British University Gaelic football Championship

The British University Gaelic football Championship is an annual Gaelic football held for universities on the island of Britain. It is organised by the BUGAA which is a branch of the Higher Education GAA committee which oversees Gaelic Games in Universities. The competition is also overseen by the British Universities Sports Association. See also the British University Hurling Championship

History

The first attempt to start a British colleges Gaelic football tournament was in 1989, but it lapsed the following year and was revived in 1991 by the University of Crewe and Alsager who hosted and won a five-team tournament. In 1992 Newcastle and Sunderland Universities hosted a ten-team event on converted rugby pitches, and St. Mary's, Strawberry Hill (London) took the first of its titles. The British Universities' Gaelic football Championship - as it then became - started back in the 1992/93 academic session. Twelve teams congregated on Páirc na hÉireann, Catherine-de-Barns Lane, Solihull, Birmingham, with Swansea recording Wales' first and only club championship success thus far. The competition had found its true 'home', both in terms of geography and facilities, and there it has remained ever since.

The number of participants had risen to sixteen by 1994, but in 1995 an uncharacteristically heavy snowfall rendered the Birmingham pitches unplayable, and the competition had to be cancelled. The experience led to a championship review, arising out of which it was decided to divide Britain into four regions. Thus from 1996 the regions held their own qualification schemes, each sending two qualifying teams to the finals weekend.

The quota was raised to three teams per region in 1997, thus making for a 12-team weekend. In 1999 Joe McDonagh became the first GAA President to attend the British Universities' championships, and his lead has been followed by his successor, Seán McCague in 2001 and 2002.

Previous Years

A Championship

The winners of the A Championship qualify to play in the Trench Cup - which is the B Championship for universities in Ireland - at the semi-final stage. In 2004 St. Mary's, London won that competition. In 2007 John Moore's qualified for the final of this competition by beating University of Ulster Colerine 1-9 to 0-9.

2005 Championship

14th Competition held in and around Birmingham on the Weekend of the ##, ## and ##th of Febuaray 2005.

A ChampionshipOn the 10th of February four groups of four teams battled it out to qualify for the quarterfinals. The top two teams entered the last eight while the bottom two teams entered the B Championship.

"Last 8 of A Championship"Competition between top two teams from each group.8TeamBracket | RD1=Quarterfinals
February 11| RD2=Semifinals
February 11| RD3=Final
February 12

RD1-seed1=| RD1-seed2=| RD1-seed3=| RD1-seed4=| RD1-seed5=| RD1-seed6=| RD1-seed7=| RD1-seed8=

RD1-team1=St. Mary's
RD1-team2=Liverpool Hope
RD1-score1=won
RD1-score2=lost

RD1-team3=Napier
RD1-team4=Aberdeen
RD1-score3=won
RD1-score4=lost

RD1-team5=RGU
RD1-team6=Abertay
RD1-score5=won
RD1-score6=lost

RD1-team7=JMU
RD1-team8=Dundee
RD1-score7=won
RD1-score8=lost

RD2-team1=St. Mary's
RD2-team2=Napier
RD2-score1=won
RD2-score2=lost

RD2-team3=JMU
RD2-team4=RGU
RD2-score3=won
RD2-score4=lost

RD3-team1=St. Mary's
RD3-team2=JMU
RD3-score1=1-3
RD3-score2=0-5

B ChampionshipCompetition between bottom two teams in each group from the 'A' Championship. The final: Glamorgan 2-4 Bangor 1-1.

C Championship (Plate)Plate Championship Final: Brighton 1-5, Leeds 3-5.Other team included Aston University, University of Sunderland, University of Cambridge.

2006 Championship

15th Competition held in and around Birmingham on the Weekend of the 10, 11 and 12th of Febuaray 2006.

A Championship

On the 10th of February four groups of four teams battled it out to qualify for the quarterfinals. The top two teams entered the last eight while the bottom two teams entered the B Championship.

"Last 8 of A Championship:"Competition between top two teams from each group.8TeamBracket | RD1=Quarterfinals
February 11| RD2=Semifinals
February 11| RD3=Final
February 12

RD1-seed1=| RD1-seed2=| RD1-seed3=| RD1-seed4=| RD1-seed5=| RD1-seed6=| RD1-seed7=| RD1-seed8=

RD1-team1=St. Mary's
RD1-team2=RGU
RD1-score1=0-4
RD1-score2=0-5

RD1-team3=Liverpool Hope
RD1-team4=Edinburgh
RD1-score3=2-5
RD1-score4=0-2

RD1-team5=JMU
RD1-team6=Dundee
RD1-score5=2-5
RD1-score6=0-4

RD1-team7=Napier
RD1-team8=Newcastle
RD1-score7=3-8
RD1-score8=1-4

RD2-team1=RGU
RD2-team2=Liverpool Hope
RD2-score1=0-2
RD2-score2=1-6

RD2-team3=JMU
RD2-team4=Napier
RD2-score3=2-4
RD2-score4=0-8

RD3-team1=Liverpool Hope
RD3-team2=JMU
RD3-score1=0-5
RD3-score2=0-7

B ChampionshipCompetition between bottom two teams in each group from the 'A' Championship. The final: Preston 3-9 Glasgow University 0-10.

C Championship (Plate)

"Group Stage"Plate Championship Final: Sunderland 2-7, Chester 0-7.

2007 Championship

Held in and around Greenford, London on the Weekend of the 16, 17 and 18th of Febuaray 2007.

