Exiles State of Mind: A New York GAA Story

[RMJH4]

Chapter Two – Open Gates

The floodlights at Gaelic Park flickered on long before sunset.

January had given way to a brittle New York cold, the kind that crept through gloves and boots, but it hadn’t stopped the crowd gathering along the railings. Word had travelled fast. Something different was happening.

With the New York GAA inter-club season wrapped up, the selectors already had the spine of a 30-man senior panel in place. Familiar names. Familiar accents. Men who had worn the jersey before.

But this year was different.

For the first time, New York GAA threw the gates open.

Open trials. Open training. Open invitation.

Anyone could try out.

The idea had been quietly gaining traction across American sport. Minor league baseball. Soccer academies. NFL practice squads. Open identification camps were becoming a way to find overlooked athletes. If it worked there, why not here?

As players signed in at the clubhouse, the mix was immediately obvious. Irish lads fresh out of club season. Second-generation Irish-Americans. College athletes. A few curious locals who had only ever seen Gaelic football on YouTube.

Standing near the sideline was John Mara.

He wasn’t there to run anything. He didn’t need to. His presence alone sent the message. With him were a handful of New York Giants players, jackets zipped up against the cold, drawing curious glances from the crowd.

It was, officially, a promotional exercise.

Unofficially, it was something more.

As a goodwill gesture, the Giants players had agreed to take part in two sessions. No matches. No contact. Just skills.

Liam McHale watched everything.

Hands in pockets, eyes scanning, the new manager said little as he oversaw proceedings. Around him were former New York GAA players, trusted men, running drills and explaining fundamentals: soloing, hand-passing, kicking technique, catching on the run.

Then the Giants stepped in.

Eli Manning (QB)
Plaxico Burress (WR)
Jeremy Shockey (TE)
Jeff Feagles (Punter)
Jay Feely (Field Goal Kicker)

There were no helmets. No pads. Just studded boots borrowed from the clubhouse and footballs that felt strange in American hands.

At first.

Feagles and Feely adapted quickly to the kicking drills, their timing and accuracy drawing murmurs of approval. Burress took naturally to the high catch, rising above markers with ease. Shockey attacked every drill like it was fourth-and-goal.

But it was Manning who caught McHale’s attention.

Not for athleticism. Not for pace.

For awareness.

Eli moved where he was needed. He listened. Asked questions. Took instruction. His hand-passing was neat. His kicking uncomplicated but accurate. He read space instinctively, drifting into pockets, offering himself as an outlet.

At one point, during a possession drill, McHale leaned toward one of the selectors.

“Look at him,” he said quietly. “He sees the game.”

No matches were played. No jerseys were handed out. But when the session ended, boots dusty and breath steaming in the cold air, there was a different energy around Gaelic Park.

This wasn’t a gimmick.

It was an opening.

And as the lights clicked off and the players filtered out, Liam McHale already knew one thing:

New York GAA had just stepped into unfamiliar territory.

And it suited them.

[RMJH4]

Chapter Three – “Can We Keep These Guys Longer?”

The second session began the way the first had ended.

Careful. Controlled. Curious.

Liam McHale kept it simple early on. Skills first. Always skills. The fundamentals told you more than any fitness test ever could.

Players were split into small groups across the pitch. Soloing at pace. Hand-passing under pressure. Catch-and-release drills. Kicking points from the hand, twenty-five metres out, then thirty, then wider angles.

The Americans listened.

They didn’t joke. They didn’t drift. They watched the demonstrations and copied exactly what they saw. When corrections came, they nodded and went again.

The first sign that something unusual was happening came during the possession games.

Three-touch. Then two-touch. Then one-touch.

What had been tidy quickly became sharp. The NFL players moved naturally into space, offering angles, dragging markers, keeping the ball alive. Their catching was clean, their fist-passing instinctive. When contact was introduced, there was no hesitation.

They welcomed it.

“Are you sure?” one of the selectors asked quietly as the rules were explained.

Shockey grinned. “We’ll be fine.”

The small-sided games followed.

Four v four. Then five v five. Short bursts. High tempo. McHale watched closely now, arms folded, eyes fixed.

