On a bitterly cold Dublin evening emerged a South African Gaelic football team to face Ballyboden St Endas. They made the short walk from the dressing room to the pitch with their arms linked, chanting in unison.
It was the inaugural tour for the South African Gaels. A team made up of South African and Zimbabwean natives, and former Irish ex-pats. They were captained by Steven Mavinga who played in midfield alongside former Ballyboden star, Greg Heraty.
The match was played in four 15 minute quarters. The rules were relaxed for the visiting opposition with kick-outs and 45s being allowed to be taken out of their hands. Ballyboden fielded their Junior B side that compete in Division 9.
Although Ballyboden were a much more experienced side, the Dubliners were lucky to come away with a victory thanks to a goal late in the fourth quarter.
At half-time the score was 0-04 to 0-01 in favour of Ballyboden, but it was an open free-flowing encounter. Plenty of scoring opportunities were created but the South Africans' finishing let them down on occasions. It took Ballyboden most of the first two quarters to adjust to the speed of their opponents.
It was a thrilling performance from the South African side. The athleticism of the Africans was prevalent throughout, especially in the third quarter when they blitzed their opponents by scoring two goals and four points compared to Ballyboden’s two points.
The final score was 3-08 to 2-09 in favour of Ballyboden St Endas. However, the final score mattered little. It was all about the occasion; the once in a lifetime experience that these South Africans were immersing themselves in, throughout their time in Ireland.
The South African Gaels played against a St Vincents Masters selection on Sunday evening before travelling to play St Marys in Belfast on Monday. Brian Mullins coached the squad in UCD on the Saturday. The lessons learned from this trip will no doubt add to the development of the GAA in South Africa.
Ultimately what cost the South African Gaels was their lack of accuracy. Their Manager, Paul Carpenter, agrees. “It was a close game but we made too many mistakes. We didn’t execute properly when we attacked. We panicked a little, maybe that was down to the occasion.”
The few mistakes that were made were admirable for a team who have only been in existence for four years. It is the first time that the group have been out of South Africa together, with the exception of competing in the Dubai Gulf Gaelic Games competition. For a few members of the squad it was the first time they have ever left South Africa.
Paul Carpenter has been with the team since its inception. He first got involved with the GAA while he was living in Singapore. He was part of a GAA club in Singapore for nearly ten years. When he moved to South Africa, one of his first ventures was to set up a GAA club in the region.
The English native believes that the GAA can thrive in South Africa over the next few years.
“I knew that the South African boys would have a natural ability to play the sport. The interaction and the speed of the game, the hand-eye coordination; they really just take to it. If we can, as an international community, come together to create competition to give other countries outside of Ireland something to play for then there is great potential to go forward."
Captain Steven Mavinga commented that: “the game was very intense. We have learned a lot in Ireland. In the last quarter the lads from Ballyboden started to step it up a level which was tough for us. It was clear that we were getting a bit tired near the end so that is something we have to work on.”
He went on to say that: “Overall we did very well. We took everything we learned in Ireland on board. We have been taught to keep composure and keep the structure of the game at all times, thanks to coaching from Brian Mullins.”
The South African squad have learned a lot both on and off the pitch. Earlier in the day, before their match against Ballyboden, the team visited Stormont in Belfast.
They were given a tour of Government buildings before meeting with Martin McGuinness, deputy first minister of Northern Ireland.
Carpenter recalls that: “Stormont was hilarious. The guys were bouncing up and down singing songs with Martin McGuinness in the middle of it all. Joe Brolly was there too. He was taking ‘selfies’ with the team and putting them up on Twitter. We’ve really been so warmly welcomed everywhere we went. It’s been an absolutely fantastic experience.”
The team were given a history lesson in Stormont also. Steven Mavinga mentions the links between Northern Ireland and South Africa. “In Belfast, we learned a lot about the conflict in Northern Ireland and how it relates to the apartheid regime we were subjected to in South Africa. They are still working on relations in Northern Ireland and we are still working on issues back home in South Africa too. There are a lot of similarities between our two countries.”
Next up for the South African Gaels is the Dubai Gulf Gaelic Games competition at the end of March. The competition features teams from the Middle East, India, South Africa, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Australia, and even Ireland. There are competitive and social level standards. South African Gaels will be entering teams at both grades in what is sure to be another exciting challenge for Paul Carpenter and his team of enthusiastic African Gaelic football devotees.
Over the next few months, two permanent GAA development officials are being set up in South Africa in the Johannesburg townships of Tembisa and Alexandra. The South African Gaels are grateful to their sponsors ESB International who have been extremely forthcoming in their support for the team.
The GAA has gone global, and South Africa is thriving on a sport steeped in history and tradition. This tour of Ireland will no doubt enhance the reputation of the GAA in South Africa and further afield.
The South African Gaels team show off their dancing skills after the game; listen out for the most Irish GAA comment ever at the end of the video.
S.DAWSON 26/03/14
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