2009 NACB  PLAYOFFS  PREVIEW From Eamonn Kelly For the second consecutive year Boston's Irish Cultural Center in suburban Canton will be the site of this year's North American County Board GAA annual championship playoffs over the Labor Day weekend. . Given the NACB criteria and guidelines to be followed in hosting this huge and prestigious event, it has been an enormous task for the Boston board and local committee to prepare this excellent facility for all the games. Under the dynamic chairmanship of Galwayman Bernie Connaughton, and a giant herculean effort between the GAA and the Irish Cultural Center volunteers, five playing fields are ready for action.  Sixty six games plus the youth schedule were played at last years finals in Canton. Over 70 games are expected to be played in this year playoffs. Such was the success and popularity of 3 new championships that made their debut in 2008, ladies Intermediate football, American born men's  football and over 40 men's football competitions are on this year's schedule. Also, making its debut this year will be an all-American born hurling championship bringing the total number of  championships to be competed for to 20. In order to minimize the number of  teams getting bye's into championship finals the Northeast and some other divisions will be entering second teams for certain championships and a backdoor format will be applied in other cases where loosing teams will reenter the competition. Following the conclusion of most of the divisional championships over the past couple of weeks, the following cities will be represented in the playoffs Äì Allentown Pa, Atlanta, Austin, Baltimore, Boston, Buffalo, Charlotte, Chicago, Cleveland, Denver, Detroit, Frederick MD, Indianapolis,  Los Angeles, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Portland MN, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Washington DC.   The huge schedule which starts at 9:00am on Friday, September 4th includes the following competitions Äì men's senior, intermediate, junior A, B, C, D  and over 40 football; ladies senior, Intermediate, junior A, B football; senior, junior A, B, C hurling; senior & junior camogie, plus American born hurling and men's football championships. In addition there will be a youth program that will include under age at three different age levels. It's very difficult to predict what cities and clubs will bring home trophies this year as several of last year's winners have failed to retain their divisional titles. In senior hurling, current national champions Chicago Limerick, have declined to travel and defend their title while in senior football, Boston McAnespies were defeated in the semi-final of the Northeast divisional championship. As all divisions have now identified the teams that have qualified for this year's playoffs, following is a preview of this year championships. SENIOR  HURLING NACB's most decorated hurling club Chicago Harry Boland's, winners of 14 championships from 1966 to 2006, will represent Chicago in place of last years winners, Limerick. Since the Boland's are recovering from a couple of lean years and played at junior level this year they will be considered outsiders to take this years title. San Francisco Na Fianna who overcame Naomh Padraig to take the Western divisional title will be anxious to win their first senior championship since 1991. They came very close to doing so last year when going down by only 3 points to Chicago Limerick in the final. Many expect the 2009 title  to return to Boston for the first time since 2005 with Tipperary being the favorites to take the title after a close 2 point winner over  Wexford in their divisional final. Wexford  remain a competitor to win their first title as they qualify as Boston runner-ups to play San Francisco Na Fianna in the second semi-final. JUNIOR A HURLING Similar to senior hurling the long campaign in Boston will benefit the divisional winner in the playoffs so Fr. Tom Burke's will enter the fray as favorites having defeated Tipperary in the Northeast final. Newcomers to the junior A level is Milwaukee who qualified as a result of taking the B title in 2007 and 2008. They will play San Francisco Naomh Padraig in the semi-final with the winners taking on the Boston champions in the final. JUNIOR B HURLING With Milwaukee moving up to junior A the race for B honors is wide open with teams competing from Indianapolis, Minnesota  Twin Cities, Denver, Seattle and Washington DC. The Washington Gaels who lost to Milwaukee in last years final hope to reach the final again this year and will be anxious to regain the title they last