Jumeirah Gaels Make History With First Middle East GAA Senior League Title

Jumeirah Gaels cemented their place as the best team in the Middle East with a victory over Dubai Celts in the final at the Sevens Stadium on Saturday.

Heading into the penultimate tournament of the season, Jumeirah Gaels, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai Celts were all level on points. But it was the Gaels who reigned supreme to come out on top at the Sevens.

It was a tense day of football, with Jumeirah Gaels drawing with Sharjah and beating Abu Dhabi A and Abu Dhabi B in the group stages to qualify for the semi-final.

In the last four, Jumeirah Gaels needed extra time and golden score to overcome Al Reem in a thriller, while Dubai Celts beat Abu Dhabi by three points. Jumeirah Gaels enjoyed the brighter start in the final, leading 1-3 to 0-1 at the break before stepping up their game in the second half to post 1-5 and ultimately win by 11 points (2-8 to 0-3).

Throughout the season, Jumeirah Gaels showed remarkable strength in depth, with captain Evan Duffy (Galway) and vice-captain Denis Keohane (Cork) leading the way. In defence, Liam McGoldrick (Derry), Daire McLoughlin (Cork), and Caoimhghin Ó Beaglaoich (Kerry) all demonstrated their voracious defensive abilities with key contributions in each game.

Clonmel man Peter Acheson (Tipperary) plays the game at a frightening level, leading by example all season. He will turn 33 in a few weeks, but his performances show no signs of slowing down. Along with Eric Lowndes (the Blanch Bull), Jack Savage (Kerry), and Mike Fitzgibbon (Limerick), who scored an impressive 1-1 in the final, Jumeirah boasts plenty of class going forward.

Tomas Kenny (Carlow), Eamon Kiely (Kerry), and Eamonn O’Colm (Donegal) all brimmed with class throughout the year, chipping in with scores at crucial times. It was a classy team effort that led to their first league victory.

In the ladies’ final, Abu Dhabi lifted their first title since 2019 with a slender win over Jumeirah Gaels. It was the first senior ladies’ final for the gallant Jumeirah side, and they put up a strong fight but ultimately fell short.

Stay tuned to What’s The Craic DubEye for weekend reports, videos of the top games and highlights of the action across the day at the iconic Dubai Sevens Stadium.