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Welcome to GAA Gifts

Gaelic football, commonly referred to as "football" or "Gaelic" is a form of football played mainly in Ireland. It is, together with hurling, one of the two most popular spectator sports in Ireland today.

Gaelic football is played by teams of 15 on a rectangular grass pitch with H-shaped goals at each end. The primary object is to score by kicking/striking the ball with your hand and getting it through the goals. The team with the highest score at the end of the match wins.

Players advance the ball up the field with a combination of carrying, soloing (dropping and then toe-kicking the ball upward into the hands), kicking, and hand-passing to their team-mates.

Football is one of four Gaelic games run by the Gaelic Athletic Association, the largest sporting organisation in Ireland. It has strict rules on player amateurism and the pinnacle of the sport is the inter-county All-Ireland Football Final.

The game is believed to have descended from ancient Irish football known as caid which dates back to medieval times, although the modern rules were not set down until 1887.

Latest GAA News

• Red Hand understrength for Down tie
  Tyrone will be without several regulars for Sunday’s Gaelic Life Dr McKenna Cup opener against Down at Newry.
• Cork hurlers to consider resolution
  Cork's hurlers might be prepared to participate in an independent committee to try to bring an end to the ongoing difficulties in the county.
• Coney decides to stay in Tyrone
  Tyrone minor star Kyle Coney has decided against a return to Australia and a rookie contract with the Sydney Swans.
• O’Neill happy with new rules
  Disciplinary Task Force Chairman Liam O'Neill has praised referees for their good work in implementing the GAA's experimental rules over the weekend, as the first comprehensive statistics were made available.
• Daly believes new rules will boost entertainment
  The GAA’s Head of Games is convinced the new disciplinary rules can help make Gaelic Games more exciting and entertaining.
• Round-up of O'Byrne Cup matches
  A round-up from all of the matches from the O'Byrne Cup today.
• Round-up of Waterford Crystal Cup
  Read reports from matches in the Waterford Crystal Cup today, including a bad start for new Limerick manager Justin McCarthy
• Sunday's Connacht FBD League Round-up
  A round-up of the action from today's Connacht FBD League.
• Sunday's Dr McKenna Cup Round-up
  A round-up of today's Dr McKenna Cup action
• Sunday's McGrath Cup Round-up
  A round-up of today's McGrath Cup action
• Sligo 0-12 Galway 0-14
  Reigning FBD League champions Galway got 2009 off to a positive start, with a hard-earned win over Sligo in Tourlestrane.
• Waterford 3-11 Tralee IT 3-09
  John Kiely's Waterford side emerged victorious in the first Senior inter-county football match played under the new experimental rules.
• Queen's University 3-13 Cavan 0-12
  A hat-trick of goals from Tyrone's Shaun O'Neill proved to be the difference in this Dr McKenna cup clash, as Queen's showed superior finishing to hand Tommy Carr defeat in his first game as Cavan boss.
• Dublin 2-11 Dubs Stars 2-11 (Dublin win on pens)
  Pat Gilroy's term as Dublin boss got off to a bright start at Pairc Barrog, Kilbarrack this afternoon as his side accounted for the Dubs Stars in the annual senior football challenge game.
• Dublin 1-18 Dubs Stars 3-11
  A new era in Dublin hurling got off to an encouraging start today for new senior manager Anthony Daly as his charges held out for a narrow victory in the annual Dubs Stars challenge match at Kilbarrack.
• Irish handball heroes return home
  Ireland’s top juvenile handballers return from Portland, Oregon today having sealed seven out of a possible 12 titles at the USHA Junior Nationals.
• Fitzhenry to hurl on with Wexford
  Wexford ‘keeper Damien Fitzhenry is to extend his inter-county hurling career.
• Heffernan resigns as Kerry hurling boss
  Pat Heffernan has decided to step down as manager of the Kerry senior hurling team for personal reasons.
• Wexford ref allegedly assaulted
  Two Glynn-Barntown under-age football players face lengthy bans as the result of an alleged assault on a leading referee.
• Canavan to manage Errigal Ciaran
  Tyrone legend Peter Canavan has ventured into management for the first time.
• Barry to miss Wexford's league campaign
  Wexford's star attacker Redmond Barry will miss out on the county's national football league campaign.
• Cork GAA President aims to resolve row
  Cork GAA President Derry Gowen is aiming for a peaceful start to the new year for the Cork senior hurlers after revealing that a facilitator has been appointed to try and resolve the growing conflict between players and management.
• Armagh boss welcomes college sides
  Armagh manager Peter McDonnell has heavily backed the participation of Higher Education colleges in January competitions like the Dr McKenna Cup.
• Cork set for another player row
  The Cork County Board looks set for another confrontation with senior players after the footballers announced their intention to boycott the presentation of Munster Championship medals.
• Irish juniors travel stateside
  Ireland's finest young handballers are en route to Portland in Oregon to prepare for the USHA Junior Nationals, which get under way on 27 December in Washington state.