won in 2006. Indianapolis, who won the C championship last year are expected to be strong challengers. JUNIOR C HURLING This competition with 11 teams competing is by far the biggest championship on the playoff schedule and promises to be the most competitive. While trying to predict a winner in this championship is very difficult, Chicago Cusacks may be the frontrunner having put up a great challenge against Indianapolis in last years final. New team in the competition this year is San Francisco Rovers and playing for the second consecutive year are the Barleyhounds from Concord, New Hampshire and a team from Allentown PA. Also in the competition are Denver, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Seattle and Washington DC, Pittsburgh and Portland.    MEN'S  SENIOR FOOTBALL The senior football cup will change hands this year with 2008 winners  McAnespies being knocked out in the Boston championship. Representing the Northeast division will be Christophers who defeated Shannon Blues in the Northeast divisional final. Their opponents in the semi-final will be Philadelphia Kevin Barry's who lost to Boston McAnespies  in last years semi-final.  Back on track this year is the Ulster club from San Francisco who captured their last and only NACB senior title in 2005. Chicago Parnells who are chasing their first senior title will be Ulster's opponent in the second semi-final.   MEN'S  INTERMEDIATE FOOTBALL As in the senior football championship there will be a different holder of the Intermediate title this year as last years champions, Boston Kerry, were defeated in their divisional semi-final clash with Connemara Gaels. The Gaels lost in the final to Armagh/Notre Dame but enter the playoffs as the runner-up team from Boston and play Philadelphia in one of the semi-finals. Armagh/Notre Dame take on San Francisco Sons of Boru in the other semi-final. MEN'S  JUNIOR A FOOTBALL Chicago Wolfe Tones, more famous for success at senior level, having won a record 13 national titles, are competing for their first junior A title this year. Being inactive for the past couple of years the Tone's revival efforts have been very successful after coming out on top in a very competitive Chicago junior A championship this year. Standing in the way for them to gain their first NACB junior championship will be San Francisco Cusacks, Charlotte and Boston winners McAnespies. The Cusacks will be attempting to regain the title they last won back in 1991, while Charlotte will be making their debut at this level after winning the B championship last year MEN'S  JUNIOR B FOOTBALL This championship is always the most competitive men's competition of the playoffs as several one club cities are striving for success. Eight teams are competing for this year's title including past winners, Cleveland St. Jarlath's, Detroit Wolfe Tones and San Diego Setanta. Chicago Patriots who won the C championship in 2008 move up to this level for the first time as does LA Wild Geese. Boston representatives will be Shannon Blues while St. Patrick's will represent the Philadelphia division.   MEN'S  JUNIOR  C FOOTBALL  The junior C division which was started in 2003 contributed to the ongoing promotion of Gaelic football for American born players over age for the youth program. With an NACB rule in place that only American born players could play in this C championship in the four major cities several hundred American born players contributed to the formation of new teams in Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia and San Francisco. However, a rule change this year that prohibits Irish sanction player from playing with any team resulted in the junior C competition being split into two divisions, 1) with sanctions, 2) without sanctions. Just 2 teams, Boston and Philadelphia, will compete in the no-sanction division while there will be two semi-finals in the with sanctions division with the following draw: Washington DC Vs Denver and San Diego Vs Austin.  MEN'S  JUNIOR  D  FOOTBALL. This championship has been very successful for the promotion of football for newly formed teams. Winning the competition in 2008 was a great boost for the newly formed club in Austin, Texas  who have since moved up to C level. Charlotte and Phoenix, previous winners of this competition have entered teams in an attempt to regain the title this year, while teams from Baltimore, Buffalo and Minnasota Twin Cities will be trying to win the trophy for the first time.   