World Footy News

Ireland's mens and womens teams made it a clean sweep for 2011 as they took out both EuroCup's in the biggest ever EuroCup played on home soil in Belfast.

The men's team won under new coach Shaun McElhone as they beat the Crusaders, Austria, England and Croatia on their way to victory. The Women had a comfortable victory too in their one match, defeating the women of Switzerland who were making their debut at the competition.

England finished third thanks to a victory over Italy, while Wales were to emerge top of Division 2 (7th overall) as they beat Spain in the plate final. Finland won Division 3 (13th overall) when they took out a win over a developmental Sweden side.

Ireland is now reigning champion of the men's and women's International Cups, the European Championships, and the men's and women's Euro Cup.

Full scores from the day are available here.

Ireland's women completed the clean sweep of international women's Australia football when they knocked off the newly formed Swiss women's side in Belfast as part of the 2011 European Cup.  The Banshees, barely a year in existence themselves, have now collected back to back Euro Cup wins to go with the inaugural Women's International Cup.

The following report thanks to Leiha Shrubsall, also a member of the victorious team.

Saturday 08^th October, Belfast Queen’s University Sports grounds - 2011 Euro Cup.

It was a cool day and the rain on and off, sometimes teaming down making the footy slither out of players hands more easily than they would have liked. Walking around the grounds there was a buzz in the air, the same type felt at the recent International Cup, different languages bouncing around the foyer and the smell of Aussie Rules football. Making our way from all directions to Belfast for the weekend, we were all there ready to play for the second women’s European title.

The South Dublin Swans have won the Jeep Irish Aussie Rules Premiership after a hard fought win against the Cork based Leeside Lions in Durrow, Co Laois last week, final score 6.9 (45) to 5.7 (37). The Swans got to this stage after a close semi-final victory against the Mid-West Magpies.

Their Grand Final opponents Leeside Lions had a much smoother path to the decider with an easy semi-final win over the Dublin Demons and may have been slight favourites based on this performance. From last year’s team the Swans had lost a few players including big ruckman Paul O’Halloran, however another big man, Tom Russell made this position his own in 2011. The Swans also had three players that played in the victorious 2011 International Cup that Ireland won in the Melbourne Cricket Ground in August, full forward, Manus Breathnach, half back James O’Byrne and midfielder, Darren Sheils.

For many years a missing link in Australian football was a widespread non-contact form of the game played on smaller fields for smaller team numbers.  Such a style of game was common at club training, and has slowly crept in overseas, but in the sport's homeland it remained a rarely exploited asset to the game.

That changed a few years ago when the AFL launched Recreational Football (Rec Footy) as an 8-a-side version using tags to effect tackles and aimed especially at beginners, mixed teams and social players.

This year it has been re-launched and re-badged as AFL 9s.  The season is about to get underway so anyone in Australia who wants to keep playing footy over summer or dropped out due to injuries or time commitments, or anyone who always wanted to give the game a go but was afraid to try, this is your chance.

Why the enthusiasm?  This author is one of many who has long wanted to see such a version of the game and has seen many potential players drift over to similar concepts like touch football (touch Rugby), so I'm very keen to see this initiative succeed.  Having played a couple of seasons I thoroughly recommend it.  Certainly the smaller softer ball takes some getting used to, as does the inability to make body contact, but it's a fun alternative for someone who has retired from the full version of the sport.

Visit www.afl9s.com.au for local contact details.

Last Saturday (October 8th) was grand final day in the Solomon Islands AFL (SIAFL). The forecast was for a wet day, maximum of 8 and possible hail. And on the field the top team the Hawks (having only lost once for the year) were to face off against the 2nd placed Wolves.

The venue was the KG6 Cricket oval – and the SIAFL had a 1pm curtain raiser with a match made up from the various training centres around town. The main game starting at 2pm to wrap up the inaugural season of AFL competition in the Solomons.

The 2011 Papua New Guinea AFL Port Moresby (AFLPOM) Grand Final is scheduled for this Saturday, October 15th, at the Amini Park in Port Moresby. Combatants on the day are the Lamana Dockers and the Hitron Bomana Cats.

The game will commence at 2pm.

The AFL has helped launch the first purpose built AFL oval in Tianjin as part of its ongoing commitment to grow Australian football in China.

The $1.5 million project is a collaboration between the City of Melbourne, the AFL and the Melbourne Football Club. They attended today’s launch along with the Vice Mayor of Tianjin Madam Zhang Junfang and the Vice Director of the Tianjin Binhai Development Investment Holding Co. Ltd.

AFL International Development Manager Tony Woods attended today’s launch in Tianjin and said the AFL was planning more activity in China, including an AFL Combine and exhibition matches.

AFL trade week is underway with the 18 AFL clubs playing a complicated game of bluff and dare with players and draft picks ahead of season 2012.

Already one deal has been done that sees Ireland's Marty Clarke return to Collingwood after a two year absence.  Because he was no longer listed by the Magpies the "rights" to Clarke belonged to new club GWS Giants, but they agreed to send him on to Collingwood in a multi-part deal.

Less certain but also possibly on the move is long time Carlton player Setanta O'Ailpin.  The tall Irishman (also of Fijian descent) has been in and out of the Blues' team for most of his career and has asked to be traded if the club can find an interested team.  If not it seems likely he will still be kept given that Carlton so often call on him in ruck or up forward when they get some injuries.  At times it has appeared that his team-mates have not shared the ball with "Carlos" as well as expected, perhaps lacking faith in his erratic disposal.  It would certainly be interesting to see him given a fresh chance at another AFL club.

The Denver Lady Bulldogs have defeated a joint New York Lady Magpies-Montreal Angels team by 3.7(25) to 0.1(1) to become the 2011 USAFL National Tournament Women’s Division Champions. The Lady Bulldogs are now back to back USAFL Women’s Champions, having also won the Women’s National Tournament the previous year in Louisville, Kentucky.

Earlier on Day 2, the Denver Lady Bulldogs overcame the Minnesota Freeze by 7.3(45) to 1.2(8) in Semi Final 1, and the New York-Montreal team overcame the Arizona Lady Hawks by 2.7(19) to 1.0(6) in Semi Final 2.

Congratulations are also due to the Denver Bulldogs men’s team who are the USAFL Men’s Champions, defeating Calgary Kangaroos by 3.2(20) to 0.5(5) in the Men’s Division 1 Grand Final.

Division 1 Champions Denver Bulldogs - Calgary Kangaroos 0.5 (5) def by Denver Bulldogs 3.2 (20)

Division 2 Champions Dallas Magpies - Austin Crows 1.3 (9) def by Dallas Magpies 8.6 (54)

Division 3 Champions - Arizona Hawks - Arizona Hawks 5.2 (32) def Atlanta Kookaburras 3.1 (19)

The Women’s Division results for Day 1 and the draw for the semi finals has now been announced by the USAFL.