Match Reports, Rennes GF Tournament

Better late than never, here are the match reports from the Rennes Gaelic Football tournament held on Saturday, 3 October.

For the usual sharp analysis of the Belgium Men's A team performance, please see D. Barrett's blog.

Below are the tournament reports from (1) the Men's B team, courtesy of our own burshting Breton Matti Bertrand, and (2) from the Ladies team, courtesy of the irrepresible Sylvia McCarthy.

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1. Belgium B in Brittany, the report

Once in the train bringing me back to Brussels, all muscles and bones being sour from the shoulders to the feet , it is time to reflect upon the full day of tournament we Belgium B had yesterday in lovely Rennes.

Arriving around the pitch, it was a pleasure for some of those who came to this tournament last year to discover that we would be playing Vannes as a starter, having played for them last year. Good also to see the A’s playing a good first match against the welcoming team. And we were relieved to have the same welcoming team giving us some players, Sébastien, Guillaume and Leo to complete our lines.

So, Vannes. The first minutes were difficult, we were not really organized and some of the players were discovering a new position on the pitch. But we hold the fort with a good spirit of solidarity and aggressiveness in defense. We needed a wakeup call to really engage into the game. Aylward rang the bell, winning the ball in our half and slaloming through the defense which suddenly appeared not as strong as the walls of the old city of Vannes. We simply realized that we were better, that we could not lose this match.

Winning most of the balls with a strong defense, we moved the balls from the full backs to the full forwards with quick-hand passing through every line on the wings, like in the best dreams of Davey Barrett. Beautiful game-play, pleasure for the players and good scoring ratio brought us with a comfortable lead at half time, under the applauses of the whole Brussels delegation along the pitch (always welcome, we wish we had more of this on the next games….).

The second half was the replica of the first: difficult start but good pressure on the Vannes forwards, which tried to save what was possible to be saved; our keeper Willie prevented them from being too hopeful. Then the quick-hands game play of the first half proved again successful and many of us scored a good amount of points and goals. I do not remember now the name of the scorers, I do not think it is important. The key thing is that all our moves were really collective, many players touching the ball before kicking it over the bar or in the net. What I remember now is the smiles upon our faces at the end of the game, this incredible sensation of victory and pleasure we felt all together. Wings were growing on our backs; we were confident we could do much more but only playing the usual two group-matches; we strongly believed we could win the next game and qualify for the semi-final.

One hour and half later, we had to face the reality… The 2nd opponent of the day, Jersey had crushed us and overruled us. Our defense was disorganized by the fact that their best forwards were their speedy and skilled full backs, our midfield was dominated by their fit and strong midfielders and our forwards barely touched the ball because we forgot our quick-hand passing game-play… kicking long passes to relieved the defense proved unsuccessful since the ball was directly coming back at full speed thanks to their fast backs or their powerful midfielders… lack of fitness and lack of fighting spirit… A disaster…

We were morally and physically affected, a bit disunited and disillusioned… 2 good news made us felt better: the A team qualifying for the final thanks to an intense match against Luxembourg and us being eventually qualified for the semi-final of the shield as “best second team”. The latter good news had a drawback: we were playing Jersey again in the semi-final…

Before the semi-final, most of us participated in a “match-for-nothing” against Paris. We were happy to play in order to have the A’s rest, but I have to admit this tough game was hard for the bodies… lack of fitness and lack of players are not the best combination for tournaments.

So, Jersey again.

We started the game with the wrong spirit; the earlier disaster was too present in our minds. However, little-by-little, our collective and individual pride told us “you cannot give up so easily; you cannot do worse than the first game!” We were tired, but we did not want to be shameful of ourselves. The fighting spirit came back, the defense was more aggressive, more balls were won in the midfield and we managed from time to time to move the ball with quick-hands lines by lines. We did not manage to score much than in the first match against Jersey because we made mistakes in the last or before last pass and were unlucky with the shooting; but we were not spectators any more, we were fighting for every ball and had our heads up again. When the referee whistled the end of the game, we felt better than at the start of the semi-final; Jersey was certainly better than us (and won the Shield in the end), but we tried to challenge them. Above all, we managed to challenge ourselves and to call on our pride.

Legs, knees and bodies were painful when Liffré asked if we wanted to play the game for the 3rd place. Despite our fatigue, we decided to accept, since it was a good occasion to play and win another game. And we rarely have the occasion to play 5 games in a tournament! When you travel 700 kilometers for a tournament, you do not refuse 20 minutes of extra game!

