GAELIC SPORTS WORLD Issue 2 Sample Test, June 5, 2014 | Página 10

Greenville Invitational Hurling Tournament
MAY 17TH 2014
Though the South East region of
the North American GAA County
Board (NACB) is a relatively new
addition to the US GAA organization of nine divisions, it is nevertheless making quantum leaps forward
as new hurling clubs, in particular,
sprout across the southern states.
To facilitate the interest in the game
amongst Americans and to necessitate clubs getting game-time, interstate tournaments have taken root
over the past number of years.
The most recent of these was held
a couple of weeks ago, Saturday May
17, in the ‘Palmetto’ state of South
Carolina in the city of Greenville.
This was the second instalment of
the Greenville Invitational and the
conditions were perfect at the Gary
L. Pittman Memorial Park. Clubs
from across the South East participated – Raleigh from North Carolina, Atlanta in Georgia, Hampton

Raleigh on the attack in the Greenville Invitational final against victor’s Charleston at Pittman Memorial Park, Greenville, South Carolina. (Photo:
Donough Forde).

Roads had trekked down from Virginia, along with Charleston and
Greenville from the host state. There
were also members of the Augusta
HC who participated in the event.
The competition throughout was
tight as all clubs performed admi-

rably with plenty of skill and passion
on display. One of the newest clubs
in the south east, Hampton Roads,
continued to show great improvement and throughout was an example of the importance of events of
this nature. In the end, the Charleston team proved best when defeating

a gallant Raleigh in an epic final
with the winners just about doing enough for a one point, 5-2
(17) to 2-10 (16) victory to take
this year’s Greenville Invitational.
Children’s fun coaching sessions
and games also played a part in
the tournament.

year the host’s fell to Charlotte HC,
a North Carolina team, in the final but this time around it was a
happier occasion for the booming

Charleston club when getting
the better of Raleigh in the decider on a scoreline of 4-10 (22)
to 2-6 (12).

Yet another new tournament took
place in the South East at the beginning of April, this one up north in
neighbouring state, North Carolina.
The 2nd Paul Gleeson Cup in Columbia was held as part of the 4th
Annual Tartan Day South Highland
Games & Celtic Festival.

proved too much for new club
Hampton Roads in a comfortable
win. However, the second semi
was a much closer back-and-forth
affair with Raleigh eventually
knocking off the defending champions by 5-9 (24) to 4-5 (17).
The North Carolina side then
went on to record history in the
final with their first tournament
victory when defeating Greenville
in an exciting game of 15 goals,
Raleigh prevailing by five points
8-8 (32) to 7-6 (27). The victory
was a great achievement for the
new club from Raleigh, formed
just two years ago, and now Paul
Gleeson Cup champions.

Holy City Cup, South Carolina
Prior to that at the end of April,
another new tournament took
place in the 2nd Holy Cup Hurling Tournament at Charleston,

South Carolina. The same five
teams again took part - Hampton
Roads, Atlanta, Raleigh, Greenville, and host’s Charleston. Last

Paul Gleeson Cup, North Carolina

There were four teams involved
with Greenville v Hampton Roads,
and Charleston (2013 champions) v
Raleigh meeting in two semi-finals.
A very large festival crowd of several
thousand looked on; most catching
their first ever glimpse of hurling.
The first ever tournament trophy for second year team Raleigh, when taking the Paul Gleeson
Cup, April 6, 2014 in Columbia, North Carolina. (Photo: Raleigh GAA).

10

Greenville’s

greater

experience