Den Haag

Club name: Den Haag Men
Team Captain’s Name: James Flavin
Manager/Coach’s Name: Danny Craven

Club Overview

Official Club Name: (The Hague & Den Haag)
Club Website: www.denhaaggaa.com
Contact Email: secretary.hague.europe@gaa.ie
Contact Name/Telephone Number: Mary Gavin, 0031620573678 – Mobile, 0031703541099 – Home (both out of office hours only)
Training Grounds: Westlands Rugby Club Haaglanden, Beresteinlaan 52A, 2542 JA The Hague
Codes Played: Football, ladies football, hurling

2011 Officers

Chairperson: Matthew Morris
Secretary: Mary Gavin
Main Sponsor(s): DPS, Bruce Shaw Consulting and Poteen Still, The Hague

HISTORY

Year Founded: Men’s Gaelic and Hurling has been played in The Hague since the last 1970′s. As a result of the activities of the GAA it was decided that an official Irish Club~Netherlands be created thus including all age groups and interests. The club was founded on 25 October 1984 in Sassenheim a city outside of Den Haag.

In those years GAA tournaments played a huge part in the club. Many teams visited from all parts of Ireland to challenge the local teams in both hurling and football. Tournaments days were held in many parts of Holland from Amsterdam, Etten Leur, Spijkenisse, Eindhoven and of course mostly in Den Haag and Wassenaar. Some of the teams who visited: were Aer Lingus (sports and social club) on a yearly basis, Evening Herald team, Mitchels Castlebar, Ballaghaderreen, Kilcommon, Glynn-Barntown, AIB, Bank of Ireland etc. and of course local European teams and UK teams.

When Croke Park and the then GAA President Mr. Joe McDonagh decided to form a European County Board our club were requested to organise the accommodation around our 4th Annual Brendan Maloney memorial tournament. TG4 filmed the tournament on the Saturday at the AAC/NRCA rugby club in Amsterdam and the foundation of the European Board in the Marriott Hotel in Amsterdam. In attendance were Paris Gaels, Luxembourg, Guernsey, Brussels and ourselves.

Den Haag affiliated to the European Board and have had members active at Board level over the past 10 years. As a club we have each year hosted hurling and football rounds and have travelled to almost all tournaments all over Europe during the last 10 years. We also host an Annual Invitational tournament each Spring for junior clubs from Ireland.

In 2010 we were runners up to Ballinteer club and won 2011 as did the Holland Ladies showing how the standard has improved in Europe. Over the years club members were part of European teams competing in the International tournaments in Dublin and in 2010 in the St. Judes 7′s. Many nationalities have enjoyed learning our games including American, Argentian, Australian, British, Canadian, Dutch, French, German, Indian and Turkish

Colour of Kit: Amber with black trim, black shorts, black socks

Honours: Winners European League Football 2002 European Championships 2006.2009 2010. Hurling: 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2007 Ladies 2006

Den Haag make history in Europe

Munich was the first stop of the European Championship 2010. This year’s championship would be contested over three tournaments, held in Budapest and Maastricht along with Munich. With points being awarded in accordance with finishing positions in each of the rounds, it promised to be a competitive end to the year.

Five teams travelled to compete in the Men’s Championship, Den Haag, Paris, Luxemburg, Belgium and Guernsey. After a tough day’s football, it was Den Haag and Paris who made it to the final which proved to be closely fought with Paris leading for most of the game. A very well organized team, well thought out tactics, great scoring and tough defending meant Paris had the lead by 4 points with 5 minutes remaining but Den Haag showed real grit and determination to ensure an enthralling last 5 minutes.

Surging forward runs from the Den Haag full backs, Denis Reidy and Shane O’Sullivan showed fantastic drive and gave the team a real lift, while captain James Flavin began to dominate in midfield and caught some incredible high balls under severe Paris pressure. It was then down to the Den Haag forwards to keep their nerve and finish the scores.

After being 4 points down with 5 minutes left, the ruthless forward line showed great composure to claw Paris back with a goal and 2 points from Danny Craven leaving Den Haag ahead for the first time in the game. Steve Malone, 1 v 1 with the Paris keeper, calmly finished in the dying minutes as Paris tried to get themselves back into the game but it was not to be as Den Haag came out on top with 2-7 to 2-3 gaining 25 points and winning the first round of the Championship.

It was onto Budapest 4 weeks later for Round 2 of the Championship. A great turnout, 7 teams competing with Stockholm and Budapest joining the fray. This time, Belgium joined Den Haag in the final as they managed to overcome a strong Paris team in the semi-finals. This would be the fifth time the two teams had met in a final in Europe in 2010 and it was Belgium looking favorites with 3 wins from 4. It was a real contest. Two teams who knew each other inside out and it showed in a hard fought, low scoring final, finishing 0-6 to 0-4.

