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There was 3 Gaelic football tournaments to be decided that day.

Round 5 of the European Ladies Football, ladies had Paris, Luxembourg, Maastricht and some Munich to contend with.

Round 2 of the European Shield The Shield had the likes of Amsterdam, Maastricht, Rennes, Luxembourg B and Barcelona in the mix.

 

 Round 2 of the European league. The lads from Den Haag were of course competing in the league along with Luxembourg and Paris.

 

It was an early start for the Den Haag boys, as they took the 2 hour drive to Maastricht, 4 or 5 carloads of players who do this several times a year. For a change they had a big squad, this was due to geography and a handful of new players Colm MacNally, Sean Simpson, Rory Campion and Jarlath MacDonald.

Discipline was never a central theme in Den Haag’s game and it had cost them in tournaments previously, so when a player was yellow carded on the first tackle in the game, you could of mistakenly thought that the Hague had learnt nothing in the last few weeks. But they played the first half with spirit and enthusiasm, skirmishing for ball, Jarlath MacDonald’s groin couldn’t hold the pace, but it helped putting a few scores up before it was retired and replaced by Dave Nally’s who done likewise. Sean Simpson, a new hurler who took up the football with us, scored a goal on his debut in European football, Luxembourg were just as strong and played catch up, they came in on the half with a point clear. A soft goal and Peader O Toole playing out of position didn’t help the Hague in the second half, Luxembourg exploited and then subjugated, as they do, and they finished well ahead by the final whistle – 2.8 to 1.4 the final score being.

The Hague boys learnt their lesson, they knew they had a capable team with 4 men on the bench just as good, they would have to beat Paris or else it hasta la vista to the season. This point was been hammered into skulls before that game; Paris are the kind of team you don’t want to fall asleep at the wheel with and after studying the first game, Declan named the starting team.

Mick Breslin

John Ford - Simon Crean

Declan Bonner - Steve Hoch,

Paul Gavin - John Sheridan

Shane Sullivan - Sean Simpson,

Peader O Toole - Rory Campion

 

(From L to R backrow)  Des Breen, Garrick Fraiser, Graham Merriman, Sean Cornelisse, John Ford, Simon Creane, John Sheridan, Shane Sullivan, Jarlath MacDonald, Colm MacNally, Colm Hagen, Matty Morris, Marie Gavin. (From L to R Front row) Paul Gavin, Willie Prendergast, Dave Nally, Declan Bonner, Sean Simpson, Rory Campion, Steven Hoch, Peader O Toole, Mick Breslin

Graham Merriman would be calling the shots from the line. Den Haag came out of their corner fighting for every ball, John Sheridan and Paul Gavin held sway over midfield and we soon got ahead of Paris with some great football. Rory Campion was running to meet and win every ball, with cunning Peader O Toole, also the freetaker, getting into good position, then with Shane and Sean to back them up they soon got ahead. It was unusual for Den Haag to have such a strong bench, Graham worked the line switching players to good effect. Willie Prendergast, Colm Nally, Dave MacNally and Des Breen helping out. Paris took a few good points and showed spirit but the Black and Amber of the Hague prevailed winning by 9 points. The team worked well together and adjusted when problems arose.

Luxembourg went on beat Paris with a robust performance from both teams, leaving Luxembourg to play Den Haag again.

 

The Shield was the Siege of Maastricht all over again, when the French held the city, the always strong Rennes won the cup.

On the lower pitch the Holland Ladies and Paris had made it too the final. They played a stormer in the first half, but Paris was too strong and Holland wavered. Mickala Duffy, midfield general took Player of the Tournament.

           Steven Hoch chasing

For the final, the Hague fielded the same team, same plan as worked on Paris. From the off, the Dutch side fought and won everything. Luxembourg’s normally devastating midfield runs were broke down and chased by John Sheridan and Paul Galvin, who picked up Player of the Tournament for a great days football. Any long balls to their forwards were cleared from the two fullbacks, Simon Crean especially, played a man of the match winning game, flying up, like the stork on his jersey, to catch all highball. Luxembourg looked a bit stunned and with the Dutch holding the ball they conceded frees. From stern to bow the Dutch fought and Peader set Rory up nicely leading him to score a cracker, Des Breen, came on and took pressure of the backs, while making runs up the wing screaming for ball like a demented white banshee. Cheeky Shane Sullivan manmarked and harassed while declaring in his Cork brogue “You aint going nowhere boy”, his marker didn’t. Mick Breslin who was a revelation since he moved to goals, had a penalty to contend with shortly before half time, he danced like a puppet from side to side on the run up and spread out enough to get a leg to it, John Ford as always quickest to the ball cleared.

By half time The Hague was ahead by 1.5 to 2 points, which has been uncharted water for them this season. Declan Bonner had them spurned on, to expect Luxembourg to come back strong, to go out and win this half. He himself was playing with his heart on his sleeve. Luxembourg did come back strong and another penalty was awarded which they made sure of, but the Hague held strong, Jarlath came on and set up Rory for a goal, before retiring with the aforementioned groin, Rory scoring 2.1 this match. The Hague came out deservingly on top after a gutsy game of GAA football you’re likely to see, Declans coaching seemed to pay off, fitness was improving and the team has grown strong. Final score 2.7 – 1.4.

            Considering that every European tournament so far this year Den Haag have ended up in a final with Luxembourg and lost, not only that they only won one of the games they played them before they reached the final, that’s been five tournaments and the game earlier. This was a massive relief for the Dutch boys but one swallow doesn’t a summer make and catching Luxembourg on an off day doesn’t a European cup win.

            The Dutch will have to get fitter and work on the team they are sending to Paris for the next round, this will be a much harder tournament, they won’t catch Lux off guard again and with a strong home side and Jersey entering the fray, they have only a few weeks to improve.