Tipperary lads win with the Irish team at the Transplant Games!

The Transplant Sport Ireland group competed at the British Transplant Games held in Coventry recently. Winning 16 Gold, 9 Silver and 6 Bronze medals overall, it makes it the most successful Transplant team ever to compete in these championships and the soccer side were amongst the honours too.

Over 1200 athletes competed at the 4 day sports competition which included Heart, Lung, Liver, Kidney, Pancreas & Bone Marrow transplant recipients and kidney dialysis patients from all over the UK, Northern Ireland, Germany, the Netherlands and even Australia! There were competitions for living donors as well as junior athletes.

Team Ireland Soccer team had a great tournament. The recently formed side were competing in their first transplant games which was a whole new experience. Tipperary men Paul Hackett, James Harney, Paschal Kavanagh were part of the 16 man squad.

Team Ireland was picked in Group B which included Wales, Leeds, and a London combined Team. The tournament consisted of 8 teams, with 2 groups of 4, and the top 2 teams qualifying for the semi- finals. Team Ireland began the tournament against Wales in the first game of Group B.

The starting line-up was Goalie Alan Gleeson (Kidney / Kerry), John Brennan (Heart / Louth), Mick O’Shea (Heart / Cork) Captain, Paul Hackett (Kidney / Tipperary), Darragh Stapleton (Liver / Dublin) and Ciaran Tiernan (Liver / Cavan). The game started at a frantic pace with lots of nervous energy, and the Welsh team pinned the Irish back and only for 2 super saves from Gleeson kept the score goalless.

Darragh Stapleteon scored leaving Ireland on top with a 1-0 win. Game 2 saw Ireland take on a very strong Leeds side that had already defeated London Combined 1-0 in their opening game. It was to end with both goalies keeping a clean sheet, resulting in a 0-0 draw, meaning Ireland and Leeds were joint top of Group B on 4 points after 2 games. The Final game of Group B, saw Ireland pitted against bottom of the table London Combined Team.

The Irish team consisted of Goalie Alan Gleeson, Paul Browne (Bone Marrow / Wexford), Paschal Kavanagh (Kidney /Tipperary), Andrew Gallagher (Kidney / Louth) and Ciaran Tiernan (Liver / Cavan). Again, Team Ireland pressed from the whistle and Cavan man Ciaran Tiernan opened the scoring with a long-range rocket. Ireland continued relentlessly and shortly after Gallagher who had worked tirelessly upfront doubled the Irish advantage, keeping the final score 2-0 to Ireland.

This result left Ireland top of Group B and facing the runners up of group A (Oxford) in the semi-final. The semi-final against Oxford looked like it would go Irelands way but an unlucky deflection resulted in a 1-0 win for Oxford. On to the 3/4 place playoff and Team Ireland again faced Leeds who held out for a 0-0 draw and a penalty shootout would decide Bronze.

Here, Team Ireland won the toss and elected to go second. During the penalty shoot-out Gleeson saved 3 of Leeds penalties while O’Driscoll, Browne, Stapleton scored resulting in Ireland claiming the Bronze medal. It was a hard fought medal but an occasion every member of the 16 man team will cherish.

Tipperary’s Paul Hackett received a kidney in 2017 having suffered from polycystic kidney disease as do many of his family. He is took part as he believed it is a great way to honour his donor and their family. His soccer teammate Pascal Kavanagh had a kidney transplant which life was changing.

He got involved with Irish Soccer team to help promote organ donation and was quick to remind us: not all heroes wear capes and masks. Soccer player James Harney had a heart transplant 16 years ago. Like all his fellow Team Ireland athletes, James main purpose is to highlight the success of Organ Donation. Transplant Sport Ireland showcases the success of organ donation and transplantation whilst offering inspiration to those who are newly transplanted or newly diagnosed with organ failure.

TEAM IRELAND SOCCER WHO WON BRONZE!

Back Row L-R.
Mathew Dunne (Coach), John Brennan (Heart), Paul Hackett (Kidney), Owen Crudge
(Kidney), James Harney (Heart), Alan Gleeson (Kidney), Paul Browne (Bone Marrow),
Darragh Stapleton (Liver), Patrick O'Driscoll (Liver), Ciaran Tiernan (Liver), Lar
Brennan (Lungs), Thomas Donovan (Assistant Coach).
Front Row L-R
Andrew Gallagher (Kidney), Jayson Flynn (Liver), Mick O'Shea (Heart, Captain),
Paschal Kavanagh (Kidney), Billy O'Toole (Lungs) Riyadh Abdelakder (Kidney/Dialysis)