EUROPEAN ULTIMATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
IRELAND -vs- DENMARK
31st JULY 2007, 3pm


The first few Ireland ventures were about finding our feet. Worlds 2000 in Heilbronn, where the U19s are headed. Finland in 2004. Some 7 years after we started, we were now in a position where we felt we could really do something at one of these tournaments. So before the European Championships in 2007, the Irish Open team wrote a list of goals. They started with the "absolutely must achieve" and went right up to the “well I suppose it’s possible” scenarios. For starters we needed to stay clear of the bottom tier. Then we needed to beat nations we traditionally competed against. Next we really wanted to scalp nations ranked higher than us, teams who didn't see defeat against Ireland coming. Finally, although it felt daft we talked about making the 1/4 finals, knowing that despite its extreme unlikelihood, it was at the very least inside the realm of possibility.

The tournament started well. Ireland caused an upset on day 2 by beating Italy for the 1st time ever and advancing from the initial pools into the top 8. Little old Ireland in the top 8 raised a few eyebrows, but the best was yet to come. We were now well placed to now challenge for that quarter final spot. The top two in our group went straight into the 1/4s. At worst, the bottom two in our group got a playoff to win a 1/4 final spot. After just 2 days we were on course. Our group was as tough as we might have feared. We had Sweden (previous runners up), Denmark (previous bronze medalists) and France (a team traditionally ranked much higher than us).

First up was Denmark. We were under no illusions. Ireland were playing a team of vastly greater experience and pedigree. Two years previous, the core of their team played in the European Club Championship final with Ragnarok. Four years previous they made the semis of EUC and ended up finishing 3rd. For our part they were going to get the kitchen sink thrown at them. That much was certain, but after that we didn't know what was going to happen. Neither did they as it turned out. The game started at a frenetic pace. Before anyone could take stock, the goals were raining in for both sides. The Danes had a slender lead and maintained it, but we were pleased to see ourselves going toe to toe. Half time came before we knew it with just a couple of scores separating the teams. What can often happen next as we all know, is that the underdog falls away.

The second half started with our offence picking up where it left off. We had started well, got pretty good, and ended up on fire. Our tactics were both simple and fast, and when it worked it looked great. The Danes were getting a little nervous, as instead of falling away as they'd have liked, we were carving through them, scoring all our O's, and lighting a fire under their arses. The more this went on, the greater the confidence grew. Our D went out knowing they needed just one or two breaks and the team's O would hammer home the advantage. It may sound funny, but Denmark had now simply wound up in the wrong place at the wrong time. After a certain point, they were playing against 22 guys who had gone past confidence, and now had the feeling that we were simply going to win the game. The Danes even made it to 16-15, receiving the disc to win. It wasn't enough as our D yoinked the chance from them and drew level. The D scored again and Denmark went behind for the first time at 16-17.

By this stage time had run out and the match was capped to 19. All the other games had finished and people saw that Denmark were in a contest. The sidelines started to throng as we edged closer to the finish. Ireland were 18-17 up playing D to win. We got a got a couple of turnovers, had a couple of shots at the endzone, but the Danes ended up converting, and pushed the game into sudden death. 18-18 in a game to 19, Ireland receiving the disc. The place was packed, and the Danes threw on their strongest line. Doyler fielded the pull, and middled it. It was thrown straight back to him, and his onrushing D player laid out, half hoping Doyler would take his eye off it. No such luck as Doyler plucked it out of the air, hurdled over the guy, steadied himself and looked up only to see Gag Man steaming down the field. I have no idea how much thinking he did but all of a sudden a weighted huck flew down the field, beyond the cutter and hung perfectly in the endzone. It seemed like 200 people were chasing after it, willing Gag Man on. He didn't need any of us, he ripped the disc down, landed, turned in euphoria and the place exploded.

We had beaten Denmark. The tournament was stunned. Nobody would have bet a cent on it at the start of the day. It was a truly amazing game, and an awful lot of those players will tell it is the best game they've ever played in. Still is for me. The funniest thing about it was, despite it being the glamour result, it meant nothing by itself. We could still finish last. The next day we played the French and if we won we were straight into the 1/4s. That game doesn't get half the attention, even though it was an even better performance, and we absolutely demolished them. But it was the Denmark game that had all the glitz and drama. The 1/4 finals was as far as we would go, going out at the hands of the Swiss. We ended up 6th in Europe, having achieved something truly great that was epitomized by that amazing afternoon.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiyGcG3CYBs