Day Six - the last games of the week

The final day of competition for all teams but the finalists saw both the Irish teams take on France at 11am. The Women were playing for 9th place and the Open team for the chance to play in a playoff game for 5th.

The first time the Women met the French it was a tight match with the Irish girls coming out on top. This time the French had revenge. Unfotunately I didnt see (or photograph!) any of the game but heard it was another closely fought affair. 14-12 I think...

Meanwhile the Mens team were having a battle on a far away pitch. The French had lost badly to GB and wanted revenge for the group game we'd won 17-12. Both teams started well, the disc being played long but the two Defences were on top as turnovers were forced repeatedly. We traded until 5-5 when we began to put the foot down and closed out the half 9-6. The second half was more of the same with the advantage remaining with us until 16-11 when the French began using a Zone to good effect. They scored 4 in a row and rattled us well but eventually the O line put away the final score to win 17-15 and gaurantee at least 6th place!


The last game of the week was a tough one against the 5th seeds, Germnay, for 5th place. There offence was fast and precise and their throws assured. We threw all we could at them but didnt get any joy against a clever zone and a calm attack. Small mistakes crept in under pressure from the zone and in the end they won out deserved winners 17-9.

We had a great laugh with them afterwards and shared some Bucky too! We also met Hans Tirol, a new hero for us. 'He's gotta be small, he's gotta be German, he's gotta be faster than light - I need Hans Tirol!'


So, the dust is slowly settling and we're all delighted. Both teams came away with 5 wins each, with big wins against teams we never thought we'd beat a year ago. The Women gained huge experience and will come back a stronger team next time around with a Quarter-final their goal. The Open team will keep working and who knows?? To finish sixth ahead of the likes of the Netherlands, French and Italians is amazing. Here's hoping it's only the beginning!!

More Photos

Day Five - Women on fire! Men lose to strong Swiss...

The fifth day of EUC competition saw the two Irish teams fortunes take different paths - there was happiness for the Ladies who won a further 2 games (that's 5 wins out of 9!) but disappointment for the Open team who's first appearance in an international quarter-final finished in a crushing defeat at the hands of a strong Swiss team. Best start with the good news...

Another 9am start in overcast and humid conditions saw the Irish Ladies take on Austria in the second last of their 'Bottom Six' group games. The Austrians were fired up and started well with a Zone Defence that looked strong but soon the girls adapted to it and were scoring with ease. It was 9-5 at half-time before the Austrians made a play for the game with a run of points bringing it to 10-8. The Irish Ladies were having none of it though and as the game wore on pushed further ahead to close out a 17-11 win, with a Callahan goal for Catherine being the highlight!


Game Two of the Day was against the Russians at 1pm. They were no match for the Irish who exploited a weak defence and shaky throws to run amok. 9-1 at halftime and 17-4 at the finish, it was an excellent and ruthless show by the girls who now face France in the 9th/10th place playoff. As the dust settles the organisers will have to face serious questions over the Womens Division. Not only were there no crossovers (unlike the Open Div) in a Division where 4 new teams were competing, but there was also 5 consecutive 9am starts. Apparently this was because 'the Open Division had more to offer spectators'...


Pitch 11 was the field on which the Ladies demolished the Russians, the field where the Open team beat the French and the field where our big match took place today. It's still a pretty open wound at this stage, a little raw... We approached the game like every other, knowing who we were as a team, what we had to do and the size of the task ahead of us. We were bidding for a place in the top four. We were ready, we were psyched and we wanted it bad. We ran into a brick wall made up a Swiss team who with a better draw might even make the Final. Their Offence was fast, cutting to break and openside with throws going across or around the mark. Their handlers were clever and had throws to beat the band. Their defence was unerring - hassling every throw, just behind every catcher and swarming under any disc. There was no space for anyone, anywhere. They got turns and converted them time and time again. It wasnt even as though we did anything wrong, we simply weren't allowed do anthing right! There's nothing else to say...the best team won and they wone well beating us 17-4. Next up for them are GB, who cruised past France. It's the French again for us...11am tomorrow morning for a shot at 5th.

It ain't gonna be easy...

Day Four - French Double but Plucky Swedes pip Irish Open

I'm absolutley shattered after a great day's Ultimate so I'll keep this short and sweet. At 9.00am the Ladies put on a great display to beat the Latvians 17-9. At 11.00am the Men played France and won 17-12 in a strong, determined display of hard D and patient O. After lunch and an interview on radio and BBC TV the Women beat France in a tough 17-9 encounter,the first half was close but the girls put in a massive performance to win out well in the end. At 5pm the Men took on Sweden, the number 1 seeds and played well again, losing 17-13 (the closest the Swedes have been to a loss yet).






















Tomorrow sees the Ladies play at 9am again, against the Austians while the Men will take on the winner of Itlay vs Switzerland for a place in the semis. We are currently the 3rd seeds of the Championships!

Good night!

...and a few more!

A few photos...

Day Three - Ireland 19 Denmark 18!!

