The San Francisco GAA celebrates a national championship after the USGAA Western Division won the Camogie title at the inaugural Divisional Select Camogie Tournament in Nashville.
Representing the Western Division, the Camogie squad was made up of players from San Francisco's Cú Chulainn Camogie Club plus a few who came out of retirement for the tournament. Their path to the title started soon after their disappointing exit from the USGAA Finals in Boston.
The inaugural USGAA Divisional Select Tournament brought together some of the best players from across the country to represent their respective divisions in a national competition. For the Western Division, the tournament ended in a historic achievement: becoming the inaugural USGAA Divisional Select Camogie Champions.
Turning disappointment into motivation
The road to Nashville began with disappointment at the USGAA Finals in Boston. Cú Chulainn Camogie Club, national champions in 2024 and 2025, fell short of the final after a challenging weekend and exited at the semi-final stage.
But an earlier-than-expected exit only strengthened the team's determination to succeed in Nashville.
The squad trained twice a week for six weeks, focusing on the fundamentals, sharpening their skills, and building the connections that would prove important in the divisional finals.
A weekend of unexpected challenges
Opening day was a severe test, even before the first throw-in.
All but two players arrived on red-eyes from San Francisco. With little to no sleep, four players were involved in an Uber crash on the way to the pitch that left them shaken and suffering from whiplash.
As the team began its warm-up, the remnants of Hurricane Isaias swept into Nashville. Torrential rain continued throughout the opening match. This made the ball heavy and slippery. Conditions on the pitch were increasingly difficult.
Despite the challenges, Western players found a way to win against the Heartland Division before delivering another strong performance against the Midwest Division to book their place in Sunday's final.
Heartland deserves particular credit for their determination. Their players continued to compete with spirit and commitment, regardless of the scoreline.
A final worthy of a championship
The Midwest Division came into Sunday's final with a new tactical approach. The team introduced an extra defender to limit the Western forwards' opportunities to score goals. This forced the Western side to find other ways to score.
In the second half, however, Midwestern returned to a 15-versus-15 setup. This opened up the game and closed the gap. The Western players had to work hard to hold on to their advantage in one of the most competitive games the squad had faced in some time.
Midwestern coach Joey Murphy from the Cleveland GAA deserves enormous credit for his tactical decisions and for pushing the Western team throughout the final. The quality of the opposition made the victory even more rewarding.
A title for San Francisco
The inaugural USGAA Divisional Select Camogie Championship is a significant achievement for the Western Division and the wider San Francisco GAA community.
Congratulations to every player who represented the Western Division with pride. The improvement from the squad's first training session to the final in Nashville demonstrates the commitment each player brought to the team. A special shoutout to those who came out of retirement to be part of the squad!
Christy O’Connell and his fedora deserve credit for keeping the players on their toes, while Brid Coleman led every training session, honing the team's skills. Roisin Lyons’ dedication has also been instrumental in keeping Cú Chulainn Camogie alive in San Francisco.
A huge thank-you to Paschal and Bevin of Sage Construction for their sponsorship and unwavering support of the team.
Camogie is thriving in San Francisco, and this national title marks an exciting milestone.
Congratulations, too, to Heartland and Midwest for their efforts and for helping make the inaugural tournament such a memorable occasion. We look forward to seeing what comes next for Camogie in San Francisco!
