EUROPEAN FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIPS

2012

FINAL ROUND – MAASTRICHT

sponsored by O’NEILLS

INFORMATION PACK

Welcome

Maastricht Gaels are delighted to welcome all of our visiting teams, supporters, referees and

guests to our beautiful city and hope that you will enjoy both the games and the environs during

your stay.

Information about Maastricht

Winding alleyways leading to hidden squares, undiscovered culinary treats and cultural

surprises: Maastricht is studded with hidden gems - taken for granted by the locals, but

waiting to be discovered by visitors

First established by the Romans over 2050 years ago, Maastricht has a claim to being the

oldest city in the Netherlands. History is very much present here. Maastricht has long been

famous as a centre of tradition, history and culture. It is also a centre for fashionable shops,

contemporary designer clothing and trendy cafés and restaurants.

A free App is available which will help to make your stay more informative and enjoyable:

https://itunes.apple.com/nl/app/maastricht-map/id417407435?mt=8# The App contains

tourist information on culture, shopping, entertainment, and also includes historical information

about the city. Car parks and other amenities can be found using the App.

Getting to Maastricht

Airports & public transport to Maastricht

For clubs travelling by air to Maastricht here is some information on airports.

Best airports are Eindhoven, Amsterdam, Brussels or Brussels South (Charleroi) in that order in

terms of balance between travel time and price of ground transport. Dusseldorf and Cologne

(Koln)-Bonn are also possible.

Eindhoven and Charleroi are mostly served by low-cost airlines, whilst the others have a range of

operators

Eindhoven is easiest with a 20 minute door-to-door bus from airport to station

(station=Eindhoven) and then a 1 hour direct train to Maastricht every

30mins. (see:http://www.ns.nl/en/travellers/home)

Average total journey time: 1hr 30min

Amsterdam is usually about 2.5hrs by train (station=Schiphol) direct from airport with one

change - usually at Utrecht.

(see:http://www.ns.nl/en/travellers/home)

Average total journey time: 2hrs 30min

Brussels National is usually about 2hrs15min by train direct from airport ((station=Brussels

Airport) with two train changes (Brussels Noord or Leuven) and Liege

(see: http://www.belgianrail.be/en/Default.aspx)

Average total journey time: 2hrs 15min

Brussels Charleroi starts with a 10min bus journey to station (Station= Charleroi -Sud) and 2hrs

45min train journey with one change at Liege. (see: http://www.belgianrail.be/en/Default.aspx)

Average total journey time: 3hrs 25min

Cologne (Koln)-Bonn offers trains connections (station=CGN Koln Airport) with between 2 and 4

changes (various routes & prices) and takes from 2.5 to

4.5hrs. (see: http://www.deutschebahn.com/en/start.html)

Dusseldorf offers trains connections (station=Dusseldorf Airport) with between 2 and 4 changes

(various routes & prices) and takes from 2.5 to

3.5hrs. (see: http://www.deutschebahn.com/en/start.html)

IMPORTANT: allow sufficient time to collect baggage and walk to bus stop/train platform and

then input time of required departure, if returning early on Sunday, allow time for getting to

Maastricht station and then connecting with flight etc. as timetables may be less frequent on

Sundays.

Trains

Maastricht is also very accessible by train from all parts of northern Europe and the station is

located close to the city centre... Please ensure that you disembark at the right station –

MAASTRICHT CENTRAL (and not Maastricht Randwyck). Some of the main routes are covered in

the information on airports above but we also recommend using the following website to assess

options: http://www.deutschebahn.com/en/start.html

At weekends there are occasional disruptions due to engineering works which may involve bus

transfers between some stations. Such disruptions may add 30-60 minutes to journey times but

the process of transferring is well organised and there is plenty of signage and personnel to

assist travellers. These are advised on the Dutch railways website www.ns.nl - so even if

travelling from the Netherlands it is worth checking.

