UCF arrives in Ireland
Seven and a half hours following their departure from the Sanford Airport, the UCF team charter touched down in Dublin at approximately 8 a.m. local time (3:00 in the morning back in Florida). After going through customs, the Knights boarded buses for the team hotel - the Carton House - located about 20 minutes west of Dublin.
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UCF recently posted this video with footage of their Irish accommodations.
Players had a couple hours to get acquainted with their new surroundings before diving into lunch at approximately 12:45 (7:45 EST).
Then it's time for pre-practice meetings followed by practice at 3:10 p.m. (10:10 EST). With the long flight and disrupted sleeping schedule, I'm curious how intense the day will be. They have a couple hours budgeted. The positive is the practice fields are located on the hotel grounds. There is no need to travel back and forth to a separate site. The historic Carton House is a former estate that was a popular movie set before it was converted into a hotel resort in 2000. They are well-suited for hosting sports teams as several soccer clubs, including Newcastle FC and Real Madrid, have stayed at the Carton House for preseason training.
The team will eat dinner in the team hotel immediately after practice at 5:30 p.m. (12:30 EST). Meetings will follow, then a snack, and bed time is scheduled for 10:30 p.m. (5:30 EST). I don't think the players will have any trouble getting to sleep. Thursday's practice is bright and early the following morning.
Penn State arrived in Dublin several hours after UCF, at around 11 a.m. (6 a.m. EST). Their team hotel is the Powerscourt, located about 45 minutes south of Dublin. Like the Carton House, Powerscourt has a rich history dating back to the 1700s.
Unlike UCF, their practice site is in the south part of the city at University College Dublin, so they'll be making plenty of back-and-forth trips. Their Wednesday practice is scheduled for around 4:30 p.m.
The media hotel is the Croke Park Hotel, located across the street from the stadium. Many of UCF's support personnel are staying here to assist the GAA with game preparations, and not at the UCF team hotel.
No official fan events or team excursions until Thursday.
Welcome to @DublinAirport @UCF_Football #IrishKnights #avgeek pic.twitter.com/bDLPfsLIeE- Karol Smyth (@kjppsmyth) August 27, 2014
UCF has arrived in Dublin for the @CrokePkClassic!! #IrishKnights pic.twitter.com/P6mA09vOLd- UCF Football (@UCF_Football) August 27, 2014
Dublin.....he's here!!!! pic.twitter.com/eneekmm3xe- UCFMarcDaniels (@ucf_marcdaniels) August 27, 2014
Great UCF gear here at the Dublin Airport #IrishKnights pic.twitter.com/3C2PqR5N8E- UCF Football (@UCF_Football) August 27, 2014
@UCF_Football @CrokePkClassic great to see you pic.twitter.com/2nFTqsrkq5- Bryan Russell (@mrbryanrussell) August 27, 2014
http://t.co/K33AKupZk3's Jake Rakoci caught up with #UCF President Hitt after landing @DublinAirport. #IrishKnights pic.twitter.com/g0N0MLUaOV- KnightNews.com #UCF (@UCFKnightNews) August 27, 2014
In Ireland right now and it's cold- Errol Clarke II (@_7thehardway) August 27, 2014
Made it safely 2 Ireland w the team, thanks 4 the prayers #ChargeON- Jackie Williams (@_AndreFerrari3) August 27, 2014
arrived safely in Dublin. incredible. go @UCFKnights #ChargeOn- john r evans (@johnrevans) August 27, 2014
We made it to #Dublin #Ireland @CrokePkClassic Thank you @Delta for getting us here safe! Now let's go win a ballgame pic.twitter.com/j354fTkmrY- Erik Kohler (@eksports_radio) August 27, 2014
Dublin has balloons, signs and banners everywhere. Love seeing #UCF everywhere I look. #ChargeOn pic.twitter.com/nP4SqT5Wqr- Grant J. Heston (@GrantJHeston) August 27, 2014
A UCF entrance to team hotel pic.twitter.com/2iNuYWBAAF- UCFMarcDaniels (@ucf_marcdaniels) August 27, 2014
Beautiful spot for the team to spend the next few days. Carton House is fantastic! #IrishKnights pic.twitter.com/VgmKekmojw- UCF Football (@UCF_Football) August 27, 2014
Good morning, Dublin! The @dublinairport has plenty of Black & Gold in it! #IrishKnights https://t.co/9hnjD4XY5p- UCF Knights (@UCFKnights) August 27, 2014
Arrived in Dublin and headed out on the train for our first adventure of the day. @ucf_sports #IrishKnights pic.twitter.com/HTDI42ZMXk- UCF Cheerleaders (@UCF_CheerTeam) August 27, 2014
