7 October).

This year there there are many firsts. The Championships have a naming rights sponsor in Kepplers Cider. Kepplers is a Cork based cider brand which is marketed in Australasia through Heron Tower Beverages in Melbourne. Camogie will be part of the games for the first time with teams from WA, Victoria, NSW and Queensland. A number of games are also set down to be played under lights including the Camogie final.

There are 20 teams competing with five men's, four women's and three minor in football plus four hurling and four camogie. A total of 48 games will be staged over the seven days making the 2011 Championships one of the biggest ever held. The number would have been a record if the rugby World Cup wasn't being staged at the same time as this has seen the Auckland and Wellington teams unable to travel. Close to 500 players will take part.

In hurling there is an extra incentive to participate. The "All Star" team which will comprise the best 25 players from the Championships will be invited to play against a touring Irish Hurling Club. The match will be the curtain raiser to the International Rules game at Etihad Stadium on Friday 28 October..

At the conclusion of the games a Presentation Function will be held at the Gabba with in excess of 600 people attending. Joe McDonagh, ex President of the GAA in Ireland and current Chairman of the GAA Overseas Committee will be one of the guests of honour as will representatives from O'Neills and Kepplers. During the evening, awards will be made to the best player in each of the five codes as well as the announcement of the five "All Star" Teams. Each player selected will be presented with a commemorative medal.

To view the program and results which will be updated on a daily basis click here.

For more information on the Championships visit www.gaelicfootballqld.com.au



Australasian Association Has It's First Major Sponsor

The Australasian association has entered into a five figure major sponsorship agreement with Heron Tower Beverages Melbourne, with the brand "John Kepplers Cider".

The sponsorship relates to Kepplers Cider being the exclusive brand on sale at State association grounds as well as being the naming rights holder for the Australasian Championships. The Kepplers logo also is on the sleeves of the new Australasian replica playing shirt manufactured by O'Neills and sold throughout their shops in Ireland as well as worldwide on their website.

All State associations stocking Kepplers as well as receiving the profits from sales get a rebate per carton plus a lump sum from the sponsorship. These profits help to offset the costs involved in running Gaelic Games at State and Australasian levels.

Kepplers Cider is made in Midleton, County Cork. Unlike other ciders which see the apples crushed and then stored as concentrate for future use, Kepplers is crushed and produced at the same time thereby giving it it's own unique taste with that little "kick back".

If you enjoy cider then next time make it a Kepplers, after all it is the only brand that has been willing to financially support Gaelic Football, Hurling and Camogie at the National and State levels in Australasia.



The official launch of Kepplers at the New Sydney Hotel Hobart.

GF&HA of Australasia Enters Partnership With O'Neills Irish International Sports Co.

The Australasian Association has signed a 12 month Partnership Agreement with O'Neills in Ireland. This partnership with the biggest supplier worldwide of Gaelic Games gear will also benefit the Australasian Association, Clubs and States as shown below:

With the Australian & NZ Dollars at a high cross rate against the Euro this is an excellent time to purchase playing, training and leisurewear. Enquiries should be made with Cristina McCusker - cmccusker@oneills.com

The New Australasian replica playing shirt has recently been launched (see below) and this will shortly be followed by a sleeveless training shirt and polo top. To order log on to www.oneills.com and navigate to the Australasia in the International section.


CAMOGIE WA

2010 was a historic year for Western Australia with the establishment of WA’s first ever Camogie team.  Camogie WA has gone from strength to strength with increasing numbers of girls training every week.  A number of successful fundraising events have taken place over the last few months in an effort to raise funds for the club to purchase some Hurleys’, Helmets’ and Sliotars’.  There has been great support from local Perth businesses including sponsorship for a team kit from ‘Catalpa Formwork’.

The girls played in the 2011 Padraig Pearses 7 aside tournament on 13th February in Melbourne.
Started back in 1989 as a fundraiser for the Padraig Pearse club the competition has grown well past the expectations of its founders and now attracts clubs from all over Australia, with the All Ireland 7-a-side hurling champions Borrisleigh from Tipperary playing in 2003.



Front Row (Left to Right): Chantelle Mc Neill; Shauna Shannon; Ann Murray; Linda Pardy; Leann Lyons; Maura Lyons; Jenny Codd; Ailish Kenneally
Back Row: (Left to Right): Ger Kelleher; Ger Mullally; Liz Foley; Ruth Walsh; Karen Whelton; Fiona Gilchrist; Shauna Mc Eldowney; Clodagh Glynn; Peter O Neill

For more information or to join up check out ‘Camogie Western Australia’ on Facebook or;
please contact the club on the following email address: camogiewa@yahoo.com.au
Or contact the girls via mobile:

Secretaries:
Chantelle: 0424352770
Liz: 0451029077

Winners of an O'Neill's International Rules Jersey

Name

Country

State

Sean O' Neill

Australia

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Lee-Ann McVeigh

Australia

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Liam Carmody

Australia

NSW

Olliver Rafter

Australia

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Thomas Begley

Australia

VICTORIA

Roisin Brouder

Australia

 QUEENSLAND