New York looking to make history against Roscommon

The first ball in the GAA's championship summer will be kicked this weekend across the Atlantic as New York host reigning Connacht champions Roscommon at Gaelic Park.

Ireland's economic downturn has provided a boost to GAA clubs world wide as emigrants once again leave the country to find work and congregate around foreign units for their social, recreational and employment needs like generations before them and New York is no different.

It means that the exiles are regarded by many as being in with a real chance of creating the summer's first upset especially given the fact that Roscommon depart Ireland having concluded their stay in Division 4 of the Allianz Football League with a 2-11 to 1-8 loss to Longford.

Croke Park will also be monitoring the game with particular interest in view of the logistics nightmare in prospect if the New Yorkers do pull off an historic win.

For all those reasons Roscommon are touching down at Kennedy Airport with an air of trepidation according to eircom GAA ambassador Donie Shine.

"I don’t know a whole pile about their players but I know last year they gave Galway a good test and probably should have won that game," he said.

"I know they’re improving and they’re getting more players every year so we’ll really need to be up for it."

The match takes place on Sunday evening at 8pm, Irish time.