THIS PAGE IS USED TO UPDATE THOSE WHO ARE UNABLE TO GO ON TOUR BUT KEEN TO KEEP UP TO DATE WITH ALL RESULTS AS THEY HAPPEN
GUINNESS ASIAN GAELIC GAMES 2008 - PENANG
Paddy on the spot has the latest from Ping Pong Penang below!!
The Ladies B team celebrating some early success
Saturday Morning In the spirit of what the Jockey club has done for Hong Kong, the Asian Gaelic Games 2008 is brought to you as a 2 mile horse racing festival of jumping...... 9:12......and we're off
The Hong Kong Ladies B team under the mount of Ruth Wynne got off to a flyer, reaching the first fence of HKSB and cleared it with room to spare.
Next up were the Hong Kong Mens B team, who with buckshot getting on the whip a little early in the race, stumbled at the first fence to Singapore C team, they then regained composure with great agility and ably cleared a hefty Taiwan fence!!
The Hong Kong Mens A team had the bit between their teeth from an early start off time, and so far have dealt well with the challanges of both Sngapore A and Japan A. There is a question of juicing in the Hong Kong camp, as this horse looks very strong....urine testing post race has not been ruled out.
The spotters are on the course and have reported that the Hong Kong ladies A team, although unseen at this stage is being held up toward the back of the field by Steve Martin. They are due at 1pm to tackle the Malaysia A fence, and then at 3pm against the water jump that is Shanghai A.
Saturday Evening Update!
Andy and Walter proudly show off there team work in holding up the HK flag for the Men's B team
With the Saturday evening Penang bend rounded, the latest we have from the Asian Gaelic games Group 1 Challange is as follows:
HK Mens A team has cleared all 5 fences in front of them, some tough competition in Shanghai and Dubai, but the surprise horse so far has been Qatar putting it up to the steamroller that is HK.
The Mens B team has fought off the challange of Malaysia in its latest clearance, and has now positioned itself on the rail, and in the quarter final of the plate.
The Ladies A team took off like a juggernaut when they were found at the halfway point of the course, going through their first two fences, not even going over them, when it came to Shanghai A, their tails were up, and they cleared it with 5 points to spare......they have one more fence to go on Sunday morning in the shape of Singapore A, but Elaine Morgan’s mount has already positioned itself in the semi-finals of the cup with the usual horses present from the last couple of years...Korea, Dubai, Singapore A and our own Hong Kong A.
The Ladies B team has put together a wonderful race so far......it would remind you of sea biscuit...full of heart and determination. Unfortunately they’ve come up against some very high fences in Korea A and Dubai A, but they’ve done themselves proud and are hitting the home straight with a final sprint for the plate.
Uncle Buck appears to give the young Cub some support
As we round onto the home straight today we’ll give it to you like this..... Hong Kong Mens A are heading the field with a semi-final place, John O and Cozie have the whip out, but have not engaged it yet. The mens B team is overcoming all obstacles in their way and have run very smartly into a quarter final plate position, showing that it’s not always the sprinters that bring home the silverware. The Ladies A team is cruising up the field at a ferocious pace with a semi-final of the cup lurking over the next furlong. The Ladies B team have their ears back, the blinkers on and are in a bowl final.......it’s all to race for at the moment!!!!
Sunday Morning
And the latest update we have from the course sees the Hong Kong men’s A team going head to head with Korea A, 2 furlongs out, or in layman’s terms in the semi-finals. The Ladies A team stumbles at the Singapore A fence this morning, but this had little effect as they were already in the semi-final against Dubai ladies A later in the day. Perhaps hitting that fence will spur them on to greater things....just the shock they needed!
The story of the day has to come from calls for a judicial review of the way the Japan ladies played.....there was great surprise when they lost their final qualifing round game to the combined team (Japan didn't score anything!) a fact which saw them go into the bowl final (which they subsequently won, beating the same combined team by 8 points to no score ... go figure!).....this act sees the Hong Kong Ladies B team promoted to the plate semi-final where they're in the running with Shanghai A....this could be a tough hurdle for the Ladies B team, who have galloped valiantly to this point, and could be forced out by this unseating of the Japanese rider.
Stay tuned for the latest as we approach the final furlongs in this intriguing race
Sunday Afternoon....Latest!
The Ladies A team sadly depart the tournament again losing to Dubai by a point
As if a re-run of the same race last year, the Ladies A team faced off against Dubai over the second last hurdle, and after losing a key player in Leesa in the last group game, this was always going to be a tough affair. Nip and tuck is how it went....but unfortunately the Dubai ladies got their nose in front to the tune of one point....and our Ladies A team fall at a familiar hurdle at the semi-final stage.
The Ladies B team had a very tough task laid out in front of them, an uphill struggle facing an A team in a plate semi-final, but equip themselves well they did, holding firm for much of the game, but falling in the end to the Shanghai Ladies A team.
The Mens B team, as if taking a leaf out of the others book, played hard and fast (I know who was on the team, it's a figure of speech), before falling in extra time to Dubai B in the plate quarter final. Dubai B were the eventual winners of the Plate and have since been severely warned by the ACB for using an A team player in their quarter final and semi final games.
Which leaves only one Hong Kong team remaining....the Mens A team, the Stallions of the race....they face off in their second to final jump against a stout Korean team...who's claim to fame last year was beating the Hong Kong mens A team (and they have a framed signed Hong Kong jersey with the scoreline to prove it!!), while the other competitors left in the race are the Singapore A team against the dark horse of the race...Qatar.