One other word of warning, if travelling Amsterdam or Eindhoven, the inter-city train usually

divides into two at Sittard station – normally the front part of the train goes on to Maastricht with

the rear going to Heerlen. If in doubt, the destination is usually displayed on the outside of the

carriage and inside – or just the conductor or a fellow passenger.

Road

The city is located on the E25 motorway which runs from Amsterdam to the South of France. Do

allow some extra time in the locality of Maastricht as there is a major5-year road project

underway to build a tunnel for the E25 under the city and some delays are likely at peak hours

with speed restrictions being enforced by the police on a regular basis.

Parking in the city

After passing the parking zone limit in the city centre (signposted), you will not find any free

parking. All remaining parking spots must be paid for via parking meters or machines. As a rule,

this applies from Monday to Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., on Thursdays and other shopping

evenings until 9 p.m. Do not park in areas marker “vergunninghouder”.

The main access roads to the city centre are signposted to enable car drivers to quickly and

easily find their way to various large car parks and parking lots. The signs also indicate whether

there are still parking spaces available.

Hotels

Maastricht Gaels have negotiated a special rate in two 4* hotels however most of these rooms

have now been filled.

The hotels are the Golden Tulip Apple Park Maastricht (this hotel is 50m from dinner venue –

the same arrangement as in previous years) and the Van der Valk Hotel Maastricht. 100 rooms

per night were reserved in each hotel. Clubs must book direct with the hotel concerned quoting

reference “Gaelic 2012”. If clubs need extra rooms they can try to use this code but as the

deadline has passed we cannot guarantee the rates below.

Pricing was as follows:

Comfort twin room: € 109.00 per room per night

Comfort triple room: € 129.00 per room per night (NB: limited availability)

Full Breakfast is included in price. City Tax of € 3.49 per person, per night, is excluded.

Contact details for the hotels are as follows:

Golden Tulip Apple Park Maastricht

Pierre De Coubertinweg , 6225 XT - Maastricht - Netherlands

Tel: (+31) 43 3529000 - Fax: (+31) 433 529 001 - Email: info@applepark.nl

Van der Valk Hotel Maastricht

Nijverheidsweg 35, 6227 AL -Maastricht -Netherlands

Tel (+31) 43 387 35 00 - Fax +31 (0) 43 387 35 15 - Email: info@maastricht.valk.nl

Please note that we will not be involved in booking – this is between the club and the hotel

concerned. Don’t forget to quote “GAELIC 2012”

We would advise all clubs to make last minute bookings now as the city is very busy that

weekend due to a tourism & restaurant promotion and the start of Carnival season the following

day at 11:11 (on the 11th day of the 11th month!!!!) which attracts a significant number of visitors.

Of course clubs are free to find accommodation elsewhere, however we have assessed the

number of people staying in each of the above hotels who require transport to/from the pitches

and will be able to provide 8-seater taxis, if booked in advance. Teams staying in other hotels will

need to make their own arrangements.

Most hotels in and around the city are no more than 10-20 mins drive from the pitches and well

served by public transport. You can check buses on www.9292.nl/en (the address for the

grounds is Negenputruwe 1-5, RA 6218, Maastricht).

Local transport

Bus / Tickets

Maastricht is a compact city but many hotels are located on the outskirts, a few kilometres from

the city centre or train station. All areas are served by Veolia city buses and you can purchase a

ticket from the driver. To check the best options use this website: http://9292.nl/en

Taxis

Taxi ranks can be found at the main railway station (Parallelweg), the Markt and the Vrijthof. You

will normally pay €8-15 for most journeys in the city. The following taxi company is

recommended:

Estax

T +31 (0)43 361 55 00

E-mail: info@estax.nl

Internet: www.estax.nl

Games Venue

Matches will take place at Sportspark West, Negenputruwe 1-5, RA 6218, Maastricht,

Netherlands

Sportspark West is a multi-sports facility owned and operated by Maastricht City Sportsservice.

