Report: Kieran McCarthy
THREE players from the Killarney area left their mark on the inaugural GAA World Games in Abu Dhabi this weekend.
Frank McCarthy from Fossa and Cian Tobin from Spa were selected on one of two Middle East GAA men’s team for this historic event in the United Arab Emirates while Katie Warren of Killarney Legion made the Middle East ladies’ team to give the first-ever GAA World Games a distinct Killarney flavour.
A total of 20 teams – from Asia, Australasia, Canada, Europe, New York, North America and the Middle East – battled it out for the GAA World Cup, with McCarthy, Tobin and Warren all in the limelight.
Former Fossa footballer McCarthy, (28), has worked in the Middle East for the past 20 months in sales and business development with Enterprise Ireland and RCSI. He is based in Bahrain and plays his club football with the Arabian Celts.
In the trial process used to select the 24 players for the two men’s Middle East teams, McCarthy was the only player from his club to be selected on Middle East 1, a huge honour for him and the Arabian Celts.
He joined up with former Kerry minor footballer and stylish Spa attacker Cian Tobin who plays his club football in Abu Dhabi.
Tobin, as impressive as ever, scored a hugely impressive 1-7 with McCarthy contributing a point as the Middle East 1 side lost out to the Middle East 2 side in the thrilling and high-scoring decider.
But it was all about the experience for former Fossa star McCarthy.
“Gaelic football is a big thing out here. It’s hard to explain to anyone at home because people assume the standard is poor but it’s as good here as it is in most counties at home,” he told KillarneyToday.com from his base in Bahrain.
“I came out here with no expectations about the GAA. For me the GAA was the heart of the community back home but in no way did I expect it to be so huge out here. Without it, the Irish community would be lost.
“In the Middle East everything is community based. When I first got here I knew no one. Joining the GAA out here was the best decision I ever made,” he said.
“The GAA scene out here is a big thing and the standard varies from the basic beginner to inter-county players. There are teams in almost every country – Kuwait, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar and the UAE which is made up of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Al Ain,” he explained.