LADIES  SENIOR  FOOTBALL Three cities, Boston, Philadelphia and San Francisco, will be represented in this year's senior ladies football championship. Boston Roscommon who won the title last year will not repeat the feat this year having been defeated by old rivals Tir na Nog in the Northeast divisional final. Tir na Nog  will play  the winners of the San Francisco Fog City Harps and Philadelphia Mairead Farrell semi-final for the title. LADIES  INTERMEDIATE  FOOTBALL This is the second year of staging the intermediate championship. San Francisco Fog City Harps won the inaugural championship with a victory over Boston Tir Na Nog.  Similar to last year just two teams, but different opponents, San Francisco Saoirse and Washington DC Gaels will compete for the title this year. LADIES  JUNIOR  A  FOOTBALL With 2008 winners Washington DC Gaels playing intermediate this year this championship is wide open. This competition produced an epic final last year between DC Gaels and Philadelphia Notre Dame with the Gaels winning by the narrowest of margins, 5-8 to 4-10. There is every indication that another great final is in the works this year. Notre Dame, attempting to make amends for last years 1 point defeat will be heavy favorites to take the title. They play new team Chicago Aisling in the opening game. Also competing are Atlanta, San Francisco Fog City Harps and Seattle. LADIES  JUNIOR  B  FOOTBALL As in the men's junior B football competition this ladies championship is usually a most competitive and enjoyable contest given the number of cities competing.  It produced several great games in the 2008 playoffs with Chicago McBrides taking their first title with a 7 point win over Detroit St. Ann's . With McBrides not competing this year St Ann's will be favorites to win their first championship. San Diego Na Fianna who won the first 2 B championship back in 2004 and 2005 will be anxious to make it three in six years. Also competing are Denver Gaels, Atlanta Gaels and Charlotte James Connolly.  SENIOR CAMOGIE Three teams, Chicago St. Mary's, Boston Eire Og and San Francisco Shamrocks will be competing for the senior camogie championship this year. Current champions will Play Eire Og in the semi-final with the winners taking on the Shamrocks in the final. JUNIOR  CAMOGIE At the moment Washington DC Gaels and Milwaukee are the only teams competing for the junior championship. Following is the schedule for the 2009 NACB playoffs:   Senior Hurling: Semi-finals Boston Wexford  Vs  Chicago Harry Bolands San Francisco Na Fianna  Vs  Boston Tipperary     Junior A Hurling: Semi-finals San Francisco Naomh Padraig Vs  Milwaukee  Final Boston Fr. Tom's  Vs  San Fran Naomh Padraig or Milwaukee   Junior B Hurling: Quarter-final Indianapolis  Vs  Minnesota Twin Cities Semi-finals Washington DC  Vs  Denver Seattle  Vs  Indianapolis or Twin cities   Junior C Hurling: Indianapolis  Vs  Washington DC Milwaukee  Vs  San Francisco Rovers Chicago Cusacks  Vs  Pittsburgh Denver  Vs  Seattle   N.H. Barlyhounds  Vs  Philadelphia Allentown Portland  Vs  Denver or Seattle   Men's Senior Football: Semi-finals Boston Shannon Blues or St. Christophers  Vs  Philadelphia Kevin Barry's Chicago  Parnells Vs  San Francisco Ulster   Men's Intermediate Football Semi-finals Boston Armagh ND  Vs  San Francisco Sons of Boru Boston Connemara Gaels  Vs Philadelphia Young Irelanders   Men's Junior A Football Semi-finals Chicago Wolfe Tones Vs  San Francisco Cusacks Boston McAnespies  Vs  Charlotte   Men's Junior B Football Chicago Patriots  Vs  Cleveland St. Jarlath's  Boston Shannon Blues  Vs  Detroit Wolfe Tones Philadelphia   Vs  LA Wild Geese San Diego  Vs  Patroits or St. Jarlath's      Men's Junior C Football (sanctions)   Semi-finals Wasington DC  Vs  Denver  San Diego Setanta  Vs  Austin   Men's Junior C Football (no sanctions) Final Boston       Vs    Philadelphia    Men's Junior D Football Charlotte  Vs  Phoenix Mid-atlantic Mason Dixon  Vs  Buffalo Baltimore  Vs  Twin Cities     Ladies Senior Football Semi-final Philadelphia Mairead Farrell's Vs  San Francisco Fog City Haps Final Winners of semifinal  Vs  Boston Tir Na Nog   Ladies Intermediate Football Final San Francisco Saoirse   Vs   Washington DC Gaels   Ladies Junior A Football Chicago Aisling Gaels  Vs  Philadelphia Notre Dame San Francisco Fog City Harps   Vs  Atlanta Seattle   Vs   Aisling/Notre Dame winner   Ladies Junior B Football: Atlanta   Vs  Washington DC Charlotte  Vs  Detroit St. Ann's San Diego  Vs  Seattle Denver - Bye   Senior Camogie  Semi-final Boston Tir na Nog   Vs  Chicago St. Mary's Final Winners  of semi-final  Vs San Francisco Shamrocks     Junior Camogie Washington DC  Vs  Milwaukee   Eamonn Kelly   PRO - NACB Tweet

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