Yes you read that right, the big news is that little Ireland scalped the 3rd seeds in the biggest upset of the tournament so far. Denmark entered the game having won 3 out of 3 in the Pool Stage and were looking for a nice easy win over the 'surprise' tope eight team. What they got was completely different! We came out hard on Defence but struggled with their fast cuttin and huge break throws. It seemed like they could throw almost anything. The O Line were playing well though and kept us within striking distance. We battled for every disc and started to find turns. Hag was at the centre of a lot of the O points, often skying 2 or 3 Danes to catch a score or to assist. Brian and the handlers had a near perfect game, hardly turning over all game. Derryk's long throws, Niall and stokesy's tireless cutting - it was an unstoppable machine! Soon after the tought start was a distant memory and the game became a dogfight. 5-2 to 7-7 to 9-7 Denmark and halftime. We regrouped and refocused - it was clear the game was there for the winning. Denmark came out strong in the second half and went 14-12 up, but were never able to get away. The D Line started motoring too, getting big blocks and converting them quickly. All of a sudden it was 16-15 Denmark and then the D line scored again, 16-16. Denmark replied using their aerial stength - 17-16 to the Danes.

The next point was vital. The O line came on and inevitably scored! Another D Line point and another turn and score. 18-17 to us. Soon we had posession again, thanks to a spectacular layout D from Ferg, but it wasnt to be. They scored for the game to 18-18 with the Hard Cap game to 19. The O line calmly converted to make the biggest upset a reality! Cue wild celebrations!!



It was a much tougher day for the Women who lost a close game to the Swedes at 9am. It was always winnable but the superior disc skills of the tall blondes (not stereotyping - honest!) won out - 17-14 I think. Next up were GB who had beaten every team they'd played thus far, only Germany managed to get double figures against them. 17-4 was the score, but an encouraging fight of a display.





WOMEN - Next Up - Latvia @ 9am (AGAIN!) tomorrow, then a new group.
OPEN - Next up - France at 11am, Sweden @ 5pm tomorrow.

All to play for!

The Schedule

So, a quick run down on what happens next for bothe teams.

WOMEN - due to there being 14 teams in the Womens Division there is simply a prolonged Pool Stage where 2 Pools of 7 provide each teams with 6 matches in the first 3 days. The Irish women have played three (vs. Germany, vs. Belgium and vs. Switzerland) and have three left - vs. Sweden and vs. GB today, and tomorrow, vs. Latvia. If they end up in the top four of their current group they will progress to the Quarter-Finals.

OPEN/MENS - with 16 teams there was room for 4 Pools of 4. The top two teams of each pool w'ent up' to a top eight made up of two pools of 4 with the bottom 2 teams 'going down' to form a bottom 8, also made up of 2 pols of 4. So the Irish Open team finished 2nd in their group behind GB and ahead of Itlay and the Czechs and are now i a group with France Sweden and today's opponents Denmark. After this 2nd Pool Stage the top two of each upper pool go staright to the quarters. The bottom 2 play crossover games against the top two from the bottom pools - 5-12th place playoffs for the remaining 4 quarterfinal spots.

We'll keep you informed!!

Day Two - Big scalp for the Open Team!

Day Two saw the Open Team play twice before the Women set foot on their field. First up were the Czech Republic, a team we knew little about except that they were seeded below us. They had a young team, not bereft of experience but young, and athletic-looking! We knew a strong start was vital and as such we began in a determined fashion. The first point saw the D Line get a quick turnover and convert it into a goal with little fuss. Score number one was followed quickly by an equally fast and simple second. The D Line was having no trouble shutting down the Czech Offence who struggled with our pace and quick movement of the disc. Soon it was 5-0 and the O Line went on to score a couple in quick successsion. Half-time: 9-0. If the first half was good, the second was even better. At half-time we spoke of how we were once the team losing to scratch...not this time. After 50mins (half the alloted time) the Irish team had secured their first ever international 'bagel' or win to 0. 17-0 and a great platform from which to attack the Italian game.


13.00 - on the ShowGame Pitch in the afternoon heat we came out against an Italian team smarting from a 10 pint loss against the dominant GB team. We started on an even footing with bothe teams offences finding space and trading the first 4 scores. 2 all and our D wasn'e getting the blocks it needed. The offence were under pressure and soon it was 5-2 to the Italians who were firing well. A time out calmed the nerves and broke up the Italians flow beofre the O Line got a point to break the Italians run. On with the D Line and soon after and switched to Zone Defence making good use of a slight breeze. From it came a few turns and a few solid scores. It was neck and neck 7-7, 8-8 and suddenly 9-8 to us at halftime. The game was fast and hard with no easy yards being conceded by either team. 9-9, then 10-10 and the 100min time cap was called. It was a game to 13. We'd spoken about how finishing strongly was vital to our chances and finish strongly we did. The O Line changed the Force to Front Up putting pressure on the Italian handlers who struggled to get throws off and just when we needed it JD got a huge D that turned the game. The score was got and the final two points won after huge work from all the Defence players. Pixie caught the score from cian's throw to instigate a massive pitch invasion and some memorable celebrations. Ireland Progress into the Second Pool Stage as a Top Eight Team!

At 15.00 the Women faced the Swiss, a strong outfit who'd already beaten Sweden, an old powerhouse of the Womens division. They started well taking a 3-1 lead only to be pegged back and overtaken by a determined Switzerland Offence. The game was there for the taking but a tough zone, a gusty wind and some wayward throws made it all the harder. The girls fought and fought and kept fighting until the end but it was too much. Tired and burnt the ladies went down 18-9. The scoreline didn't refelct the long points that were closely fought. The girls will play better and will have learnt a lot form a tough experience.

So, with Day Two over what next? Tomorrow sees the Women up against it, playing Sweden at 9.00 and GB at 13.00. Another long day. The afternoon brings Denmark at 15.00 for the Open team, a new challenge and perhaps the toughest yet...

Team Photos - in the bling kit!

Ireland Open:













Ireland Women:













Ireland National Teams @ EUC 2007: