News

05 October 1998 - Queensland gaelic football broke a drought of Sheffield Shield proportions by sensationally winning an Australasian Championship for the first time after 28 years of trying.

The Queensland Minors thrashed Victoria by 14 points in the final, and in fact kicked 2-7 (13) before Victoria bothered the scorer for the first time. It was like men playing boys - that was how dominant the maroons were.

It was the first Championship win by Queensland after 28 years of Australasian Games, and 21 years of minor football. It is a credit to both the players and coaching staff for the attractive style of play and fine result, which included a perfect 5 wins from 5 games.

In Seniors Football, New South Wales was head and should above the crowd, as they thumped Auckland, while the same state also won the Hurling in an entertaining final against Victoria.

New South Wales also won the Ladies Football title by beating Western Australia in the final. The only loss in the championship by New South Wales was against Queensland.

03 October 1998 - Queensland Minors humiliated New South Wales in the Minors Football semi finals by 19-points to be just one step away from an inaugural Australasian Championship for the state.

Queensland have four wins from four games, and are certain to attract huge home crowd support with the excitement building for the final showdown against Victoria.

Meanwhile, Queensland Seniors lost their semi final to Auckland, which play New South Wales in the final.

Western Australia play New South Wales in the final of the Ladies Football, while predictably New South Wales play Victoria in the Hurling.

02 October 1998 - The Queensland Minors marched impressively into the football semi finals as expected, the Queensland Seniors beat Victoria for the first time and stole a semi final berth, but the Queensland Ladies threw it all away as inexplicable and inexperienced coaching tried to fix what wasn't broken.

After two historic wins in the opening two days, the Queensland Ladies football team looked set to storm into the final for the first time, but the coach changed players, and changed positions almost at random to successfully turn winners into losers in their final two games.

Most obvious of all was the moving of Jacqueline Peacock from midfield, where she absolutely dominated for Queensland in the first game and a half, to firstly full forward, to who-knows-where to finally on the bench.

It wasn't until the second half of a seemingly lost cause against Victoria that she re-took the field at cetre half back to keep Victoria's best player touchless - yes touchless. She was the launching pad of a revival from trailing at 1-9 to nil at the half to eventually losing just 3-10 to 4-3. But there were many other girls who finally found their way into their natural positions, despite the best coaching efforts (sic), to also play superbly. The girls are a great team, but please, let them play!

Even the Australasian selector has strongly acknowledged how the Queensland coaching was, to put it simply, inexplicable.

The bottom line is that Western Australia will be favourites in the ladies final against probably New South Wales, or even Victoria., while Queensland have serious chances of inaugural titles in both the seniors and minors football. New South Wales will play Victoria in the final of the hurling, and will win.

30 September 1998 - Queensland Ladies created history and provided the shock of the Australasian Gaelic Games so far, edging past seemingly powerful New South Wales by a solitary point.

New South Wales, finalists last year, may whinge (and they did), but it was Queensland who took a 4-nil lead in the opening moments thanks to the O'Neill sisters - Joann put over 1 point, and Louise 2 as Queensland bolted. Joann also converted a penalty late in the game as Queensland led by up to 6 points.

Jacqueline Peacock was outstanding in midfield, and even kicked a vital point during a spell at centre forward in the second half. Trish McGirl was superb at full back - and to prove the point, the only time she missed a high ball, NSW scored, but that was against the norm.

This was the first win by a Queensland ladies team in Gaelic Games history. Western Australia are favourites at this early stage, however, after recording a 10 point win over defending champions Auckland.

Meanwhile, Queensland Minors thumped a far smaller New South Wales to move into title favouritism. Queensland Seniors won possession but not the game against Western Australia, despite captain Steve Talbot and Casey Graham keeping their opponents almost touchless for the match. New South Wales may be favourites in the Seniors, but not by much at this stage, marginally ahead of Victoria.

Email comments to hoops64@hotmail.com