The KL Challenge Trophy, Saturday 17th November 2007, Malaysia vs. Singapore vs. Thailand

Following the huge success of the Asian Gaelic Games in June South East Asia's burgeoning Gaelic football community decided that a year would be just too long to wait before taking each other on again. A myriad of half-baked ideas were put forward and argued about over emails and pints in pubs during the summer months but slowly a few plans began to take shape.

Malaysia's goalie/assistant coach, on his regular business trips to Thailand, met up with a few of the Bangkok team and the Irish Embassy kept the lines of communication open with Singapore. A date was set and Malaysia issued the invitation to our two close neighbours to travel for a competition on Saturday 17th November in KL. The venue was the all-weather pitch at ISKL (secured with thanks to the school and Gill Mallon).

Malaysia's GAA team take their name from the bahasa word for people and the Irish word for Ireland - hence Orang Éire. Apparently the sport has ancient roots in KL and as word spread throughout town, some old and some new faces started coming down to training in PJ on Thursday nights and at Padong Merbok on Sunday mornings. Before we knew it, the Orang Éire had a squad of almost 20 players and were playing host to 17 Singaporeans and 6 talented lads from Thailand.

If you've never seen it, Gaelic is an ancestor of Australian Rules football but is played with a round ball and rugby-type goalposts. The ball can be carried in your hands but players must alternatively bounce it or drop it to their feet and kick it back up into their hands every 3 steps. Scores are made by kicking the ball into the net below the crossbar (similar to a soccer goal, worth 3 points), or by kicking the ball over the cross bar (like a rugby conversion - except that you can score from open play - and this is worth 1 point). The ball must be punch-passed or kicked to members of your own team. There is no real tackling but you can use one hand to get the ball off another player.

The Singapore Lions are, by Asian Gaelic standards, a powerhouse of a club. Boasting over 100 members they were always going to be the team to beat. The tournament committee, formed about 5 minutes before the first whistle, conducted a confidential draw which saw Malaysia lining up against the Lions in the opening game. The teams were 11 a side and there were a few nervous stretches before the 16:00 kick-off, but the sun shone down on Ampang and, with Ambassador Hutchinson throwing in the first ball of the day, the game was on.

Singapore opened the scoring with 2 quick points and it looked for a moment like their lightening fast forward line would carry things away. However, Malaysia settled and started winning the ball in the middle of the field and making short, clean passes. The Mallon boys (Liam, Darragh and Ruairí) were instrumental in making breaks into Singapore's half and the home side got a few points back. The playing surface was absolutely superb and the bounce of the ball allowed for some very quick movements. Singapore were first to take advantage of this by pressing up and scoring a goal to make it 1-3 to 0-2, but Malaysia quickly saw the way to play things and with some great finishing by the eagle-eyed Niall Walshe got a goal back and another point to draw level. The game settled down but both sides traded some points and a goal to end the half with Singapore just slightly ahead.

A short half time speech by Captain Danny McBride steeled Malaysia for the second period and things got back underway with some strong defending and running in the midfield. The pressure from the home side began to pay off and, following some stellar saves by new goalie Patrick Erler which drew loud applause from the crowd, Singapore started taking their chances from ever further out, kicking ball after ball wide. Ronan Kelly and Eóin Duggan held firm at the back and fed the ball up to big Dennis Muldowney and John English in the middle of the park. The Lions did manage a third goal and it looked like it might carry them through but Malaysia used some sharp passing movements up the pitch and the skills of the talented (but never-there-for-training) Ian O'Shea and forwards Niall Keating and Johnny Lucey to keep the points coming. Aggressive defending and attacking by the Australian Rules supremeos Manners and Venesy took their toll on the visitors and Malaysia's commitment then paid off with a goal late in the game and a final couple of points to pull ahead. The final whistle went and, in an historic day for Malaysian Gaelic Football, the Orang Éire beat the Singapore Lions by 3-9 to 3-7.

With just a few minutes to catch their breath, Singapore then lined up against the Thailand contingent. Our northern neighbours had been hit by injuries and other problems and could only field a team of 6, so they needed a loan of several players from Malaysia in order to make up the numbers. The home side happily pulled on the orange and black shirts of Thailand in order to take on a tired, but very motivated Singapore.

The mix of unfamiliar faces meant that Thailand took some time to find a rhythm to their play and the Lions' midfield and forward lines took full advantage of this. The tossle locked Míchael Smith and Sean Hearne in particular had a powerful impact in the middle and up front, and goals and points were scored with abandon in the first half. Thailand did find some form and began getting a point or two back but at the half way point the score was approximately 7-5 to 0-3. The second half was quite a different story, and Thailand's John Campbell, Derek Martin and Padraig Ellicott made good progress through the middle of the park and scored a few long points but the Lions' lead was just too great and the game ended 8-7 to 0-8.

As matters stood both Malaysia and Singapore had a win under their belts and there was just one more game to play; Orang Éire vs. Thaigaa. This time however it was the Lions who were filling in the spaces in the Thai team and the full weight of their combined experience meant that Malaysia faced a very different opposition from the one in their first game. Thailand got off to a flying start and began by pounding in the points from quite a way out. While they did manage to get close to the Malaysian goal the defence held firm and for a few minutes at least, the balls only sailed over the bar. However, Thailand rotated their substitutes into the match at a fast pace and it wasn't long before they had a goal, and then another, and another. For some reason the home side took a while to settle down and by the time they did the visitors had opened up a big lead. But the heads stayed up and Malaysia's Mike and Simon Fox made a huge impact in the middle of the park, rucking away at possession. Indeed by the half time whistle the pattern of play was all but reversed.

When things started off again, Malaysia held onto the ball and started playing smart passing moves up the pitch. There was some great commitment put in by the Orang Éire, including from super-sub Mark Breen (who flew in from Saudi Arabia just to play) and KL Gaelic veteran Jonathan Cleary, and a goal was scored along with some points. But Thailand still managed to put them away and at the end of the day, their early lead proved unassailable. Final score Malaysia 1-4 Thailand 3-12.

The teams then gathered for a big group photo and, having cleaned up the pitch, retired to the car park for some malt refreshment and post-match analysis. Congratulations were proffered, jokes exchanged and before long there was a real party atmosphere going. It was only due to the failing light and a particularly narky bus driver that the lads had to pack up their kit bags and head back to the hotel.

The evening's celebrations kicked off in Finnegan's on Jalan Sultan Ismail at 20:30. The Embassy of Ireland, together with the St. Patrick's Society of Selangor, generously laid on a magnificent buffet and drinks reception and all the players, spectators and guests got fill up on bia, ól agus craic, before the presentation of the prizes. In keeping with the best traditions, speeches were short. The Embassy welcomed Thailand (their second country of accreditation) in particular and thanked Singapore for their support and organisation of both the Asian Gaelic Games and the day's events. The captains of each team; Danny McBride (OrangÉire), John Campbell (Thaigaa) and Graham Dowd (Lions - on his last ever game for the team) spoke of the high standard of play and commitment shown by all and there was talk of the next meeting of the three sides. The final formal piece of the night was the presentation of the inaugural KL Challenge trophy to the Singapore Lions who, despite having lost to Malaysia, had by far and away the greatest goal difference.

The DJ raised the volume of the music and the teams kicked back and partied til the wee hours. All in all, the weekend was a great success.

If you are interested in playing or supporting or participating in Malaysian Gaelic Football contact Eóin Duggan (eoin.duggan@dfa.ie), Danny McBride (danny@platocapital.com) or malaysiagaa@gmail.com