Eli Manning rarely held onto the ball for more than a second. He took it, moved it, and moved again. He called space without shouting, pointing, guiding runners into channels. He wasn’t the fastest man on the pitch, but he always seemed to arrive at the right moment.

Plaxico Burress was impossible to ignore.

Every high ball was his. He timed his leaps perfectly, cushioning the catch, laying the ball off with a soft fist pass before contact could arrive. When he turned, defenders bounced off him. Not aggressively. Just… inevitably.

Jeremy Shockey played like the game owed him something.

He hunted the ball. Smashed through tackles. Took hits and got back up laughing. He contested everything, threw himself into contact, and drove through space with a kind of reckless joy that drew approving nods from the older New York lads watching on. They all used the one hop or one bounce and released the ball, they held back from attempting to solo kick, but it didn't seem to matter.

The kicking was raw. That much was obvious.

Manning’s points dropped short more often than not. Burress pulled a couple wide. Shockey scuffed one badly and cursed at himself.

But McHale didn’t flinch.

Kicking could be coached.

Movement couldn’t.

The next phase raised eyebrows.

Seven v seven.

Across the width of the pitch.

This was where it usually broke converts. The running. The repeat efforts. The constant transition.

The NFL lads asked one question.

“Contact still okay lads?”

When the whistle went, it stopped being a novelty.

Manning, Burress and Shockey dominated.

They controlled possession. Won turnovers. Dictated tempo. New York regulars—men who had played club in the city championship for years—were forced to raise their levels just to stay involved.

Not everyone held up.

Jeff Feagles and Jay Feely faded quickly. Their kicking was excellent, but the pace told. After twenty minutes, hands were on hips. After thirty, they stepped out, laughing, applauding the others as they continued.

No judgement. Just reality.

When the final whistle blew, players bent double, breath fogging the cold air. There was laughter, disbelief, and more than a few glances toward McHale.

He didn’t smile.

He walked straight toward John Mara.

They stood near the sideline, away from the others. The Bronx skyline loomed beyond the stands.

“John,” McHale said, nodding back toward the pitch, “can we talk?”

Mara followed his gaze.

“They’re impressive,” McHale continued. “Very impressive.”

Mara raised an eyebrow. “That obvious?”

McHale didn’t hesitate.

“Do you think,” he asked carefully, “we could get these guys to train with the panel? Even for a while?”

Mara folded his arms.

“I don’t know how the NFL contract side of it would work,” McHale admitted. “Insurance, restrictions, all of that. But from a football point of view? There’s something there. Big something.”

Mara watched Manning laugh with a group of New York players. Saw Burress field another ball out of habit. Shockey shadowboxing with a grin.

“No harm in asking,” Mara said finally.

McHale nodded.

“That’s all I’m saying.”

As the players drifted off the pitch and the lights dimmed again, the question lingered in the cold night air.

Could New York GAA keep them longer?

And more importantly…

What would happen if they did?

[RMJH4]

Mayo legend Ciaran McDonald to line out for New York GAA in shock championship return

By GAA Correspondent

Mayo legend Ciaran McDonald is set for a sensational return to inter-county football this season after agreeing to line out for New York GAA, just months after bringing the curtain down on a distinguished career with the Green and Red.

McDonald, who retired from inter-county football at the end of the 2006 season, has been convinced to lace up the boots for one more championship campaign following a move to New York. The 2001 All-Star forward will now spearhead a bold new era for the Exiles as they look to make a serious impact on the Connacht Championship.

The move comes at the personal request of new New York manager Liam McHale, himself a Mayo icon, who recently took charge amid growing ambition within the county board.

Speaking to the IRTE Sport, sources close to the camp revealed that McHale reached out directly to McDonald after learning he had settled in New York.

“Liam simply asked him if he had one more championship in him,” a source said. “Ciaran didn’t need much convincing once he saw the direction New York GAA was heading.”

McDonald, who will more than likely line out at centre half-forward, brings elite experience, leadership and football intelligence to a New York side already buoyed by increased investment and profile following the involvement of New York Giants owner John Mara, who has strong Mayo roots.