The spirit was there, but the reality was different. The neighboring Liffré and its good number of players were much more fit than the remaining 10 of us that had played the whole tournament without substitutes. And honestly, Liffré was really strong. We barely saw the ball, they scored a huge number of points and goal, and the few good moves we played could not do much harm to them.

How should I conclude? On a negative note, taking into account that we played 4 games and won only one, with some unacceptable mistakes and moments of discouragement? Or shall I be positive and put the emphasis on the good game-play we demonstrated against Vannes, the smiles upon our faces after our victory, the progress made by this Belgium B-team since its beginning in March?

I leave the choice to you, but I think there is more positive than negative to be kept from this tournament for us. I will do my best to have the possibility to feel again in Maastricht this incredible sensation of victory and pleasure we discovered against Vannes. See you at training!

Please excuse my English. I hope you enjoyed your stay in Rennes… especially because I was not involved in accommodation booking…

Breton-ly yours,

Matti

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2. Knees, backs and other body parts - an anatomy of Rennes

Seasons may change.

But the fact of the matter.

Belgium ladies rock

S.D. 2009

Belgium Ladies descended on Rennes in the first weekend of October like a plague of coughing, limping, sore locusts. They came by car and train from the east, directly out of Belgium, some soaring high to Amiens, Le Havre and the French wilderness; others swooping low into the banlieues and traffic jams of Paris on a Friday evening. They came from the north-west, those dedicated to the future of the European Union and the Lisbon Treaty, flying ominously into various French airports to continue the attack on the other teams vying for points and positions on the European Championship scoresheet.

Health-wise, things were looking dismal from the beginning. In your correspondent’s car alone, Clare “Hips of Steel” Brennan, our tenacious goalkeeper, was the sole driver, accompanied by Jane “Put my foot in it” Brennan, Ana “On my single leg” Rios and me, Sylvia “Wheezy” McCarthy. We fought early challenges placed along the route: traffic and an unforeseen lack of petrol, even though our blood ran cold at the realisation that no public toilets were available between Fougères and Rennes. This is only one side of the story – there are numerous other epic tales that will go down in the legends of Belgium GAA tournament journeys.

After a night’s sleep that just wasn’t long enough (who wouldn’t find 5 hours in bed before a tournament hard to stomach?), we assembled at the tournament grounds.

Our first match has long been a problematic one (harking back to Den Haag, when we lost Mide “Lump in her throat” Ni Shúilleabháin to an attack of the parsley), and it is always difficult to tread that fine line between hot-headedness and a cold sweat as we listen to the opposing team begin their patriotic cheer. With sub-coaches Foot Brennan and Leg Rios on the sideline, Coach W called for us to go for the jugular of the Paris team, but to no avail: we narrowly lost the first match, despite some fierce running from Laura “Pain in the Arse” Whiskerd and the “Blood is thicker than water” Ni Shúilleabháins. Our ladies made valiant attempts to share the wealth of injuries, with Steel Hips Brennan clanging into Paris’ No. 9 and forcing her to leave the pitch for the rest of the half due to undiagnosed concussion. Karen “Knees Up” McHugh made a similar heroic tackle on a charging Eileen Jennings, but found herself lying in a mangled heap on the ground.

The next match, against host team Rennes, was another fast-paced affair, in which we were glad of the extra subs ready on the sideline. Joining Barbara “Bulls Eye” Wynne in the forward line was Mary “the B stands for Breakages” Walsh, Amy “Lion-Hearted” Dent and Rosine “Blood-Curdler” Bacon (I’m a back, so I’m a little hazy on what it is that forwards do, but it looked good). Falling into the zone of blood, sweat and tears (also known as the back line), to relieve Steph “Ankle-biter” Dunn and Wheezy McCarthy, were Emily “I’ll be Back” O Reilly and Clare “A is for Apples, B is for Back Off” Appleby. Coach W was down to just one back-up coach at this point, missing Foot Brennan, gone in an ambulance to the hospital with Emmet Devine, who was brought down in the Belgium lads’ match against Rennes. We came into this game with a degree of complacency, but were brought swiftly down to earth again by Rennes, who proved that time and space can contribute a lot to the formation and development of a team. It is one of the things we must remember when we go to Maastricht on 31 October – we are the only team who have attended every single tournament this year. While this means that we are undoubtedly European Champions, it may also contribute to a jaded, lackadaisical attitude when we get to the final tournament of the year – to be faced by our challengers from Holland, Munich and Paris. It would be an immense pity not to bring our A game to Maastricht, to redeem ourselves from last year’s beating in the final. Imagine the silverware!!!

