All Vietnam Schools Cup 2014
March 21, 2014
VAS Hanoi Juniors
On the 15 March 2014, the 5th edition of the All Vietnam Schools Cup was played at the Thang Long (Ascending Dragon) sports ground in My Dinh, Hanoi.
The three finals up for decision were senior boys (U17), girls (U17) and junior boys (U15). Taking part in all three finals were the two powerhouses of Vietnamese Schools Gaelic Football, Hanoi International School (HIS) and Vietnam Australia School (VAS). The tournament was organised by the Viet Celts Gaelic Football Club and hosted by VAS Hanoi. The games were 7-a-side with 15 minutes a half. VAS Hanoi is an all Vietnamese school and HIS is a school for international students from all over the world. As well as being able to play one of their favourite sports, another facet of these Vietnamese Schools Gaelic Football events is that students can practice their language skills by mixing with each other and making friends on the day and keeping in contact afterwards.
VAS Juniors 3.16 (25pts)
HIS Juniors 5.07 (22pts)
This turned out to be a very tense affair towards the end with a nail biting finish. The tie could well have been over by half time, had excellent build up play by VAS Juniors not been hampered by poor finishing in the first half. However, VAS built up a fairly substantial lead thanks mainly to some important scores from the captain, Nguyen Thanh Dat and Le Phuong Nam, coupled with tidy defending from Nguyen Quang Anh and Nguyen Trong Tan to keep the HIS forwards out. HIS Juniors came out fired up in the second half and scored a number of incisive goals to get themselves back in the game. The beautifully balanced, Jamie Martin of HIS was to the fore and received the HIS Juniors MVP later on. The winning of the game came in the form of Pham Duy Hung, the VAS Juniors MVP, with three curling points from way out on the right side of the pitch towards the end of the second half which helped VAS Juniors over the finishing line.
VAS Juniors : Nguyen The Duong, Nguyen Trong Tan, Nguyen Quang Anh, Pham Duy Hung, Nguyen Thanh Dat (Capt.), Le Phuong Nam, Do Tung Lam, Vu Cong Tuyen Thang, Nguyen Tran Nam Khanh
HIS Juniors: Jamie Martin (Capt.), Hai Ha Dinh, Danial Nur Almad Zaki, Lam Tran, Young Huyn Kim, Daniel Papendieck, Park Ji Sung, Farish Sulaiman
VAS Girls 1.3 (6pts)
HIS Girls 1.1 (4pts)
VAS Girls had lost three top players to emigration in the preceding months so there was no repetition of their emphatic victory from the Hanoi Youth Cup in December. What we had instead was a physical low-scoring encounter which emphasised the skills of good defending, albeit at times, on the threshold of legality. It was a game made for the tenacious full back, Le Nguyen Hong Nhung who won the VAS Girls MVP. The standout player of the game overall was the extremely skilful Monica Tran who won the HIS Girls MVP. HIS looked to have done enough to win coming into the closing stages but the ever dangerous VAS captain, Nguyen Nga broke free of HIS attention in the last minute and scored a fabulous goal to settle the match in favour of VAS.
VAS Girls : Nguyen Uyen Nhi, Le Nguyen Hong Nhung, Bui Ngoc Anh, Nguyen Thu Thuy, Truong Thi Ngoc Anh, Nguyen Nga (Capt.) , Ho Ha My, Le Quynh Hoa, Pham Thu Hien, Nguyen Thuy Linh
HIS Girls: Karen Takahashi, Monica Tran, Aisyah Yaqazah Mislan, Alifah Yaqazah Mislan, Diyanah Nur Almad Zaki, Thu Lam (Capt.)
HIS Seniors 2.18 (24pts)
VAS Seniors 2.02 (8pts)
VAS Seniors had their training regime interrupted in the build-up to the tournament due to other school commitments but this takes nothing away from what was a clinical display by HIS Seniors. VAS matched HIS for goals scored and this was partly down to VAS goalkeeper, Bach Xuan Bao Nhan who pulled off eight fine saves and won the VAS Seniors MVP. It was in point-taking that HIS really excelled. The HIS team as a unit was excellent at working the ball into scorable positions and calmly slotting them over the bar from various angles across the field. Almost all of the outfield HIS players were comfortable with both these aspects of play.
The fact that HIS had very few chinks in their armour meant they had an 11-point lead going into the break, exactly as had transpired in the Hanoi Youth Cup in December. However there was to be no repeat of the 'Miracle of My Dinh' when on that occasion VAS Seniors fought back from 11 points down to win by 7 points. In the second half on 15 March, HIS Seniors continued to turn the screws with Sungwook Baek in flying form, both in his duties as goalkeeper but also at setting up play. As a result, he won the HIS Seniors MVP and also the overall player of the tournament. HIS ran out convincing winners.
HIS Seniors: Baek Sung Wook, Kapoor Ansh, Le Patrick Sang, Shafiai Bin Mat Muhammad Firdaus, Tran Khan Quang Tomas, Tran Le Gia Huong, Woo Ji Hyuk, Shin Yong Eui (Capt.), Amaya Rigoberto, Nguyen Alex, Daniel Papendieck
VAS Seniors: Bach Xuan Bao Nhan, Nguyen Duc Manh, Hoang Bang Viet, Nguyen Tung Anh, Nguyen Viet Linh, Nguyen Van Manh, Pham Viet Gia Khoa, Do Nhat Quang, Do Le Anh Quoc, Ngo Xuan Thinh
The HIS Seniors were well marshalled and a credit to their coach, Leo Dyar of Mayo. Could the same Leo Dyar be the one to finally end Mayo's hurt and pain of more than sixty years and counting? Time will tell.
This victory by HIS Seniors continues the nice spread of winners in the Senior Cup over the last five years. Those winners have been.
2010 VAS Hanoi
2011 VAS Hanoi
2012 Hanoi Academy
2013 Hanoi International School
2014 Hanoi International School
Special mentions must go to the following people. Lana Le organised the medals and Michael Noble and the Irish Ambassador, Damien Cole presented them. Phan Dang Cuong of the Irish Embassy organised for VTV to came out and film the event. The referee, Shane Moran of Galway refereed all three games in his own free-flowing fashion. A good many Viet Celts and Vietnam Swans (Australian Rules) were there on the day to help out as match officials and organisers including Tamie Pyper of Scotland who flew up from Da Nang for the tournament. Joe Maleady of St Lomans and Westmeath GAA supplied the O'Neill's match balls.
Thanks to everyone at VAS Hanoi who helped out with logistics. Well done to the coaches, Mike Clifford and Leo Dyar of HIS and Jim Kiernan of VAS. Special thanks to Education in Ireland, Noble Education, the Irish Embassy and the DFA/GAA Open Call for their vital support of the Viet Celts Schools Gaelic Football program.
Jim Kiernan
A final word from Alex Leonard, club secretary for the Vietnam Swans (Australian Rules)
"Viet Celts, thanks very much for inviting us Vietnam Swans out on Saturday. We're
all impressed no end with your youth program, truly inspiring stuff."
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