'Undocumented' complicate New York's bid

GAELIC GAMES: GAVIN CUMMISKEYsays if Roscommon are felled it is highly likely a dud New York side would be sent "home" for the Connacht semi-final

IN 2008 then GAA president Nickey Brennan gave a rousing keynote address to a packed hall of expatriates in San Francisco.

It was the night of the annual All Star game and the place had been heaving for hours. But in fairness to Brennan, he tapped into the one subject that would ensure the locals’ undivided attention.

Emigration and the GAA intersect at this time every year. That is because the defending Connacht champions open the football championship with a trip to Gaelic Park in the Bronx to face a collection of men from all corners of Ireland, known simply as the New York inter-county football team.

The fabulously entertaining All Star adventure landed in midtown Manhattan in December 2007 and the New York County Board officials were enormously hospitable. So much so we barely noticed the big freeze outside the window.

A trickle of Armagh men has bolstered the New Yorkers’ ranks. Robbie Tasker was a key member of the Orchard County’s 2009 minor All-Ireland team. Former Armagh under-21 midfielder Stephen Harold is another.

Ronan McGinley, the brother of Tyrone’s multi-decorated midfielder Enda, is expected to join former underage Kerry sensation, Dan Doona, in the team, while the no-nonsense former Wexford midfielder Rory Stafford is believed to be guarding the square’s edge.

Roscommon are forewarned by Galway’s experience on May 2nd last year when Joe Kernan’s single championship campaign out west almost collapsed at the starting gate.

Put simply, the Tribesmen were dragged into a brawl on the perfectly manicured artificial surface just off Corlear Avenue. Only the poise of former footballer of the year Pádraic Joyce guided them out of it. Joyce kicked 1-7 as the hosts played the last 20 minutes with 13 men.

Galway survived but defeat would have seen them enter the qualifiers. New York are not afforded this option.

Mainly because it gets too messy.

“As far as I’m concerned, we deserve our place in the championship and our performance against Galway only reinforces that view,” said New York’s Donegal-born manager Séamus Sweeney last year.

“Even if we hadn’t played as well, it would still have been a great occasion for the Irish in New York. There is a huge amount of work being done to promote the GAA in New York and I take my hat off to the people involved in that.

“I’d love to see the GAA tweaking the system so that we could be included in the backdoor series. But that would mean more money and then you’d also have the problem with the undocumented. But it seems unfair that we aren’t entitled to a second chance like every other team, especially after putting up such a great performance against Galway.”

The “undocumented” is not just a problem but a massive roadblock for many who would dearly love to criss-cross the Atlantic Ocean at their choosing.

“It would create enormous difficulties,” said GAA president Christy Cooney this week. “If they came over with a not very serious team after knocking out Roscommon it could make a mockery of the championship.

“We have spoken to our own Department of Foreign Affairs in the past. But the only people that can solve the problem would be the American government.

“There is no easy solution.”

Brennan said as much when speaking to Irish-Americans in San Francisco over three years ago. But he equally promised the GAA’s support to its exiled children.

Should Tasker catch fire on Sunday night and Roscommon are felled it is highly likely that a dud New York side will be sent “home” for the Connacht semi-final against Leitrim or Sligo.

There is little that can be done when it comes to bypassing those sturdy looking and armed emigration officials.

“But, look, let’s wait and see what happens next weekend,” Cooney also stated. The odds are stacked in favour of this problem quietly going away by Monday morning. An eight-point spread in fact. Roscommon are 1/10 to win, New York 33/1 to spring a surprise and the draw, which would be a real disaster, can be got at 25/1.

“When the master fixture list came out last October Roscommon was down as the team contesting the Connacht semi-final,” said New York chairman Larry McCarthy last night. “I rang Croke Park and blew them out of it. ‘Jaysus lads, I know we don’t have much hope but don’t rule us out before we even play!’

“If we win, well, we will happily deal with that problem on Sunday night.”