Anyway, back to the tournament at hand. We won our group game against Rennes, who were also beaten by Paris. We had a few hours to burn before the final, so were able to enjoy our lunches and cookies and to scream on top of our lungs for back-to-back games played by the lads A and B teams in the surprisingly warm October sunshine. Bearing in mind the similar time gap last year, we were wary of getting too relaxed, but the thought of Paris and Coach W (temporarily installed as goalkeeper for Belgium B) breathing down our necks stopped us from getting too comfortable. There was no time to get butterflies in our stomachs, no time to twiddle our thumbs and definitely no time to bit our lips – we had to get straight into the game. The battle was down to the wire between Belgium and Paris, with formidable goals coming from the Belgium forwards. Our hearts were in our mouths when Captain Mide was taken down, but she arose to fight on. There was much weeping and gnashing of teeth when Wheezy McCarthy got caught knee deep in a hole and had to go off crying (much to her chagrin), only to be definitely and impressively replaced by Back Off Appleby. The highlight of this game was the penalty deftly taken and placed in the back of the Paris net by none other than “Pain in the Arse” Whiskerd. Our lads defended our honour to all and sundry, and to them we raised our glasses of cider (they are all we have after all) when we finally trooped off the pitch, the tired and triumphant winners of the Rennes 2009 tournament.

I could end it here, but that would be doing an injustice to the rest of our achievements. We set a great example by remaining in the gathering dusk to watch the A boys’ final (in which they lost to Paris) and the B boys’ 3/4th place playoff. We scrubbed up nicely and roamed around the streets of Rennes en masse for the evening. A final word is for Christine “Not without the Cup” O Gorman, who proved, in her first tournament, her capacity to be a terrier on the pitch and a fine Keeper of the Cup off the pitch.

And so ends the tale of Rennes for another year. Some say they were healed there. Others barely survived the journey home. Now we look to Maastricht.

London Calling - The Exiles Cup

On Saturday 10 October, Belgium GAA was honoured to host two of the GAA's leading lights, London clubs Tir Chonaill Gaels and Tara GFC.



The visiting teams arrived by Eurostar on Saturday morning, primed for battle despite the inclement conditions.

The premise of the day's games was to pitch the current mens European Gaelic Football champions, Belgium GAA, against the current UK holders, Tir Chonaill Gaels, in a game named the "Exiles Cup" in honour of the many thousands of Irish sportsmen and women who keep the flame of our unique sports burning across the globe.

In what became an exciting double-bill, the ladies of Tara Gaels also travelled from London to take on the mighty Belgium ladies, who recently retained their European crown.

The games took place at our own theatre of dreams, the Stade Militaire in Brussels' Parc Cinquantenaire. Despite the soggy conditions, the crowds who braved the elements were treated to a feast of football.

In the end, the honours were shared as Belgium beat Tir Chonaill by a solitary point while Tara overcame the BGAA ladies, having weathered a fierce comeback in the closing minutes.

Presentations and speeches took place at the Old Oak, and all were in agreement that the ties established between our clubs will lead to many future games and meetings. Sincere and heartfelt thanks from our side to everyone in Tir Chonaill Gaels and Tara GFC who worked so hard to make the event a success, and we hope to see you back again in the near future.

Saturday October 10: Triple-Bill of Games at Parc Cinquantenaire!

(Ed's note; due to unexpected developments Setanta will not be flying to Brussels for the tournament)

Saturday October 10: Double-Bill of Games at Parc Cinquantenaire!
* 12.15 - Football: Belgium Men Vs Tir Chonaill Gaels (London)
* 13.15 - Football: Belgium Women Vs Tara GFC (London)


Games will be 11-a-side, 25 minutes a half. Please come out in droves, and tell your friends, colleagues and acquaintances to come along for what will be a great day out. And get there early! - the Irish Ambassador Brian Nason will be throwing in the ball at 13.00.

We hope you will all swing by the Old Oak (22 Rue Franklin, Metro: Schuman) for the speeches and presentations which will take place after dinner, around 19.30 or so. -

Near Miss for All-Ireland Glory!

(Ed's note: the Belgian Ladies Footballers formed the majority contingent of the European team competing in the Ladies All-Ireland Sevens Chamionship.)

