Aussies for ashbourne on friday

A Donaghmore/Ashbourne select will play the touring Australian team VAFA (Victoria Amateur Football Association) in Compromise Rules this Friday night in Ashbourne at 7.30pm.

The Donaghmore Ashbourne team will be boosted by the inclusion of Joe Sheridan,Graham Reilly and Harry Rooney to play the Victoria team.

Following the game there will be music in the clubhouse bar by Darren Murtagh

Tour group member Russell Barnes is compiling a daily diary of the trip and he had plenty to record before the group even boarded their flight for Dublin via Abu Dhabi.

'Off we go on our trip to Ireland. Shout out to the VAFA staff for organizing all the player and support staff gear to arrive at the airport,' he said.

'Only one little mishap; Matt ‘Chopper’ Handley had wife, Ally’s passport instead of his own so Ally had to make the quick trip to Donvale and back and did it with time to spare.

'After a long 14-hour flight we arrived at our first stop over at Abu Dhabi. A bit of bonding done on the flight with a number of the boys catching up outside the rear toilet. Now a lazy four-hour wait until we board and head to Dublin.'

Once they arrived in Dublin, it was on to a bus for the trip to Cork.

The Big V commenced their tour of Ireland with a sensational four-point victory against the best of Cork U-21s at the home of the Nemo Rangers in Trabeg - that game was last Thursday.

Then on Saturday, after more time on the road, Tuam Stars GAA Club played Australian side VAFA HQ in a compromise rules exhibition game at Tuam.

Today there is a game against the Combined Univerities and then on Friday it's off the Ashbourne with the final game on Sunday in England.

SCHEDULE
Thursday, October 15: VAFA vs Nemo Rangers
Saturday, October 17: VAFA vs Tuam Stars, Galway
Wednesday, October 21: VAFA vs Combined Universities
Friday, October 23: VAFA vs Donaghmore/Ashbourne
Sunday, October 25: VAFA vs AFL Great Britain