.@UCFKnights coach George O'Leary @DublinAirport the team have arrived in Ireland for the #CrokeParkClassic pic.twitter.com/UGUlWJl0ua- Croke Park Classic (@CrokePkClassic) August 27, 2014
Among the many options at team breakfast pic.twitter.com/VLcQldfn3A- UCFMarcDaniels (@ucf_marcdaniels) August 27, 2014
@UCF_Football's @seangalvin_35 arrives at @DublinAirport. #IrishKnights pic.twitter.com/566oyUg11c- KnightNews.com #UCF (@UCFKnightNews) August 27, 2014
.@CrokePark pitch team putting up the goal posts for the #CrokeParkClassic between @UCFKnights and @PennStateFball pic.twitter.com/0wZov79Boj- Croke Park Classic (@CrokePkClassic) August 27, 2014
UCF Knights are in Ireland! Gotta love the beautiful country scenery in Dublin. Glad I can be apart of something special. #ChargeOn- Rob T. Sauvao (@RobSauvao98) August 27, 2014
There is no shortage of @CrokePkClassic signs throughout Dublin. Pretty awesome sight to behold #IrishKnights pic.twitter.com/jQX8M6usFB- Eric DeSalvo (@EricDeSalvo) August 27, 2014
.@UCFKnights @DublinAirport earlier this morning, the team will have their first training session on Irish soil later pic.twitter.com/deEhDgQQ2Z- Croke Park Classic (@CrokePkClassic) August 27, 2014
.@PennStateFball touchdown at @DublinAirport #CrokeParkClassic pic.twitter.com/xux5Iht5OA- Croke Park Classic (@CrokePkClassic) August 27, 2014
An early morning post from the @CrokePark ! #IrishKnights #ChargeOn pic.twitter.com/sSXHjFI89w- Chip Fontanazza (@ChipFontanazza) August 27, 2014
UCF NEWS: UCF Football Arrives in Ireland | Video http://t.co/6CzA8LG2SI #ucf- KnightNews.com #UCF (@UCFKnightNews) August 27, 2014
.@CrokePark is getting new goal posts today ahead of the #CrokeParkClassic between @UCFKnights and @PennStateFball pic.twitter.com/sWWgBYX4kh- Croke Park Classic (@CrokePkClassic) August 27, 2014
The pitch inside @CrokePark is in immaculate shape! #IrishKnights #ChargeOn pic.twitter.com/Jr387m0EWo- UCF Knights (@UCFKnights) August 27, 2014
Ireland is beautiful! Now I have to adjust to this time change.- Deion Green (@ucfde47) August 27, 2014
A little Irish lunch while waiting for our rooms to open up. pic.twitter.com/GkCv79U4Jt- Shannon Owens-Green (@osknights) August 27, 2014
Absolutely blown away by @CrokePark and the pristine pitch! #IrishKnights pic.twitter.com/XJQTY39wTN- Eric DeSalvo (@EricDeSalvo) August 27, 2014
We are already out enjoying Dublin! #IrishKnights @UCFKnights #beautiful �� pic.twitter.com/9CguydX6bh- UCF Cheerleaders (@UCF_CheerTeam) August 27, 2014
Some pics from team hotel pic.twitter.com/SCWpuvpkoJ- UCFMarcDaniels (@ucf_marcdaniels) August 27, 2014
Gotta say, might be a little jealous of @agseeley and the view from his room. #CrokeParkClassic pic.twitter.com/keoG5hb53c- Chip Fontanazza (@ChipFontanazza) August 27, 2014
Practice fields are right next to the guest rooms. Knights already in unit meetings #IrishKnights pic.twitter.com/Ty1LiAlWv9- UCF Football (@UCF_Football) August 27, 2014
The famous boat house at Carton House...one of many historical structures on the grounds pic.twitter.com/93m3TMHfQj- UCFMarcDaniels (@ucf_marcdaniels) August 27, 2014
.@PennStateFball are taking a tour of @CrokePark ahead of the #CrokeParkClassic on Saturday pic.twitter.com/EYi5WKN0N0- Croke Park Classic (@CrokePkClassic) August 27, 2014
Excited to enjoy some great food in Ireland! #IrishKnights @UCFKnights �� pic.twitter.com/E7YDlAmbvb- UCF Cheerleaders (@UCF_CheerTeam) August 27, 2014
Hats off to @CrokePkClassic on city wide branding campaign. Can't miss it around Dublin #IrishKnights pic.twitter.com/1ix88uncD7- Zack Lassiter (@ZackLassiter) August 27, 2014
Ireland's own, Sean Galvin, fields plenty of questions from the media prior to practice #IrishKnights pic.twitter.com/OarWrE4kzz- UCF Football (@UCF_Football) August 27, 2014
The squad taking in the @CrokePark Stadium Tour and the stellar view of Dublin. pic.twitter.com/4TnmoTgSAy- Penn State Football (@PennStateFball) August 27, 2014
"This is football weather!" - George O'Leary as he talks with the media prior to practice #IrishKnights pic.twitter.com/FJntW1YrWU- UCF Football (@UCF_Football) August 27, 2014
UCF warming up for practice in Ireland #IrishKnights pic.twitter.com/ICOjCMzwMv- KnightNews.com #UCF (@UCFKnightNews) August 27, 2014
The Knights aren't wasting any time as practice is well underway from Carton House #IrishKnights https://t.co/mXb7rfuixY— UCF Football (@UCF_Football) August 27, 2014
