Hurling

Due to the return of James Davoren to the “Old Country” the position of Team Trainer and Team Manager was filled by Denis Ryan. Denis has a lot experience on the hurling field and has played in his native Tipperary, New York and now Vancouver. Sean Twomey, a native of the Rebel County of Cork was his assistant for the year.

Having planned throughout the winter the Harps Hurlers played their first game of the year in San Francisco on May 16^th, 2009. However the main focus for the year was once again  to travel to Seattle on June 6^th, 2009. We brought a big group of hurlers and were able to field two entire teams to play both Seattle and Portland . We were successful in both encounters and had a great night in downtown Seattle with our hosts showing us some of the local spots!!!

The second game of the year was  be on our home patch on June 27^th, 2009. against Seattle Gaels during the Vancouver tournament. Again we were victorious in the June heat and David Reynolds received an MVP award for an outstanding display of hurling. In the process he did manage to break his hurl which he informed his opposite number , “I’ve had this stick for two years Lad” .

We traveled just over the border to Bellingham to play Seattle once more in early August and were victorious in a much tighter affair. Seattle produced a wonderful spread of food and beer for us to enjoy and even showed us some new hurling/drinking games!!

In our final game of the season we headed to Capilano Rugby Club to play a competitive game amongst ourselves to finish the season. Denis Ryan’s team narrowly came out on top and we had a great night in the moose downunder for the Awards night. Eoghan Buckley received the MVP award for the season, along with a generous sponsors gift from John Molloy of Jameson. The award disappeared along with the Jameson’s after a few hours, no foul play was expected!!

We are a very new club and are always looking for new member’s, young, old, male, female, small, tall, experienced or not or from Kerry or else where!!