Latest news with #CompromiseRules
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
'A great welcome' - Presbyterian minister behind hybrid rules event
Hybrid games between codes are not particularly unusual but the driving force behind Saturday's 'compromise rules' matches at Corrigan Park in west Belfast is perhaps not what you would expect. Presbyterian Church in Ireland [PCI] minister, Rev David Moore, is one of the prime movers behind 'Between the Sticks', an event which will showcase the sports of hurling, shinty and camogie as part of Feile Phobail and Antrim GAA's 140th anniversary celebrations. Scottish-Irish rivalry will be the order of the day as a men's shinty team from Stirling and a women's team from the Isle of Skye take on select hurling and camogie teams from Antrim. Both of the teams travelling from Scotland are being brought to Belfast by Rev Moore, who is part of PCI's special ministry in the west of the city, known as An Tionolann/The Gathering. The initiative is part of the church's outreach programme to re-engage with the people of west Belfast. "I started working in west Belfast in 2022 on behalf of the Presbyterian Church really trying to re-engage with the area," explained Rev Moore in an interview with BBC Sport NI. "There used to be five Presbyterian churches here but they are all closed. We wanted to be back here again, connecting with the community. "We've tried a number of community connect events and this is probably one of the biggest ones that we're trying because the GAA community is one of the biggest ones in the whole of west Belfast." The Presbyterian minister said Saturday's event is being staged in the context of "a great welcome" from the local community. "We could not complain about how warmly we've been welcomed. The doors have been thrown open to us and the encouragement to be here. "We feel a part of this community now, and this is one aspect of sharing that. "I was enthusiastically encouraged by Collie Donnelly [former Antrim hurler and former County chairperson] and we're looking forward to having a great connection between shinty and hurling, different codes but essentially the same cultural background." 'A day of fun and celebration' The matches, which are free to attend, will be played under shinty-hurling-camogie composite rules, with 14 players-a-side and aspects of each sport involved, meaning that each team is equally disadvantaged. Each half will last for 35 minutes, with teams using their own sticks, one half played with a sliotar, the other with a shinty ball. Like the scoring system, the goal to be used is taken from hurling. The first Shinty-Hurling match between Irish and Scottish Gaelic teams took place in 1896 in London. Annual international fixtures have taken place in both countries over the years with 2024's international between Ireland and Scotland resulting in a victory for Ireland. Ballycastle and Antrim camogie player Maeve Kelly commented: "It'll be a day of fantastic fun and celebration. It'll be amazing to see the skills of all the sports coming together." Terence McNaughton, former Antrim hurling player and manager, added: "It's a brilliant game to be involved in and a great game to watch, a great spectacle. "I've been lucky enough to be involved with the Ireland team the last couple of years and I've really enjoyed it."
Irish Examiner
29-04-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Páirc Uí Chaoimh in running to host International Rules test
SuperValu Páirc Uí Chaoimh is in the running to host an International Rules test this October. The GAA and Australian Football League (AFL) are expected to confirm details in the coming weeks of what is hoped will be a two-test series as was the case in the last series in 2017 when the games were played in Adelaide and Perth. Croke Park is in line to stage the second and final test with the Cork venue being considered for the first the weekend before. There was only one test the last time the hybrid sport was played in Ireland in Croke Park in 2015. Páirc Uí Chaoimh previously hosted the first official Compromise Rules test in 1984 and since then the likes of Galway's Pearse Stadium (2006), Limerick's Gaelic Grounds ('10) and Breffni Park in Cavan ('13) have been the scene for opening tests. GAA and AFL officials met in Dublin last month having previously discussed the revival of the concept during GAA president Jarlath Burns's trip to celebrate the 50-year anniversary of Australia GAA last autumn. Ireland was due to host two tests in 2020, the second of them on the 100th anniversary of Bloody Sunday in November, but they were cancelled due to the pandemic. Meanwhile, Louth GAA have secured additional funding to complete the first phase of their new stadium outside Dundalk. Croke Park have signed off on the €14 million opening stage of the development, which will allow approximately 6,000 spectators, over 4,000 of which will be seated in the south stand. Louth have raised almost €15m via the State's Immigrant Investor Programme and the entire project for the 14,000-capacity venue is expected to cost between €25m and €13m. It is expected the first part of the development will take 16 months to complete with the plan to be open in late 2026 and will include floodlighting, standing sections behind each goal, car parking and an auxiliary building. The second phase will comprise a standing terrace and commence when funding is available. Louth County Board chairman Séan McClean declared: 'This is a momentous day for all Gaelic Games in County Louth. After years of planning and preparation, we are thrilled to secure the necessary funding to begin construction on this state-of-the-art facility.' Speaking in February, GAA director general Tom Ryan said the organisation had to assist Louth: 'We just have to deliver something for Louth. They're not looking for the sun, moon and stars, they're just looking for a ground that is capable of holding county finals and home league games and qualifiers and things like that.'
