The Cayman Islands National Gaelic Football Team made a strong showing at the United States Gaelic Athletic Association finals on 15-17 Aug. in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
A total of 65 players represented the club across two men’s teams and one women’s team, showcasing the islands’ growing talent on a national stage.
The finals bring together the top teams from regional divisions across the United States, with invitations extended to clubs from Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.
Men’s teams battle to the wire
The men’s B team started its Junior D championship run in the quarter-finals against St. Louis, Missouri, on Friday.
After trailing by a single point at halftime despite an early penalty goal, the Cayman squad took control in the second half with composed play to win 1-9 to 1-6.
They advanced to the semi-finals to face Pittsburgh Celtic B on Saturday.
The Cayman team started strong, building a seven-point lead in the first half and looking like the dominant side. However, the team’s lack of depth proved to be a factor as the game wore on against Pittsburgh. The Cayman men eventually fell 3-10 to 1-8.
The men’s A team began its campaign on Saturday in the Junior A championships semi-finals against the Pittsburgh Celtics.
In a high-quality affair, Cayman held a narrow three-point lead at halftime, 1-12 to 2-6.
However, Pittsburgh’s quicker squad staged a second-half comeback, ultimately winning by the narrowest of margins, 3-15 to 2-17.
Women’s team falls just short of glory
The Cayman women’s team kicked off its Junior B competition on Saturday in the semi-finals against the Austin Celtic Cowboys.
Despite a slow start that saw them trailing at halftime, the women managed to regroup and turn the game around in the second half, winning on a scoreline of 2-10 to 12 points, earning them a spot in the final.
In the final match against the Delaware County Gaels, the Cayman team got off to a slow start once again, falling behind by seven points early on.
Although they fought hard throughout the game, they couldn’t overcome the initial deficit, ultimately losing with a final score of 1-11 to 0-7.
Even without bringing home silverware, Cathal McGrath, chairman of the Cayman Islands Gaelic Athletic Association Club, said, “The Club’s performance at this year’s USGAA Finals highlight the improvements and developments the Club has made in recent years. Our teams travelling to the USGAA Finals are now extremely competitive in all matches that they play against the best teams across the Americas.”
He added, “This is a testament to the growth of the domestic football league in Cayman, and also the hard work put in and commitment shown by all players and management in the post-domestic season training camp to prepare for the finals.”