The addition of McDonald is seen as a massive boost both on and off the pitch. Widely regarded as one of Mayo’s most gifted forwards of the modern era, he was a central figure in Mayo’s All-Ireland runs of the early 2000s and remains hugely respected throughout the GAA world.

New York GAA officials believe his presence will not only lift standards within the senior panel but also inspire Irish-American players and underage prospects coming through the system.

“Kids need to see quality to aspire to it,” one board member said. “Having a player like Ciaran McDonald wearing the New York jersey sends a powerful message.”

While McDonald’s return is expected to be limited to the championship window, few are underestimating its significance. With McHale at the helm and renewed belief coursing through Gaelic Park, New York’s annual Connacht outing may no longer be viewed as a formality.

For Ciaran McDonald, it is one last chapter — not in Castlebar or Croke Park — but under the Bronx lights, this time with New York stitched across the chest.

[Captain Canada]

Extremely intriguing idea. I'll definitely follow along and see where this goes.

[djp73]

very intrigued

[RMJH4]

Extremely intriguing idea. I'll definitely follow along and see where this goes.

very intrigued

Glad to see I have caught both of your attention!! Two of the top chisers! Stay tuned. I hope this lasts a few games. Championship is single elimination!

[RMJH4]

Chapter Four – Season Objectives.

The excitement around Gaelic Park was real now, but Liam McHale was quick to ground it in reality.

Hope was one thing. Structure was another.

At the first full panel meeting of the season, McHale stood at the front of the room with a whiteboard behind him. No hype. No speeches. Just facts.

“Before we talk about players, positions, or style,” he said, “we need to understand what this season actually looks like.”

He tapped the board.

Single elimination.

One game.

Lose it, and you’re done in Connacht for the year.

But it's not all bad news. The two heavy provincial favourites have been drawn together. Galway and Mayo. Both teams with All Ireland title aspirations, on the same side of the draw, away from us. Sligo and Roscommon are minnows, stronger than us, but much easier than the two heavyweights.

For New York, there were no provincial warm-ups, no league form to fall back on, no margin for error. One afternoon could define the entire summer.

But McHale kept going.

“Losing Connacht doesn’t end your season,” he said. “It just changes it.”

If New York were beaten in Connacht, they would drop into the All-Ireland Qualifiers — the back door. A second chance, but a brutal one.

Three rounds.

Single elimination.

Win three in a row, and you were in an All-Ireland quarter-final.

Lose once, and your season was over.

No safety net.

No second chances this time.

A few weeks after the qualifiers came the final competition on New York’s calendar: the Tommy Murphy Cup.

McHale explained it plainly.

“It’s the B championship,” he said. “But don’t underestimate it.”

The Tommy Murphy Cup was only open to counties competing in Division 2 of the National Football League, Kilkenny and us. For New York, it represented silverware, respect, and something tangible to show for the season — especially for a panel blending experience, newcomers, and American-born players.

With the competitive landscape laid out, McHale circled back to the biggest problem of all.

Preparation.

New York had no league campaign. No natural run of games. No chance to ease into form.

“If we show up cold,” he warned, “we’ll be gone before we’ve even started.”

The solution was clear.

Challenge games.

First, close to home.

Boston GAA. Toronto GAA.

Familiar opponents. Physical. Competitive. Matches that would test conditioning and cohesion without the travel strain of crossing the Atlantic.

Then came the bigger idea.

Ireland.

McHale wanted New York tested properly — against teams who played at tempo every week.

Division 2 counties, Antrim had been in touch, Louth showed interest too. They were the weaker counties in Ulster and Leinster but it didn't matter.

Nothing glamorous about them, but also nothing easy.

“Those are the teams we need,” he told the board. “They’re honest, organised, and battle-hardened.”

Two games in Ireland. Short, sharp, purposeful. Enough to harden the panel before championship football arrived.

By the time the meeting ended, the objectives were clear.

Prepare properly.

Compete seriously.

And prove that New York were no longer just a novelty act in Connacht.

This season wasn’t about showing up.

It was about competing.

Three games minimum guaranteed. Lets see can we add to it.

[ShireNiner]

Is the Tommy Murphy Cup like the FA cup then?

[RMJH4]

Is the Tommy Murphy Cup like the FA cup then?

