International Rules Football Match With the Denver Bulldogs

On Sunday June 20^th, the Denver Gaels’ men’s and women’s Gaelic footballers will play a friendly international rule football match against the Denver Bulldogs’ men’s and women’s Aussie Rules Football players.

What is International Rules Football?

In the sixties Gaelic and Australian Rules Football players realized they were playing sports with a similar feel. Instead of taking and us-versus-them attitude, they decide to play a match of compromised rules in a gesture of friendly competition.

Every couple of years the Gaelic Athletic Association and Australia Football League select an all-star team from their leagues’ teams and play a match with the combined rules — alternating the host country each event.

Denver Gaels and Denver Bulldogs International Rules Match

The Denver Gaels has played an international rules match with the Denver Bulldogs, but it has been several years since any official game was played between the two clubs. Both clubs recognize they have unique sports with strong history, but are relatively unknown compared to other sports. The hope is to have a yearly international rules match between the Gaels and the Bulldogs, if not more often. Both clubs crave competition, and until the sports grow larger in the state, stiff competition is a long drive or plane ride away. As one sport elevates, both will rise in with exposure

Modified Modified-Rules

Aussie Rules Football is a full contact sport, which is carried over in the official International Rules matches between the GAA and AFL.

Since our match will be co-ed and the goal is to have fun more over high intensity game-play, we are modifying to the tackling to a six-handed touch to keep the spirit of tackling, but maintain fluidity.

We hope to have a full 15-a-side match if the turnout will accommodate, but will make do with the numbers that attend. Additionally, we’ll mix the clubs so that talent is spread out and no side is unfairly matched.

We’ll keep the same scoring setup with the GAA uprights and goal along with shorter uprights outside the GAA scoring set up. If you pass the ball through between the short and tall uprights you earn one point. Putting the ball over the crossbar of the goal between the tall uprights earns you three points. And, scoring in the goal is worth six points.

Drinks After the Match at The Irish Rover

For a little bit of fun and socialization between the clubs, we will meet at the Irish Rover off Broadway for some drinks and food. All members of the Denver Gaels and the Denver Bulldogs are welcome (even the hurlers and camogs).