All Eyes On Boston

The Town Gears Up For This Weekend's Interprovincial Final

By Denis O'Brien

This weekend promises to be a fantastic spectacle for the follower of Gaelic Games in North America as Boston GAA and the Irish Cultural Center at Canton get ready to host the first ever Interprovincial Football Final on American soil on Sunday.

Hurling, Ireland's national treasure, will also have the spotlight as fans eager to see the outcome of the long awaited Ulster Hurling Final will wait no more as New York and Co. Antrim get set to do battle in what has the makings of an epic encounter.

To truly make it a Gaelic Games festival, Saturday sees the Tommy Murphy holders from the 'Wee' County of Louth play a North American selection, while earlier in the day the lady footballers get their chance to show off their skills when that age old American rivalry of New York and Boston is once again set into motion - this time to a Gaelic games rhythm.

Boston was chosen this year for the Interprovincial Football championship final (formerly the Railway Cup) on the back of its very successful handling of the Hurling Interprovincial last November when Munster beat Leinster in a thriller in front of over 3000 people.

Next Sunday in Boston at 3pm, the province of Leinster returns, this time with their footballers who won out against Ulster 2-13 to 2-10 in the semi final two weeks ago in Ireland. Their opponents in the Martin Donnelly sponsored Interprovincial final will be the men from the west of Ireland and the province of Connacht who had accounted for Munster in the other semi final in a hectic overtime 1-15 to 2-10 win. Boston GAA officials are happy that everything is in readiness for the big weekend. Chairman Bernie Connaughton is particularly pleased with the preparations, "the field at Canton is looking very well and everything is in great shape."

The chairman said extra seating facilities in the form of small stands units have been brought in to cater for the large crowd expected from all over the eastern part of the country and across America. "We hope to attract a crowd in the region of 5000 this year and at the moment we are keeping our fingers crossed about the weather but for the moment we are looking good."

Mr. Connaughton praised the work of the organizing committee headed by former Boston chairman, John McDevitt who, along with volunteers from the various Boston clubs, have worked hard on getting ready for what Connaughton has described as "the biggest weekend in Boston's GAA history."

RTE are set to arrive in New York on Wednesday to talk with New York players about the on-again off-again Ulster Final clash with Antrim and then they move on to Boston on Thursday for the weekend's action. The RTE highlights program will air in Ireland on the following Friday (October 28th). It is also hoped that highlights could be aired sooner for news programs depending on timelines.

A big crowd is expected from New York as there will be a lot of buses from the area heading to Boston for the big weekend and advance sales enquiries for game tickets have been brisk according to the Boston chairman.

There will be dignitaries aplenty for the weekend which will see the first ever gathering of the four GAA provincial council chairmen from Connacht, Leinster, Munster and Ulster. Croke Park officials attending will include GAA boss, Nicky Brennan and Liam Mulvihill, while the entire North American County Board and the New York Board will also be present. An invitation has also been extended to Senator Ted Kennedy, but as yet no firm word has been received as to whether the Massachussetts Senator will be able to attend the weekend's festivities.

There will be a special planting of trees and the dedication of a commemorative bench at the playground area on Saturday at 11.30am for young Sean Farrell who lost his life tragically while on holiday in Ireland last year. Sean's father John is a well respected member of the Boston GAA community and is chairman of senior football champions Aidan McAnespies.

RTE broadcaster Marty Morrissey will lead the RTE TV crew while radio legend Micheal O'Muircheartaigh will feature as MC for the big games and also for the Interprovincial Banquet on Sunday night which will see some 800 of Boston GAA's men and women coming together to enjoy themselves for the night.

Tickets for Saturday's two games will be $10, while for Sunday's hurling and football action tickets will be $20.