No, its like a 'B' All Ireland.

The main overall comp is the All Ireland Title or Sam Maguire Cup. This is the Premier competition - Like an 'A' All Ireland. Everyone from every division starts off in that.
There are 4 provinces in Ireland (Like States), each one has their own provincial championship:

Ulster - 9 Teams
Leinster - 11 Teams
Munster - 6 Teams
Connacht - 7 Teams.

The winners of those 4 go straight into the All Ireland (Sam Maguire) Quarter Finals.
The runner ups go into Round 3 of the backdoor system - All Ireland Qualifiers.
Any other team knocked out of the provinces early gets one more shot in those qualifiers aswell, Round 1 and Round 2 - open draw - so you could play teams from anywhere in the country.
If you get past Round 3 you go into the All Ireland (Sam Maguire) Quarter Finals to face one of the 4 provincial winners. You may end up playing a team you already have in your province.

The Tommy Maguire Cup starts before the All Ireland Title is over. Its like a 'B' All Ireland. Normally any Divison 2 League teams have been knocked out of the main competition and compete in this B - All Ireland. It is also single elimination and numbers depends yearly on who enters it. Anyone who has advanced very far in the All Ireland Championship generally won't enter, but there is no rule to say they can't.

While we have a National Football League, teams don't really put much credence into that. Teams use this to figure out their best lineups for the championship season.

It has 4 divisons, 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B. 8 counties in each. They play once, and top two in 1A and 1B play in semi finals, and then finals to get a winner. Same in 2A and 2B.

Relegation and Promotion occurs in these divisons. The only real reason to push for promotion is to have 7 higher quality games against good opposition to prepare better for the championship season.

New York only play in the Championship Knockout comps because of the travel distance. London also compete but because they are closer they play in the leagues too. But they have a similar record to New York in that they have only ever won one championship game, despite gettin extra games in the league!

Very complicated system, and has changed so much over the years, in the last 4 years it has changed yet again to 4 groups of 4 in the All Ireland stage.

[RMJH4]

New York GAA name championship panel as Giants trio cleared to play.

New York GAA have officially announced their 30-man panel for the 2007 Connacht Senior Football Championship, with excitement building around the inclusion of three high-profile New York Giants players who have been cleared to participate by GAA Headquarters.

Quarterback Eli Manning, wide receiver Plaxico Burress and tight end Jeremy Shockey have all been given the green light to line out for the Exiles after confirmation from Croke Park that their involvement does not breach the Association’s amateur rules.

While all three are full-time professional athletes in the NFL, the GAA has ruled that they are amateur Gaelic footballers, as they receive no payment or contractual benefit for playing the Irish game. New York GAA officials reiterated their commitment to upholding the amateur ethos of the Association.

“We sought absolute clarity from GAA Headquarters,” a New York board spokesperson said. “The ruling is clear: these players are amateurs in the context of Gaelic games, and New York GAA will fully uphold the values and traditions of the Association.”

The Giants trio are named alongside an experienced and well-balanced panel selected by new manager Liam McHale, who has blended established New York stalwarts with returning inter-county quality and emerging American-born talent.

Former Mayo star Ciaran MacDonald headlines the forward line, while the defensive unit features seasoned campaigners such as Chris Green, Anthony Glackin and Derek Riney. Midfield options include power and athleticism, with Shockey expected to be used as a dynamic presence in the engine room.

McHale stressed that no player would be selected on reputation alone.

“They’ve earned their place,” McHale said. “They trained, they listened, and they brought standards with them. But this panel is about New York GAA first and foremost.”

New York will open their championship campaign against Sligo in the first round of the Connacht Senior Football Championship, knowing defeat would send them into the All-Ireland Qualifiers.

To prepare, a comprehensive programme of challenge games has been lined up. Stateside, the Exiles will face Boston GAA and Toronto GAA at Gaelic Park, before travelling to Ireland to take on Antrim and Louth at Casement Park, Belfast.

With increased investment, high-profile backing, and one of the most intriguing panels ever assembled by the Exiles, New York GAA enter the 2007 season with renewed belief that they can compete — and be taken seriously — on the national stage.