Again it was Den Haag that came through with the victory with a solid defensive performance and some great scores. Picking up another 25 points, Den Haag left it in their own hands returning to Maastricht for the final round of the Championship. Belgium and Paris followed closely and knowing it was still mathematically possible to win, would travel in the hope they could capitalize on any slip up from the reigning champions.

However, Den Haag GAA made history by retaining their European crown and being the first team to win back to back European County Championships since being established in 2000.

To mark this special occasion guest of Honor Joe McDonagh, ex-president of the GAA was in attendance and as always, Mary Gavin, secretary of Den Haag GAA, co-founder of European GAA and an incredible woman who has worked so hard to make sure GAA has grown in Europe. Playing 11 v 11 on a shortened pitch has many similarities with the 7’s game and attracts teams from all over Europe to compete, and more encouraging for the GAA is that the teams are comprised of a blend of the countries natives and Irish living abroad in Europe.

The weekend saw a record 29 teams travel to the Dutch city of Maastricht to compete in the Men’s Championship and Shield, and the Women’s Championship. With a long season coming to a close, the Belgium ladies had already won their Championship, Copenhagen looked favorites for the Shield, while Den Haag were determined to make it a clean sweep of all three rounds as the ball was thrown in to start the final round of games in the 2010 European Championship.

Again, Maastricht, the picturesque city in the South of Holland provided a magnificent setting for the final round of the Championship November, on the only full sized GAA pitch on mainland Europe. The opening championship game paired Den Haag and rivals Paris, and with the Den Haag team starting sluggishly, Paris picked up a well deserved winning start which set the standard for the day. No mean accomplishment with Den Haag suffering only their first defeat of the whole Championship. It was to be a repeat of the opening game in the final where Paris were determined to come out with the tournament win while Den Haag had already secured the overall Championship by reaching the final. This time Den Haag made no mistakes and showed what they are capable of with a convincing 2-5 to 0-3 win.

Player of the tournament, Paul Bradfield shone as he was superb in the middle and ran the game. Dan Walsh’s tight marking defensive display was outstanding and totally demoralised the Paris attack. Half backs, Jer Galvin and Sean Simpson, and midfielder James Flavin were also excellent in their defensive duties. This trio’s ravenous hunger for breaking ball with astute simple quick passing ensured a frequent and plentiful supply of good scoring opportunities to the Den Haag forwards whose off the ball running had created huge problems for opposing defenses all season. Clinical finishing in front of goal from forwards Barry Lennon with some delicate footwork and a snap shot goal really tightened Den Haag’s grip on the Maastricht final even if his Michael Flatley impersonation after scoring was not as memorable while Danny Craven latched onto a piercing through ball from Jer Galvin to finish confidently as ever to ensure a fantastic tournament victory and see Den Haag deservedly crowned European Champions again.

Den Haag Championship Squad

1 – Michael Breslin (Na Rossa, Donegal)
2 – Shane O Sullivan (Inniscarra, Cork)
3 – Denis Reidy (Gerald Griffins, Limerick)
4 – Jer Galvin (Finuge, Kerry)
5 – Dan Walsh (Castleisland Desmonds, Kerry)
6 – James Flavin (Clounmacon, Kerry)
7 – Paul Bradfield (Meath Hill, Meath)
8 – Barry Lennon 1-0 (Ballyboden, Dublin)
9 – Donie Mc Keown 0-2 (St Colmcilles, Longford)
10 – Sean Simpson 0-1 (St Galls, Antrim)
11 – Danny Craven 1-2 (Bosco, Down)

12 – Richard Gilmore (Dromara, Down)
13 –Declan Bonner (Na Rossa, Donegal)
14 – David Koller (Den Haag, Netherlands)
15 – Stephen Malone (Newmarket-on-Fergus, Clare)
16 – Stephen Hough (Ballinteer, Dublin)
17 – Matthew Morris (St Johns, Wexford)
18 – Cillian Rouse (Clonmel Og, Tipperary)
19 – Shane McDonnell (Casteltown Finea Coole Whitehall, Westmeath)
20 – Des Breen (St. Patricks, Wexford)
21 – Geroid O’Shea (Den Haag, Netherlands)
22 – Niall McAleenan (Clann na Banna, Down)
23 – John Diviny (Kilbeacanty, Galway)

Den Haag’s annual tournament has been running for the past 5 years and the forthcoming tournament will be held over the 11th – 13th March 2011. There will also be St. Patrick’s celebrations and is always a great weekend of football and entertainment. For more information please visit our website www.denhaaggaa.com and get in contact with Chairman Matthew Morris if your team is interested in competing in our invitational tournament.