Amsterdam GAC will carve a niche for themselves in the history of the GAA this weekend when they become the first European team to travel to Ireland to compete in the Leinster Club JFC.
Abbotstown will be the venue for their eagerly anticipated clash with the Dublin Junior champions and the excitement is building amongst their playing ranks.
“The opportunity to play in Ireland with Amsterdam is something I would never have dreamed of when I moved away,” Dublin native Brian O’Malley said.
“Leaving the GAA a few years prior to leaving Ireland to concentrate on hockey, I had no thoughts of playing in Amsterdam but there really is no escaping the Irish. Having really struggled for the first few months over here, getting involved in the GAC was huge for me on the social side and I quickly embraced all aspects of the club.
“Training every week is a brilliant outlet and the intensity has increased hugely as numbers have swelled. While hockey remains my priority out here and the reason I moved out, the GAA has been a huge factor in me staying beyond the end of my studies last summer.
“They say ‘distance makes the heart grow fonder’ and I’d definitely say that sums up my enjoyment of the game since I’ve returned to it in Amsterdam.”
Former Westmeath footballer and hurler David Gavin echoed those sentiments: “The GAA team in Amsterdam has become a family for me since emigrating in January of this year. It encompasses the great values of our association: community, good will and a grá for the game which sometimes is not as evident in different environments. So to travel to Ireland to show off what we have been working hard at all year is a real honour for us all and our families will be delighted to see we’ve carried the values of the GAA far past all our hometowns.”
Amsterdam Gaelic Athletic Club was founded on St. Patrick's Day 2003 and, since then, the club has grown into one of Europe's leading GAA clubs, fielding Gaelic Football, Hurling and Camogie teams.
Their Men's and Ladies teams compete in tournaments throughout Benelux and mainland Europe. The Men's Footballers are the reigning Benelux champions and European 15-a-side champions. They have previously represented Europe in the Leinster Junior Football Championship in 2014, 2015 and 2016.
As recently as last Saturday they got the better of Warsaw in Maastricht to win the Pan European 11-a-side title for the first time.
They will learn who their opponents will be tomorrow night when the Dublin final featuring St. Finians Newcastle and Craobh Chiaráin is scheduled to be played.
Galway’s Colm Brennan hopes the Exiles can do themselves justice when they take to the field at the GAA’s National Development Centre.
“It's a real honour to represent a great club as the first European team to ever play a competitive game on Irish soil,” he remarked. “We hope we can do Amsterdam and European GAA proud.”
Keeping a clean sheet would is the priority for the team’s long-serving goalkeeper Darren Corcoran, also from Westmeath.
“For a European player to play in Ireland is very special and to play on Irish soil in the Leinster champion is something I could only dream about.
“I have literally seen hundreds of lads don the Amsterdam GAC colours over the last 12 years and with myself almost touching 40, who knows how much longer I can jump around like an eejit in the nets.
“But as seen as I am here in this position and playing in Ireland, the dream now is to keep a clean sheet in Dublin and for the GAC to progress to the next round. Amsterdam Abú!”
Throw-in this Saturday is timed for 2pm.
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