Dublin Angels fly to Scotland

AN AUSTRALIAN Rules football team on the Southside is
currently seeking new male and female members to join their ranks.

The Dublin Angels and the Dublin Demons are ladies and
men’s Australian Rules football teams that train and play at the Civil Service
Gaelic pitch in Islandbridge.

Australian national, Leiha Shrubsbury (28), who
cofounded the ladies team last year, is surprisingly the only Aussie on either
the women’s or men’s sides that are otherwise comprised only of Irish people.

She said that many of the 50 or so who play with the
Demons and the Angels come from a background in Gaelic football.

“If people aren’t already playing Gaelic they are
playing basketball or they are runners so their fitness levels are already
there,

? she said.

“But you don’t have to have a high level of fitness really to
play Aussie rules.

?

There are many similarities between Gaelic and
Australian Rules football and both sports are combined during the annual
compromised series. Test matches are played in Australia and Ireland on a
rotated basis every second year.

Like Gaelic football, the objective of Australian
Rules is to score points by passing the ball through the opponent’s goal. The
main way to score points is by kicking the ball between the two goal posts.

However, Australian Rules players may use any part of
their body to move the ball and is essentially a full contact sport like rugby.

“A lot of people think of the compromise rules series
when they think of Australian Rules football,

? Leiha explained.

“But Aussie
rules is more physical.

“A legal tackle would be from shoulder height to the
hip but anything above or below that is considered illegal.

?

Leiha said that all new members are taught how to
tackle properly in training and that serious injuries are rare.

“We teach people the proper way to tackle so it is
safe,

? she said.

Both the Demons and the Angels will represent Dublin
in Edinburgh on April 21 at the annual Australian Rules competition known as
the Haggis Cup.

Leiha said the club would be interested to hear from
anyone who would like to join them on the trip.

“The Dublin Demons won the Haggis Cup in 2010 and are
regular visitors to Scotland for the competition each year,

? she added.

“But
this will be the first time the women’s team will be heading over to play.

?

Anyone who would like to join either the Dublin Demons
or the Dublin Angels can contact Leiha by emailing her at:
leiha.shrubsall@arfli.com