The park has four grass soccer pitches, one astro-turf soccer pitch, one astro-turf GAA/rugby

pitch, a baseball/softball diamond, basketball court, 600m jogging track, boules courts, outdoor

gym equipment. The clubhouse complex features three bars, 16 dressing-rooms, medical and

referees rooms as well as administrative and other ancillary facilities.

The tournament will use six (two AstroTurf and four grass) pitches as follows:-

a full GAA size 4th generation AstroTurf pitch (130m) with possibly the best playing

artificial playing surface in Europe, the pitch is surrounded by railings on all sides, there is

a ball net behind the outside perimeter goalposts, two team dug-outs, crossbar

converters and nets. Fully floodlit to playing standards.

A soccer size 4th generation AstroTurf pitch (100m) which has been used for

tournaments on previous occasions and also has a ball net behind the outside perimeter

goalposts. There are also two team shelters on one side. This is fully floodlit to playing

standard.

Three grass soccer pitches. All have perimeter railings, dug-outs and two have floodlights

to training standards.

A fully enclosed (fenced) baseball field with sufficient space to accommodate a reduced

sized (ladies) football pitch.

The clubhouse facility is an award winning modern multi-sport

facility. Just five years old, it is shared by a variety of sports. On the

day, we will have access to 11 dressing rooms, with secure lockers,

sensor controlled lighting and automated showers, plenty of seating

and toilets. There are two referees rooms with own showers, a

medical treatment room and other facilities. The building is also

wheelchair accessible.

Our facilities also include an on-site bar which we share with the rugby club and seats 60-80.

This bar faces onto the GAA pitch and has a small terrace area for non-playing teams to view the

games... There is also a 200 seat bar/restaurant operated by the soccer club and a smaller bar

operated by the baseball/softball club.

Driving and Parking

There is ample free car parking at the sports complex for anyone who is planning to drive. Please

park properly and do not block exits etc.

Public transport

City bus services No’s 1 (direction Malberg); No.2 (direction Oud Caberg) and No.10 (direction

Pottenberg) serve the grounds. Journey times are between 20 and 26 minutes (inclusive of short

walk to ground). For timetables consult www.9292.nl/en

All buses leave from Central Station which serves as a transport hub. The No’s.1 and 2 stop at

Malbergplein and the grounds are then a six minute walk. The No.10 stops at Schepelruwe which

is a two minute walk (NB: using No.9 involves a change of buses)

An interactive map showing the bus stops can also be found at: http://goo.gl/maps/VsFMY

No’s 1 +2

No. 10

Registration & Fees

Registration will take place from 08:15 on Saturday morning in the Maraboes Rugby Club bar

area. However, teams are requested to transfer registration fees in advance to:

Maastricht Gaels, Rabobank, Maastricht (A/c: 1263.64.206)

IBAN: NL42 RABO 0126 3642 06

BIC: RABONL2U

The usual fees will apply:

€15 per player to cover lunch pack, water and registration

€10 for non-players

€20 for dinner, presentation and entertainment

In addition, teams staying the Golden Tulip Apple Park or Van der Valk hotels can avail of a tax-

shuttle to/from the pitches, departing at 08:00 and returning at 18:30, at a cost of €5 per

person. This service must be booked and paid for in advance in order to ensure that there is

sufficient capacity.

The Registration Desk will be based in the Rugby Club bar area. It will be open from 08:15hrs.

However, clubs are asked to prepay their registration, lunch and dinner fees and retain proof of

payment to show the host club in case transfer has not come through to our account.

Team registration lists should be sent in advance to the host club and the European Board

Secretary as required by ECB Competition regulations.

Team Disclaimer forms must also be handed to Registration Desk before commencement of

play.

Water

Each team will be supplied with 1.5 litres of water per player at registration. The water in the

complex is suitable for drinking and bottles can be refilled in the dressing-rooms.

Lunch

Lunch packs will be distributed from 12:0 from the Reception Desk. Only lunch packs which have

been pre-ordered, at least three days in advance, will be available, unfortunately we cannot

accommodate late requests as we have to notify catering company in advance.

