Laois man, Sean Bennett was part of the Ireland team which competed at this weekend’s 2023 Wheel Open Floorball International.
The tournament took place from Friday, August 10 until Sunday in Prague, the capital city of Czechia.
Wheelchair Hurling encompasses a range of fundamental skills that exist in Gaelic Hurling, with the rules modified to adapt these skills to suit the individuals involved and their capabilities.
Floorball is very similar game, and is currently being considered for addition to the list of sports in the Paralympics.
It differs from wheelchair hurling in that players play on a field and use a stick, like those used in ice hockey.
Mountmellick man, Sean – who plays in goal – is quite an accomplished player to say the least, having won two All-Stars for Wheelchair Hurling in both 2018 and 2019.
He was part of a 12-player squad made up entirely of All-Star wheelchair hurlers from each of the four provinces.
Aside from Bennett, the only other Leinster player was Carlow’s Melanie Griffith, Vice Captain.
Limerick’s James McCarthy captained the team.
The competition involved teams from the host nation, Czechia, as well as Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, and of course, Ireland.
The Gaelic All-Star team some of Europe’s top sides across the weekend, having been drawn in a very difficult group.
They faced two local Czech sid, Štíři České Budějovice and SVK Praha, as well as two Dutch sides, the Dutch Lions and SV Doing Zoetermeer.
Ireland lost all four games, but in a tournament of twenty teams, they were mightily unlucky to be drawn among four of the eventual top six.
Budějovice lost the final; the Dutch Lions beat Zoetermeer in the third place playoff; and Praha finished 6th.
Ireland have wasted little time since arriving back in Ireland on Monday and returned to training on Thursday in Mountmellick.
