Every sport can be adapted to the street, soccer has ‘three and in’, basketball has H.O.R.S.E and Gaelic football has… until now it didn’t really have anything but the Red Bull Cúl5 brings a high-energy, fast-paced twist on the tradition.
On May 25th 32 teams of seven will compete in five-a-side games of an adapted version of football inside a specially built 50 x 30m pitch in Dublin Port and Dublin corner forward thinks it’s about time Gaelic football had an ‘anytime, anywhere’ style game.
“I think it’s a pretty cool idea for Red Bull to get behind something in Gaelic football, it’s pretty sharp from a great brand,” the Dublin forward says. “The street element is what I really like because as kids we all played soccer on the street or even basketball so to create this type of concept where you can go out and play Gaelic football on the street with a few of your mates is great, that’s where GAA wants to be. The concept, the rules that are in it and the layout are cool so hopefully we’ll get a load of minor teams down for the day.”
Having played every level of GAA available Bernard says that there wasn’t any option outside of organised games to play the sport that he’s made his name in but that Cúl5 offers to opportunity to change that and could help more people get involved in Gaelic games at early age.
“It’s something that will catch on, that street element where you can go out with ten mates and play a game of Gaelic football. We would have tried it as young guys but soccer was always easier to play when there were only a few mates around so to create a game like the Red Bull Cúl5 has the potential to be brought all around the country to get kids playing Gaelic football instead of the other sports as young lads.”
Some rule changes have been made to facilitate the all-action take on football:
Each game will be played over two five minute halves
There are no points, only goals
The ball can be picked clearly off the ground
The player in possession may only be tackled or shadowed by one opponent
The goalkeeper will restart the game with a kick from the hand
The only time the ball will be out of play is between a goal and kick out so to keep the pace of play up players will substituted on a rolling basis from each seven player squad.
The knock out tournament will be played inside a specially built arena, surrounded by storage containers to keep the ball in play so Cúl5 is an attacking player’s dream and Bernard says that the game would suit players like himself in particular.
“It’s goals only and it’s pick up off the ground so it’s going to be about speed. The ball doesn’t go out of play it bounces off the walls so it’s all about quick football, quick movement, one touch and using the guys around you,” he says but warns any gloryhogs that the tighter space means they’ll have to use their teammates if they want to win. “As young guys it’s obvious which lads are better than others so they can sometimes be a bit selfish but this game is all about using the guy beside to create space and then being clinical and composed in front of goal to pick your spot.”
The Red Bull Cúl5 takes place in Dublin Port on May 25th and is open to anyone eligible to play Minor level football in 2013.
Full details and application forms are available here