The sun shone valiantly down on the pitches of Naomh Mearnog GAA club in Portmarnock, on the last Saturday of September. It is hard to tell if it was the faint heat emanating from this sun that warmed the faces of the 50+ teams scattered throughout the GAA complex, or the blood, sweat and tears that are part and parcel of any sporting tournament, not least the All-Ireland Ladies Football Sevens.

For most players, the day alone was pressure enough, but for one little band of warriors, dressed in their blue starred kit, the journey to Portmarnock was an Odyssey of sorts. The Belgian ladies (Barbara, Caoimhe, Grainne, Mide and Sylvia) struggled through delayed Ryanair flights from Charleroi and strikes by the handlers of bags in Zaventum; Ange and Vanessa took the scenic route to the Sevens, stopping off in Copenhagen for a few months en route; their Danish team-mate, Annika, is half-Corkonian, so she has already battled and won against adversity in life; Silvia, from Barcelona via Munich, travels 200km every week just to train; and Monica, who travels everywhere in Europe it seems, for the love of the sport. In Dublin, Team Europe was joined by Belgium GAA friends, Orla and Deirdre (with a significantly shorter distance to travel, but no less appreciated), and Maria Brosnan, defender of democracy and aggressor of full-back lines everywhere, striking fear in the hearts of goal-keepers and No campaigners alike. On the sideline, Tony Bass, in a non-refereeing role, and his son Conor, prepared for a managerial day, while keeping an eye on those suspected of potential jersey-pilferage. They know who they are.

And so, under the flag of Europe, united in their diversity, the ladies took to the pitches. Europe A faced a challenge in the pitch itself, unique in its dramatic gradient, which called to mind a snowless ski-slope more than anything else. But they did not let this affect them, with such attackers as Mide, Cuba and Grainne sprinting up and down the hill in a mountain goat-like manner. Others, your correspondent included, preferred the tried-and-tested tactic of hoofing the ball into the forward line, where Barbara and Maria were well-placed to pop it over or under the bar. Lacking in substitutes (essential in a Sevens tournament) for the first couple of matches, due to Europe B playing on a far-distant pitch, the goalkeeping position, shared between Orla, Deirdre and Mide, served as a substitute bench. Facing teams from Wicklow, Tipperary and Offaly, Europe A started off on a high note – winning, then drawing, then losing a match, before collapsing on the grass for a well-earned break.

Europe B were under as much pressure, if not more, due to the fact that for two matches they were playing with only six constant players, borrowing a goalkeeper from another team. Europe A joined in as much as possible, but clashing matches meant that the A ladies were either absent or exhausted on the pitch. Nonetheless, with the dynamic Aussie duo, the Barcelona beauties and the Danish demoiselle, and with Orla and Deirdre legging it between pitches, they acquitted themselves with aplomb against teams from Kildare, Cavan, Wexford and Cork. They finished their last match in time to join Europe A in their final match of the day.

All concerned knew that this was as far as it could go – there was no getting out of the group. The most they could do was to mess it all up for the last team from Tyrone. There should be no hard and fast route to the top, and if Strabane Sigersons were going to go on into the semi-final and possibly the final, Europe was not going to make it easy for them. From the first to the last blow of the whistle, Europe were on top of every ball, kicking points from impossible angles, blocking balls destined to be buried in the back of the net, stealing passes and generally running Sigersons into the ground. It was no longer Europe A/B, it was Europe, as everyone pitched in to bring the team to victory by a single point, a similar win to that of Cork over Dublin the following day in the All-Ireland Ladies Football final. Victory is at its best in steps, every achievement bringing a team or an individual closer to greatness. Maybe next year we can take another leap forward.

Belgium GAA hurlers issue reply to Kilkenny's 4 in a row

The Grand Slam plus one - Five in a Row - European Hurling Champions! Belgium hurlers travelled to Den Haag for the final tournament of the European Hurling year on Saturday to line out against a depleted Den Haag side. For numerous reasons Lux, Zurich and Paris all failed to travel. With the championship already won there was only pride and enjoyment to play for and the two sides set about doing just that. The format for the day was three 20-minute periods and while Belgium comfortably rotated players throughout the game the beleaguered Den Haag squad all played the full 60 minutes.
The contest was never in question as Belgium won five out of five tournaments on the year and sixth in a row extending back to the 2008 season. There were a number of remarkable plays on the day including Davy trying for a point from his own end line, Aidan going on his only run of the year and realising why it's better to take his points, a great dispay of catching and ruthlessness from the recently returned prodigal son, Fergal Mythen along with Eoin Sheanon and Daire Cott. Michael Hough made an impression playing as a back which may be a sign that the apocalypse is upon us. Dan Kellehar made his debut for Belgium GAA and promises great things for next season. Phil R. and Kevin K. used their speed, stamina and skill to thwart DH's skilled players time after time; Jarrett continued to make a case for combining ice hockey and hurling into a single sport, Conor Aylward was in heavy rotation by strategic master Martin Crowley for his breadth of skills. Declan didn't make it as he's still waiting for his baby to arrive despite plying the lovely Olga with curries, steaks and all manner of inducements; and Crusher provided continual support and insight from the sidelines. Like every tournament it was a team victory and the Saturday night celebrations made that clear.