Other food & drink

A selection of hot & cold snacks, soup, tea/coffee and drinks will be available in the Rugby Club

bar. A local shopping centre with supermarkets, bakery, take-away is located c.400m from the

complex.

Dressing Rooms

There are 11 dressing-rooms available. Each dressing-room has its own sensor controlled

showers and a toilet. Teams have been allocated a shared dressing-room based on numbers

advised in advance to the organisers. Team names will be posted on door of dressing-room.

Men’s Teams

2 Zurich/St.Gallen, Toulouse

3 Guernande, Lorient/Vannes

4 Liffre, Geneva, Clermont

5 Guernsey, Luxembourg

6 Belgium

7 Paris/Lyon, Malmo

8 Amsterdam, Rennes

9 Maastricht, The Hague, Dusseldorf

Ladies Teams

12 Holland Ladies, Munich

11 Belgium, Paris

10 Rennes/Lux, Zurich

Inclement weather

The local Geemente (City Council) normally guarantee availability subject to anything but the

most severe weather conditions. In such an event, the fall-back option will be to play all

competitions on a knock-out basis on the two astro-turf pitches.

For teams and supporters between games, there is plenty of space available in the bar areas of

the Sports Park along with some cover at various points around the venue. However, given the

large numbers, the bar areas may be quite crowed – so do bring appropriate clothing, Please

remove football boots when entering the bar areas.

We would ask players and supporters to respect our fellow sports clubs facilities and behave in a

courteous and polite manner.

Security

The facilities are under the control of the Maastricht City Council Sports Service, whose staff will

be available from 08:00hrs until 30 minutes after the end of the final game. Each dressing-room

will be locked as teams leave it. They will be opened on request by Sports Service staff.

Each team will also be supplied with a small locker and key (from Sports service Office) for

valuables etc. Keys must be signed in/out.

Whilst every effort is made to keep dressing-rooms secure, teams are reminded that neither

Maastricht Gaels nor the Sports Service can be held responsible for any items left in the

dressing-room. Teams should make appropriate arrangements for valuables etc.

Equipment

All of the pitch side equipment such as goalposts, cones, flags, etc., will be in place in time for

the first games. This obviously requires a significant effort from the host club and Sports Service

staff and any help from early arrivals will be much appreciated.

At the end of the last game on each pitch, teams are requested to assist with bringing the

goalposts, pitch markers etc., back to the clubhouse complex where the host club and Sports

Service staff will still have a significant amount of work to do to secure & store equipment.

Pitches

Games will be played on both grass (4) and astroturf (2) rugby/soccer pitches. All pitches will be

marked with lines and/or cones/flags and equipped with GAA goalposts, or modified soccer posts

etc. Some pitches are equipped with team shelters, which should be vacated after your game to

allow other teams to use these facilities. Pitch numbers 4 & 6 are astroturf, remainder are grass.

Please note that pitches no’s 6 & 8 have been mistakenly reversed in schedules/programme.

Medical/First Aid

Hopefully there will not be any significant injuries but with so many players and games, accidents

may unfortunately happen. A first aid service will be provided by uniformed EHBO personnel

(volunteer service similar to Red Cross) who will operate both a mobile patrol service to pitches

and a Medical Room. The EHBO personnel will tend to minor injuries and provide advice for more

serious incidents. They do not provide an ambulance service but will call an ambulance if

required.

If a player requires more qualified medical assistance such as x-rays, etc., the host club will

transport a player to the local hospital – the AZM. (Address: P. Debyelaan 25 6229 HX

Maastricht, Tel: 043 3876543). The hospital is a major general hospital providing a wide range

of medical services. Staff speak English & Dutch (some may speak French/German).

Upon arrival in the Accident & Emergency Unit, you will be asked for insurance details, so please

ensure you have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) or national/travel insurance details.

The host club may not be in a position to wait with the injured player, so clubs are advised that a

non-player – preferably English speaking, should travel with injured player to the hospital if

possible.

