The Cavan Football Club will kickstart the New York season this Sunday, April 7, with their annual John Joe Cassidy seven a side tournament at Gaelic Park. It comes on the heels of the New York GAA banquet which takes place on Friday night.

This year’s tournament is a proverbial East Coast championship, with five teams from outside the city participating. Reigning champions Wolfe Tones from Boston come back to defend their title, and while Joe Sheridan may not be in their line up this time around, look for the side to put up a serious battle to retain their title. They have company from New England with Cork and Connemara Gaels also making the four hour journey down.

Coming up the turnpike are Young Irelanders and St. Pat's from Philadelphia. New York is represented by four sides, with Cork and Kerry joining the Cavan juniors and seniors on the parade ground.

It will be the first day out for Dan Doona in the red colors of Cork, who should also have player of the year Rory Stafford lining out.  

Kerry lost last year’s final to the Tones and will be looking to go one better. Based on the brilliant displays of Lar Callaghan (Meath), Robbie Moran (Leitrim), Tomo Smith (Cavan) and more recently Alan Raftery (Cork 2011) and Sheridan last year, the tournament will get all the cobwebs out and then some.   

The full line up is: Cavan senior, Cavan junior, Kerry, Cork, Wolfe Tones Boston, Cork Boston, St. Pat’s Philadelphia, Connemara Gaels Boston, Young Irelanders Philadelphia.