The North American County Board of the GAA held its annual pre-playoff meeting recently at Chicago Gaelic Park, the venue for this years finals. The main focus of the meeting was for the National Board to meet the local host playoff committee to review the plans already in place for the 2010 championship playoffs and make the draws for the tournament.
At least 20 cities, some with several teams, are expected to be represented at the finals over the Labor Day weekend, September 3rdh thru the 5th at Chicago Gaelic Park.
Similar to last year’s playoffs in Boston, 17 championships are on the agenda with about 70 games expected to be played at this years event.
Typically, the winners of each divisional championship will represent their division in the playoffs but there will be cases where two teams from the same division will be entered in the same grade. In some cases, the defeated divisional finalists will represent their divisions in a lower grade in the playoffs. Since there are teams from several cities competing for divisional championships in various grades it may not be know until mid-August what clubs or cities will be participating in the playoffs in any a particular grade. Consequently, divisions rather than cities or club names will be identified in this initial draw.
With only three cities competing at the senior hurling level Chicago has agreed to enter two teams to ensure two semi-finals in the senior hurling championship.
For the first time in many years a Canadian team will compete in this years championship. Following approval from both the Canadian and North American County Boards Vancouver will have a team compete in the junior “A” hurling championship
Following is a list of the divisions and the cities that were entered into the 2010 NACB Playoff draw:
NORTHEAST: Boston metropolitan area, Hartford CN, Concord NH
CENTRAL: Chicago metropolitan area, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Minnesota Twin Cities, St. Louis,
WESTERN: San Francisco metropolitan area.
PHILADELPHIA: Philadelphia metropolitan area, Allentown
MIDWEST: Akron, Buffalo, Cleveland, Detroit, Pittsburgh, Syracuse, Rochester.
SOUTH EAST: Atlanta, Charlotte
SOUTH WEST: Austin, Denver, Phoenix, Los Angeles, San Diego,
NORTH WEST: Portland, Washington - Seattle,
MIDATLANIC: Washington DC, Baltimore, Alexandria, VA
Following is the draw for the 2010 NACB playoffs:
Senior Hurling:
Semi-finals
Boston Vs Chicago 1
Chicago 2 Vs San Francisco
Junior A Hurling:
Quarter- finals
Vancouver Vs Washington DC
Milwaukee Vs Los Angelas
Semi-finals
Boston Vs Vancouver or Washington DC
San Francisco Vs Milwaukee or Los Angelas
Junior B Hurling:
Quarer-finals
Twin Cities Vs Celtic Cowboys
Denver Vs Atlanta
Indianapolis Vs Philadelphia
San Francisco Vs Seattle
Junior C Hurling:
Preliminary Rounds
Seattle Vs Indianapolis
St. Louis Vs Madison
Akron Vs Chicago
Quarter-finals
Seattle or Indianapolai Vs Philadelphia
St. Lousis or Madison Vs Milwaukee
Akron or Chicago Vs New Hamphire
Portland Vs Denver
Men’s Senior Football:
Semi-finals
Chicago Vs Philadelphia
Boson Vs San Francisco
Men’s Intermediate Football
Final
Philadelphia Vs San Francisco
Men’s Junior A Football
Quarter-final
Chicago Vs Philadelphia
Semi-finals
San Diego Vs Chicago or Philadelphia
Boston Vs San Francisco
Men’s Junior B Football
Quarter-finals
Northeast Vs Central
Mid-Atlantic Vs Denver
Midwest 2 Vs Los Angelas
Charlotte Vs Midwest 1
Men’s Junior C Football
Quarter-final
Northeast Vs Philadelphia
Semi-finals
Austin Vs Chicago
Northeast or Philadelphia Vs San Diego
Men’s Junior D Football
Preliminary Rounds
Baltimore Vs St. Louis
Phoenix Vs Atlanta
Quarter-finals
Baltimore or St. Louis Vs Denver
Phoenix or Atlanta Vs Chicago Fire Dpt.
Midwest Vs Mason Dixon
Kansas City Vs Twin Cities
All-American Football
Preliminary Round
Philadelphia Vs Midwest 1
Quarter-finals
Philadelphia or Midwest Vs Chicago Fire Dpt.
Northeast Vs Western
Mid-Atlantic Vs St. Louis
Central Vs Midwest 2
Ladies Senior Football
Semi-final
Boston Vs Philadelphia
Final
Boston or Philadelphia Vs San Francisco
Ladies Intermediate Football
Final
Washington DC Vs Philadelphia
Ladies Junior A Football
Quarter-final
Atlanta Vs San Francisco
Semi-finals
Atlanta or San Francisco Vs Boston
Charlotte Vs Chicago
Ladies Junior B Football:
Preliminary Round
San Diego Vs Seattle
Mid-Atlantic Vs Atlanta
Denver Vs Chicago
San Diego or Seattle Vs Mid-Atlantic or Atlanta
Denver or Chicago Vs Midwest
Draws for the camogie championships will be conducted later.