Map of pitches

Please note in schedules that Pitch (“veld”) 8 and Pitch 6 have been mistakenly reversed!!

Dinner & Reception

The dinner, presentations and entertainment will take place at the MVV Stadion, “De Guesslt”

Doors open at 20:00hrs. Food will be available at 21;00hrs with presentations at 22:00. The

event will run until 01:00 with bar closing at 00:30.

Admittance is by “wristband” only and a private security firm will be checking people in/out.

Wristbands will be issued at Registration Desk during the day and cannot be replaced if lost etc.

– so, please take care of them! The smoking area is outside front door – so again, wristband

must be shown on re-entering.

Drinks are bought via token system. You can purchase tokens at the entrance at €2.50 per token

which is the price of a small beer.

Local bus No’s 2 (direction: Nazareth) and 3 (direction: Meersen).– the relevant bus stop is

“Stadionweg. Journey time is 10 minutes from Central Station. See: www.9292.nl/en

“Maastricht Gaels Pub Trail”

We have arranged with four local pubs/bars to facilitate visitors over the weekend. These pubs

will also show rugby/soccer games etc. Please support these bars as local sponsors of the

tournament!!!

They are as follows:

John Mullins Irish Pub, Wycker Brugstraat 50, Maastricht 6221 ED

Walkabout, Cörversplein 6, 6221 EZ Maastricht

Café De Joie, Achter het Vleeshuis 17, 6211 GR Maastricht,

Edds Grand Café, Heggenstraat 3, 6211 GW Maastricht

Most bars open until 03:00 and there are night bars on the Market square (“markt”) which

remain open until 06:00 these tend to be very busy after bars close.

Sunday

Sunday will be very busy in Maastricht as it is the start of Carnival season. Officially festivities

commence at 11:11 (on the 11th of the 11th) with large crowds, some in fancy dress,

congregating on the main square in advance of the opening and much partying going on all day.

Try to catch some of the atmosphere!

For those who have missed breakfast we recommend the full Irish breakfast in John Mullins bar

& restaurant, however you will not be short of options as Maastricht is renowned for food and

almost every bar and café can provide reasonably prices food (although some may have

restricted service due to Carnival crowds.

Useful Addresses

Pitches: Sportspark West, Negenputruwe 1-5, RA 6218, Maastricht.

Dinner: MVV Stadion “De Guesselt” Pierre de Coubertinweg, 6225 XT Maastricht

After-parties: John Mullins Irish Pub, Wycker Brugstraat 50, Maastricht 6221 ED

Walkabout, Cörversplein 6, 6221 EZ Maastricht

Café De Joie, Achter het Vleeshuis 17, 6211 GR Maastricht,

Grand Café Edds, Heggenstraat 3, 6211 GW Maastricht

Hotels etc: Golden Tulip Apple Park, Pierre de Coubertinweg, 6225 XT Maastricht

Van der Valk, Nijverheidsweg 35, 6227 AL Maastricht

Townhouse Hotel, Sint Maartenslaan 5 6221 AV Maastricht

NH Hotel, Forum 110, 6229 GV Maastricht

Stay Okay, Maasboulevard 101, 6211 JW Maastricht

Hospital: AZM, P. Debyelaan 25 6229 HX Maastricht

Interactive version of venue locations see: http://goo.gl/maps/b1CSD

Pitches

Apple Park

Hotel &

Dinner

venue

John

Mullins

Pub

&

Walkabout

Bar Café De Joie &

Edds Grand cafe

Van der

Valk

Hotel

AZM

Hospital

Central Station

Weather

Finally, the weather for Saturday is not looking too good. Showers (60% chance) and a mid-

afternoon high of 12º is expected. Sunday is expected to be dry but cold.

Looking forward to seeing you all!!

The Maastricht Gaels

Contacts

If you need advice or require assistance before or during your stay, don’t hesitate to

contact any of the following:

Nicole van Ouwerkerk +31 64 23 12 795

Tony Bass +31 64 66 06 000

Shay O’Doherty +31 64 63 32 328