From Chairman Mao to Deity Gill

Belgium GAA's own Olof was back with his own kind over the weekend as Clare Island entered the ferocious All-Island football tournament. The Clare Islanders, who had previously faced stiff competition in Belgium, were one of eight islands from Donegal to Cork who were prepared to battle for glory against some of their most hated rivals. Details of the weekend tournament are difficult to come by and few attempts have been made to communicate as it is assumed that legendary levels of intoxication will have rendered almost everyone involved completely incoherent. What is know is that both the men's and ladies' squads of Clare Island returned home victorious and Belgium GAA salutes them both!

Belgium Ladies retain European Crown

(Editor's note: before we give the floor to the epic tournament report, Belgium GAA is pleased to report that our Ladies football team retained their European Championship in style in Copenhagen on 29 August. Following hot on the heels of our hurlers, this is the club's second silverware of the year. Well done, ladies!)

A report on the Copenhagen Tournament. All fact, no fiction.

Conflict in Copenhagen: Alarms, Alcohol and a bit of football

Perspicacious observers saw the danger lurking in the wings. The Beatles, they said, the boot thrown at Beckham. Maradona, the Supremes, Simon and Garfunkel... Yes indeed, all too often success can sow the seeds of its own destruction, the warm bonds of friendship fissure into the chasms of bitter rivalry, intoxicants and stimulants stain the purity of sporting promise.

And so it looked to be for Belgium GAA, travelling to Copenhagen in the hope of fixing their names in the annals of sporting record.

From the very outset the cracks began to show. While a spokesperson for the team maintains that the travelling arrangements on the Friday - with the squad splitting into two very distinct 'morning' and 'evening' contingents - were necessitated by "practical concerns", eye-witnesses tell a different story, as the activities of the two groups took on very distinct aspects, suggesting an ideological as well as a practical divide.

Strolling the city, soaking up the sites, catching a bit of the ballet: the young ladies who arrived early in the Danish capital were fitting ambassadors not only for the Belgium club but for ladies football as a whole and epitomised the balance between refinement and ambition that has come to characterise Belgium Ladies in their voyages across the continent. What to make then of what can only be called the carry-on of those arriving late that evening?

Laura 'sad eyes' Whiskerd, who is making quite a habit of mid-air imbibition, showed her version of culture and refinement by choosing a Danish beverage over a domestic brew. An unidentified squad member - suspected to be the same individual who was last seen storming the stage in a Munich beerhall - appeared to have difficulty in articulating when ordering legal intoxicants from a bemused cabin-crew member. The same was observed of a third squad member, who in a typically classy fashion emerged from the plane clutching a can of Belgian Trappist beer, but as this player is incomprehensible at the best of times (she speaks ever so fast) no clear conclusions can be drawn from this particular observation.

And then, of course, there was the further split in the heretofore united front as several squad members chose to spend time with offspring and dear ones rather than with team-mates. One in particular, who shall remain nameless (though her surname, when pronounced by an Irish person, sounds like something one might enjoy with eggs or as part of a fried breakfast), was heard to cry: "Au revoir, losers" as she slunk away into Friday's Copenhagen twilight.

In hindsight, however, it is clear that these aforementioned individuals made the wise choice. The Belgium Ladies were awoken at a very unsociable hour by possibly the most unalarming fire alarm known to humankind. Certain players had already been terrorised throughout the night by strange and unmentionable activity outside their door and were thus imprisoned in their room. Luckily, a scientific investigation by the squad's newest recruit (who is sadly afflicted by dog-calling limitations) - which consisted of her putting her hand on the wall for a second and concluding that it wasn't hot, and after all no-one could see any smoke - reassured her colleagues and everyone went straight back to sleep.

