1. As usual we all listened to Ger Barry, "No drinking before the tournament" NOT! Those on the SQ Thursday arvo flight head to the First Class Lounge for a few Krugs pre flight, whilst the poor buggers on China Eastern head to the airport bar for a fag! Ger Barry sends a text "enjoy the champagne because I've cleared out your bar fridges!
   
2. Many bevies were had on the SQ flight, those fortunate enough to be in Business Class were kind enough to send back champagne to the lucky few! Lucinda Rand disembarked the flight langered and Troy managed to set of the security alarms with his man bracelet.
   
3. Check in to the Diamond Court Apartments, Gareth told us the criteria was "Five stars mate". What no express check-in but, a 45 minute wait, no room service and what's this deal all about only one person per room gets a free breakfast???? The apartments were massive though and Troy was glad he was able to move his bed into the study so he didn't have to share a bedroom with Gareth!
   
4. After check-in, it was straight out to the Dubliner Exchange for drinks. It was good to see Mary Barry followed her husbands advice "No drinking" NOT! And was already langered on the rouge wine when we got there. Mixing amongst the other teams we soon learnt that some of our girls were already targeted marked players, Mary, Janet & Ads. Meanwhile, we were all busy telling Japan that our Singapore teams were crap this year and we hadn't done much training. Japan, likewise telling us their womens team hardly ever trained together.
   
5. After the Dubliner Exchange turned out to be a bit of a disaster. Tour Manager Gareth copped the majority of the flack, it was supposedly his fault we spent an hour driving around in taxis (no we didn't want the sight seeing tour of Shanghai tonight Gareth, just an open bar with drinks!) going from place to place, Bar Rouge was closed, then the VIP Room which was guaranteed to be open all night turned out to be a frigging building site! In the end most headed back to Diamond Court, a couple deciding to go on on eventually finding an open bar.
   
6. Friday was sight seeing day and some of us hit the Bund, then the Peace Hotel for some Pims where Blathnaid gave us the run down of the Shanghai history. She was the walking Lonely Planet Guide. Then it was on on for some Shanghai dumplings for lunch, then off in search of the market, Lucinda kept telling us it was just down the road, 10 minutes to go and 2 traffic lights away, two hours later and we finally get there, some of us struggling from getting in at 5:30am and getting not much sleep! At the market Blathnaid goes on a shopping frenzy and many a fake hand bags were purchased. Some of the Lads rocked up to the market, the Dub, Andrew and Mark this being their first venture out for the day at 4pm after being out on the lash till 9am.
   
7. Friday night it was on on to the Pearl Tower for the tournament draw and dinner. For those scared of heights (Alan????) they would have crapped their pants! Ads grabs a beer and is quickly handed an orange juice by Captain Janet. Neil and Bill rock up later on in the night to harass Troybecker. After the draw surprisingly most people call it an early night and head back to Diamond Court, Ger Barry getting his way!!
   
8. Saturday, day one of play. Mens A and Womens A teams have a good day and finish the day undefeated winning all four games. Mens B team wins 2 out of 4, the womens B team play a great last game of the day to win that, and the Mens and Womens C teams probably have a more successful day on the piss than the pitch with captain of the Mens C team Mark Gayley walking home from the pitch zig zag style totally langered. Ad's spcheel on live TV to ESPN Football Crazy "no Gaelic's not rough, we don't get many injuries" turns out to be bulldang with the injury toll on day one, Ger Brogan - knee, Denise Stevenson - knee, Ads - shoulder (the other shoulder, not the one that coach Smiddy collided into at training, so now two dodgey shoulders!), Lucinda and Jamie - ankles, Emmett - hands (he looked like a mummy with both hands wrapped in bandages), and there were many a battered bods after day 1. Ang had to help Ads undress because she isn't able to take off her playing jersey with two dodgey shoulders.
   
9. Saturday night, dinner at the Bull Frog. Most people were starving and knackered. Ads orders a bottle of champagne and is questioned by Denise Glennon why? Answer: "mini celebration and because I fell like it!" Singapore finally present Kevin Morgan with a going away momento, he only left six months ago but, the guy just keeps hanging on to his Singapore allegiance and we can't seem to get rid of him, showing up in Shanghai to play for Singapore instead of Japan. Some people head on on to Bar Rouge, the A teams are told to go home early.
   
10. Sunday finals day. Ads rocks up to the pitch all drugged up. Good thing she wasn't drug tested for performance enhancing drugs after taking 2 sudafeds, 1 nurofen, and much to Cormacs horror 3 Arcoxias (anti inflames), (Cormac -"Ads you know you are only sposed to take one of those a day?" Yeah!) to see through the day of play. Quarter finals and the Womens A team give it their all but, go down to the dirty playing Dubai team by a point. The Mens A team meet Shanghai in the quarters and go to extra time to replicate the girls and go down by a point. Despite the disappointment of Singapore not making the Mens and Womens Cup Finals, the Womens A team and Mens B team bring home the Plate, and the Mens C team brings home the Bowl and we show that we are the club with the best team spirit! Much celebrations were had with jugs and jugs of beer and margaritas on the side lines. Blathnaid's home made headbands proved to be a goer and very popular. Many a yellow cards were handed out on the pitch (the Refs obviously having no idea), John Carmody, Troybecker & Bill just to name a few. Bill also earning a red card in the quarters and being sent off.
    
11. Aileen, Denise Glennon and Ads walk down to congratulate the Womens Beijing team for winning the Cup and head to the toilet but, somehow end up in the swimming pool. After they emerge from the pool, there no longer is a need to go to the loo, hmmmm the pool water suddenly got warmer!
    
12. Sunday night and the team heads out to the Amada Hotel for dinner dressed in Singapore Airlines attire, "GLAM!" (aka Gareth's idea). Mark Gayley langered again falls asleep at the dinner table and shows his skill being able to balance piles of food and a fish head on his head whilst in deep sleep and even manages to score a bikini clad bloke in his sleep. On to O Malleys to watch the All Ireland final then to the Blarney Stone. Blathnaid Macnamara is 24/7 and never stops according to John Carmody. It's no wonder she loses her voice the next day! Troybecker shows off his dancing technique at the Blarney Stone, whilst Bryan McSwiney turns the tables on Blathnaid and becomes the interviewer "am I wrecking your head, am I, am I, am I???"

Great weekend and well done to all the teams, captains and coaches!