Continuation of the Juggernaut
An overdressed Men's A team celebrate their final victory oer Singapore
The latest has Hong Kong Mens A team charging up the hill toward the finish line....they've not only cleared the second last hurdle...they cleared it in a canter...Hong Kong Mens A 2-9, Korea A 1-3. It's a neck in neck race now to the finish between Hong Kong and Singapore A, who dealt with the troublesome Qatar earlier. The final is scheduled for around 5, get your bets down, your beverage in hand and cross whatever bodily extremeties provide you with luck....hold onto your hats people, here we go!!!!
The finish line has been Reached
As with all good things...they must come to an end, and the Hong Kong mens A team arrived at the finish line just a couple of moments ago after besting Singapore in what can best be described as a "Physical affair". To be more honest it looked like the finishing stretch of the Aintree Grand National, with bodies' littering the course everywhere and just the sturdy few making it over the line to a deafening roar. Singapore have been on the end of some beatings by Hong Kong over the last few years, and it seems in this final has decided that the fair option was not going to work to their advantage, so they decided to add some weight to the Hong Kong saddle in the shape of pulling and dragging. Our mighty men took on the battle and stuck to the game plan...points will win most games, and so it was that Hong Kong came out on top 0-8 to 0-3.
A wonderful win....three in a row for the Men's A team, the B team and the Ladies teams fought valiently but unfortunately succumbed to stronger opposition in some cases, to bad luck in others.
For now, thats all from Patrick, hope the gang in Ping Pong Penang have a mighty session tonight, and even though there is no Tierney this year, surely with 2 flights to get home, someone is going to get left behind.
Guinness Asian Gaelic Games 2007 - Results for HK sides.
Results for Hong Kong Men's A - Derek Brady Cup
| Team | Played | Won | Drew | Lost | Points| |
| Hong Kong | 5 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 8 |
| Singapore | |||||
| Japan | |||||
| Dubai | |||||
| Korea | |||||
| Shanghai |
Winning Men's A team
Hong Kong topped the group despite being defeated by Korea in a physical encounter on Saturday. There were also tight games against Dubai and Singapore. Coming first, HK met an improving Japan side in the semi final. Japan pulled off the come back of the tournament against Singapore, being five points down and reduced to six men, they came back to draw the game. As expected it was a much closer encounter than the Saturday game, with HK coming out on top. HK then beat Singapore 6-7 to 3-3 in the final.
Results for Hong Kong Ladies' A team - A team competition
| Team | Played | Won | Drew | Lost | Points| |
| Hong Kong | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 6 |
| Singapore | |||||
| Beijing | |||||
| Dubai | |||||
| Korea | |||||
| Shanghai |
The Ladies A team after losing against Dubai in teh semis
In the group stages, the ladies had 2 victories and 2 defeats on the Saturday in a very tight competition with all six teams capable of beating the other side. Hong Kong defeated Beijing, Shanghai whilst losing to Singapore and Dubai in tight encounters. Going into Sunday, they needed to beat Korea to ensure qualification to the semi finals, and despite losing one player for all of Sunday because of dehydration, they came out on top against Korea B, to come third in their group. They were defeated by the eventual winners Dubai in the semi finals, being beaten by a one goal margin. Korea defeated favourites Singapore in the other semi final, before going on to lose to Dubai in the final by a point, in what was probably the game of the tournament. Despite dominating for long periods and great football, Korea couldn't convert their chances.
Results for Hong Kong Ladies' Group A - B team competition
| Team | Played | Won | Drew | Lost | Points| |
| Hong Kong | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Beijing B | |||||
| Korea / HK C | |||||
| Japan B |
| The Ladies B team who went undefeated against all other B teams
The HK ladies B performed brilliantly over the weekend topping their group with four wins out of four, with victories over Korea B, Singapore B, Japan B and Shenzhen A. They were beaten by Singapore exiles in the B Cup quarter final. It was a very tough group for the ladies, with a lot of traveling between pitches both sides of the road
Singapore exiles went on to the final before being well beaten by Japan A.
Results for Hong Kong Men's B - Group B
| Team | Played | Won | Drew | Lost | Points| |
| Hong Kong B | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Thailand | |||||
| Korea B | |||||
| Singapore C | |||||
| Barbarians |
The men's B topped their group with four victories out of four to qualify for the quarter finals of the Men's B Cup. In that, they met friends and neighbours Shenzhen A. In a tight and enjoyable game, HK just about came out on top against Greg on the boys. In the semi final, the boys were beaten by Singapore B, who came back strongly after HK taking an early lead. Dubai B beat Singapore in the final.
Results for Hong Kong Men's C - Group C
| Team | Played | Won | Drew | Lost | Points| |
| Hong Kong C | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 |
| Shenzhen A | |||||
| Dubai B | |||||
| Singapore D | |||||
| Malaysia |
A chirpy Men's C team
HK C went through their group with two wins and two defeats, with wins against Singapore D and Malaysia. They qualified for the B Plate, before being defeated by Thailand.
Results for Hong Kong Men's D'exiles - Group A
| Team | Played | Won | Drew | Lost | Points| |
| Hong Kong D'x | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 |
| Taiwan A | |||||
| Japan B | |||||
| Vietnam | |||||
| Shanghai B |
D'xiles Team
Despite a slow start, D'exiles managed one victory on the Saturday to qualify them for the B Plate. With some stunning performances on Sunday, they came out on top against Japan B in the B Plate final. Congratulations to Rocket and the boys, particularly the lads who travelled from afar, Sam Greenland, Mick Lacy and Paul Devanney.