Gavin goes in search of AFL success

BY the time you read this a Blessington GAA star will have faced the British Bulldogs in London on his search for AFL Europe glory and he and his Irish Warrior colleagues will be through to the final or they will have entered the last chance saloon in their bid for success.

Gavin Murray, a midfielder for the Blessington senior footballers, has had a fondness for the sport of AFL for years having, like many thousands of us Irish folk, watched the highlights from the Aussie Rules in Australia on RTE Television and a chance mention of a club in terenure in work one day propelled him down a road that now sees him lining out for his country.

“I was working one day and one of the lads told me about this club playing AFL,” said Gavin, who spoke to the Wicklow People from London only hours ahead of his massive clash with the Bulldogs.

“I never realised that there was a club in Ireland but I went down and I’ve been playing with the South Dublin Swans in Terenure and I haven’t looked back. That was in 2014,” he added.

Out of the small number of clubs in Ireland and from the pool of Irish players in clubs overseas, players were invited to take part in trials for the Irish Warriors in a Draft Cup competition of three matches where the initial attendance was whittled down to 30 with further reductions resulting in the final tournament squad of which Gavin was successful at being selected for.

“We’ve been training for this (the AFL Europe competition) for the last couple of months,” said Gavin, who also trains with Blesso.

“We arrived last Friday and we’ve already played out first game against the German Eagles and we bet them handy enough. This evening (Tuesday) we play the Great Britain Bulldogs. They are very good to be fair,” he added.