A Championship

"Group Stage"
-!width=50%|Group 3!width=50%|Group 4
- style="vertical-align: top;"|

"Last 8 of A Championship"Competition between top two teams from each group.8TeamBracket | RD1=Quarterfinals
February 17| RD2=Semifinals
February 17| RD3=Final
February 18

RD1-seed1=| RD1-seed2=| RD1-seed3=| RD1-seed4=| RD1-seed5=| RD1-seed6=| RD1-seed7=| RD1-seed8=

RD1-team1=JMU
RD1-team2=
RD1-score1=
RD1-score2=

RD1-team3=Liverpool Hope
RD1-team4=Dundee
RD1-score3=
RD1-score4=

RD1-team5=Napier
RD1-team6=Northumbria
RD1-score5=
RD1-score6=

RD1-team7=St. Mary's
RD1-team8=Aberdeen
RD1-score7=
RD1-score8=

RD2-team1=JMU
RD2-team2=Liverpool Hope
RD2-score1=
RD2-score2=

RD2-team3=Napier
RD2-team4=Aberdeen
RD2-score3=
RD2-score4=

RD3-team1=JMU
RD3-team2=Napier
RD3-score1=1-15
RD3-score2=2-5

B ChampionshipCompetition between bottom two teams in each group from the 'A' Championship.8TeamBracket | RD1=Quarterfinals
February 17| RD2=Semifinals
February 17| RD3=Final
February 18

RD1-seed1=| RD1-seed2=| RD1-seed3=| RD1-seed4=| RD1-seed5=| RD1-seed6=| RD1-seed7=| RD1-seed8=

RD1-team1=Sunderland University
RD1-team2=Glasgow
RD1-score1=
RD1-score2=

RD1-team3=Manchester
RD1-team4=Edinburgh
RD1-score3=
RD1-score4=

RD1-team5=Preston University
RD1-team6=
RD1-score5=
RD1-score6=

RD1-team7=
RD1-team8=
RD1-score7=
RD1-score8=

RD2-team1= Sunderland University
RD2-team2= Manchester
RD2-score1=
RD2-score2=

RD2-team3=Preston University
RD2-team4=
RD2-score3=
RD2-score4=

RD3-team1=Sunderland University
RD3-team2=Preston University
RD3-score1= 2-13
RD3-score2= 1-03Bangor, Glasgow and Heriott Watt also.

C Championship (Plate)"Group Stage"
-!width=50%|Group 3!width=50%|Group 4
- style="vertical-align: top;"|

Last 4 of Plate4TeamBracket | RD1=Semifinals
February 17| RD2=Final
February 18

RD1-team1= Chester
RD1-team2= Abertay
RD1-score1=won
RD1-score2=lost

RD1-team3= Worcester
RD1-team4= Huddersfield
RD1-score3=lost
RD1-score4=won

RD2-team1=Chester
RD2-team2=Huddersfield
RD2-score1=3-17
RD2-score2=0-4

2008 Championship

The biggest ever Championship was held at 6 different locations in and around Birmingham on the weekend of the 22-24 February 2008. GAA facilities in Coventry, Rugby, Leicester, Wythall, Corby and at the main venue of Erin Go Bragh GAA club in Erdington. 35 teams competed including a second team from Liverpool, JMU and two international teams - New York and Rennes (France) as well as teams from England, Scotland and Wales.

Championship (Division 1)

Division 3 (Plate)Four groups with winner (in Bold) going through to semi-finals.
* Group A: Oxford, Newman College, Brighton, Stirling, Teeside
* Group B: Lincoln, Rennes, Nottingham, Carlisle, New York
* Group C: Cambridge, Sheffield Hallam/Sheffield Uni, Aston, Abertay, Huddersfield
*Group D: Uni East London, Bedford, Man Met/Salford, Worcester

Knockout Stages

Championship4TeamBracket | RD1=Semifinals
February 23| RD2=Final
February 24

RD1-team1= Liverpool JMU
RD1-team2= Liverpool Hope
RD1-score1=0-20
RD1-score2=0-16

RD1-team3= St. Mary's
RD1-team4= Napier
RD1-score3=1-5
RD1-score4=0-10

RD2-team1=Liverpool JMU
RD2-team2=Napier
RD2-score1=1-13
RD2-score2=0-7

Division 24TeamBracket | RD1=Semifinals
February 23| RD2=Final
February 24

RD1-team1= Liverpool JMU 'B'
RD1-team2= UCLAN
RD1-score1=1-9
RD1-score2=2-10

RD1-team3= Bangor
RD1-team4= Chester
RD1-score3=1-7
RD1-score4=1-8

RD2-team1=UCLAN
RD2-team2=Chester
RD2-score1=1-13
RD2-score2=0-11

Division 3 (Plate)4TeamBracket | RD1=Semifinals
February 23| RD2=Final
February 24

RD1-team1= Sheff. Uni/Sheff. Hallam Uni
RD1-team2= Teeside
RD1-score1=0-4
RD1-score2=0-6

RD1-team3= Man Met/Salford
RD1-team4= New York
RD1-score3=1-9
RD1-score4=1-4

RD2-team1=Teeside
RD2-team2=Man Met/Salford
RD2-score1=1-10
RD2-score2=2-14

ee also

*Gaelic Athletic Association
*Sigerson Cup
*Fitzgibbon Cup
*British University Hurling Championship

External links

* [http://britishuniversities.he.gaa.ie/index.html BU GAA Website]
* [http://www.astonguild.org.uk/cms/render.php?page_id=960/index.html Aston Gaels GAA]