Furthermore, the unity of Belgium Ladies faced its severest challenge yet when late Friday evening a bitter and vindictive dispute erupted between two squad members, who happen to be closely related. The hours of darkness brought no resolution and on the way to the sporting grounds on the morning of the tournament the hostilities re-ignited, necessitating the intervention of an aspiring politician from Kerry - herself always an example of reserve and moderation - to smooth things over. Nonetheless, insider reports suggest that under the now seemingly calm waters resentment still bubbles and consequently the publication of the much anticipated "Beauty, Bandanas and Baking" book (publisher: Éditions McCarthy) has been postponed indefinitely.

And so it was that when stalwart of the team, Barbara Wynne, found herself incapacitated at an early stage in the footballing proceedings on Saturday she considered herself well out of it. "I'm well out of it", Winner Wynne declared to a reporter from the Irish Daily Mail. "They're some shower anyway." (In spite of this hostility, the 'shower' wish Ms. Wynne a speedy recovery.)

The weather forecast had been for inclement weather but as the sun shone boldly in a blue and white sky the only dark clouds to be seen were those hanging over the head of Belgium's esteemed trainer, Coach W. Already struck down by a mysterious flu-like virus, Coach W's mood was not improved with the fact that the squad members seemed more interested in playing with babies than with a football. Quotes from Coach W cannot be reproduced here, as the language used is unprintable, but doubtless his demeanour was not improved by the fact that two of the players, 'Sad Eye' Whiskerd and 'Sexy Dance' Rios refused to leave the field of play at any stage, in spite of debilitating muscle and nerve conditions. "I eh love the Gaelic", Ms Rios explained. "Ana, I may need a bum massage", Ms Whiskerd responded.

Luckily for Coach W, one of the more selfless players stepped up to compensate for Whiskerd and Rios's insistence on remaining on the pitch for the whole day. Stephanie 'Sin Bin' Dunn, noticing that - as usual - the Belgian players were crowding themselves out decided to create some much need space by getting herself sent off for ten minutes. It appears that Sin Bin Dunn sacrificed herself for the sake of her captain. "She wouldn't have won an award otherwise", Sin Bin explained at the reception that evening, "By getting sent off I created the need for her to cover back and thus get herself noticed by the officials. It was all carefully calculated." The team and management are duly grateful to Ms. Dunn for her selfless act.

The drama that abounded threatened to cast a shadow on the footballing ambitions of the team, but Rosine 'Copenhagen - it's nice but one can get enough of it' Bacon led by example for a Belgium Development team that played with determination and flair throughout the day. Unlucky not to get the better of eventual finalists Holland, the move of MP 'thou shall not pass' Napoleone to the backs and the addition of the experience of Alex Martin added a new intensity to the Belgium play. As key players such as Jess 'no, I haven't been on a sunbed' Flynn and Clare 'Flexi Ticket' Appleby began to find their rhythm, others such as Dominique 'call me Dymphna' Sanders began to grow in confidence. Belgium Ladies Development team finished fourth in the tournament, and is currently fifth in the overall standings on 54 points, not far behind Paris and Holland, both on 77 points.

The championship team, hearts warmed by the innocent smiles of baby Darragh, decided to put their differences behind them and played like European champions. Anchored, as always, by the reliable shot stopping and excellent vision and kick-outs of Midleton native Clare Brennan, the players shook off the cobwebs of the holidays and - not without overcoming some tough challenges from the very strong opposition - once again ended the day victorious. The tireless defending by Butterfly McCarthy and 'I prefer cats anyway' Ní Fhlatharta, the attacking runs of Sin Bin Dunn, the uneasy truce between Cuba and Chimay Ní Shúilleabháin, the scoring ability of Caragh 'Daragh's mother' O'Connor and Maria 'Yes to Lisbon' Brosnan as well as the aforementioned constant presence of the seemingly indefatigable Sexy Dance and Sad Eyes secured the Copenhagen Cup for Belgium Ladies for the first time.

A veil shall - as always - be drawn over the evening's proceedings, with the aim of safeguarding the reputation of some of the revellers. The dinner and award ceremony passed without incident, thanks in the most part to the intervention of a disgruntled Munich club official - carefully harbouring his resentment for a month - who rugby tackled Butterfly McCarthy to the ground as she edged towards the stage in an effort to grab the microphone from the grasp of the Belgium captain with the intention of giving a prepared discourse entitled: 'Belgium GAA: We're great. Did I mention that Belgium GAA Ladies are great?'.

Belgium Ladies GAA: still together. For now.