Cheshire man helps Ireland win at lacrosse

Catholic lacrosse player John Frame from Holy Angels parish in Hale Barns, Cheshire, helped Ireland’s lacrosse team win the Orange Group at this year’s 2010 World Lacrosse Championships in Manchester, writes Tony Hennigan.

Mr Frame is the son of John and the late Rita Frame. He wears the number 12 shirt in the team and has been a player for Ireland since 2007.

He played a pivotal role in helping Ireland win one of the biggest goal differences in the opening games of the tournament, with Ireland scoring a record-breaking 60 goals against Korea, Slovakia and Switzerland, while only conceding a mere 10 goals.

The tournament took place at the Armitage Centre on Mossley Road in Levenshulme at the heart of Manchester’s Irish community from July 15 to 24.

John Commons, a councillor from St Mary’s parish in Levenshulme, said: “It is great to see Ireland competing in the world championships right in the heart of the biggest Irish community outside of London. I hope the games come back to Manchester again.”

The Irish team had its fair share of celebrities watching from the sideines, among them was Formula One legend Eddie Jordan who had come along to support his son Zak Jordan, who plays in midfield.

The field for the once- every-four-years event is the biggest in the tournament’s history. This reflects the steady growth and popularity of the sport sometimes called “the fastest game on two feet”.

Ireland, which competed in the 2002 and 2006 world championships in Australia and Canada, were joined by eight new national teams including Argentina, Mexico, Austria, France, Norway, Poland, Slovakia and Switzerland for the World Championship.