San Francisco GAA Shines at USGAA Finals in Philadelphia
The San Francisco GAA finished the 2025 USGAA Finals in Philadelphia with three national titles, securing its reputation as home to some of the most elite Gaelic athletic clubs in North America. Seven teams representing six Bay Area clubs competed on the national stage, winning trophies in Intermediate Gaelic Football, Senior Ladies Gaelic Football, and Senior Camogie.
San Francisco’s women completed a rare double by capturing both the Senior Ladies Gaelic Football and Senior Camogie cups.
Western Division clubs now hold three of the four highest USGAA titles, including Tipperary’s North American Senior Hurling victory in Chicago.
Éire Óg: Intermediate Football Champions
Éire Óg capped a remarkable season by lifting the Intermediate Football trophy. The club met the Los Angeles Cougars in the final, a side they had defeated in the St. Patrick’s Cup run at Páirc na nGael. Once again, Éire Óg proved the stronger team to seal a proud moment for a club that is steadily climbed the ranks.
Fog City Harps: Senior Ladies Football Champions
The weekend’s headline story belongs to the Fog City Harps. The club ended a nine-year drought to reclaim the Senior Ladies Gaelic Football title. For the past three years, Fog had been stopped by Chicago’s St. Brigid’s, who entered the finals chasing a fourth consecutive championship.
But in the sweltering Philadelphia heat and the Harps trailing by 11 points at halftime, Fog City staged one of the greatest comebacks in USGAA history. Second-half points from Aoibheann Leahy, Alisha Wilkinson, Saoirse Delaney, Emily Naughton, Meadhbh Dirrane, Ali Sherlock, and Abi Keenan brought them back into contention while the defense, anchored by Rachel Killigrew, Sarah Walsh, Claire Colleran, Kelly McGrath, Duana Coleman, Lily Rogers, Emma Glynn, and Erin Manning, held St. Brigid’s to just three points after the break.
Then with 90 seconds left and Fog down by two, Sherlock struck for a decisive goal to put the Harps ahead by one. The women held on until the final whistle to seal an emotional come-from-behind victory.
Cú Chulainn: Senior Camogie Champions
Only two hours after Fog’s victory, many of the same players took the field again. Exhausted but determined, Cú Chulainn defended their Senior Camogie title by defeating the New England Fenians in commanding fashion.
Wilkinson, Delaney, and Walsh led the scoring, with Sherlock and Fiona Guiney controlling the midfield. Fiona and Michala O’Donoghue impressed in the half-back line, while Hannah O’Connell, Dara Murphy, and Grace McCusker supported both offense and defense. In the back line, Roisin Lyons, Manning, and Rogers, along with goalkeeper Brid Coleman, kept the Fenians in check.
Six members of the starting 13 were San Francisco Youth GAA alumni, proof of the strength of the local talent pipeline. For the second straight year, Cú Chulainn proved to be the best camogie side in North America.
Strong Efforts Across the Board
Even clubs that fell short of their goal showed the depth of San Francisco GAA, falling only to the eventual title winners. Ulster Gaelic Football Club exited in the Senior semifinals, losing to Philadelphia’s Young Irelands, the finals champions. Pearse Óg Hurling, winners in San Francisco, were eliminated in the Junior A semifinals by Na Tóraidhe, who went on to win the Intermediate trophy. Clan na Gael were stopped in the Intermediate Ladies semifinal by the Boston Shamrocks, eventual champions.
The Fog City Juniors fell to Connacht Boston in difficult conditions but demonstrated the strides made in the development of homegrown talent with a team of all but one American. In total, the club sent 42 players to Philadelphia, no small feat in itself.
A City of Champions
When the finals were over, San Francisco GAA clubs held three of the four senior USGAA titles: Senior Hurling, Senior Ladies Gaelic Football, and Senior Camogie. Of the clubs that did not win, most were eliminated by strong sides that went on to lift finals cups.
It was, without doubt, a triumphant weekend for San Francisco GAA and a reminder that the Bay Area is home to some of the strongest Gaelic athletic clubs on the continent.
