Month: April 2013

Rebels meet true warriors.

Report from Dublin Rebels.

On the 10th April 2013, 6 of the Rebel’s current squad visited Our Lady Children’s Hospital Crumlin, to meet the kids and give them a break from their regular day to day activities. On the day itself we had 3 players kitted up and another 3 with pads and helmets for the kids to try on along with giving them all lollipops and
some toys.

Joe Buckley meets Rebels players

We were taken around all the different wards on the day, and met kids that were not even one week old to kids who were in their mid-teens. All the kids were very receptive of our visit and shared their stories with us and they also had fun trying on the helmet and pads. A few have told us to watch our backs as they are coming
for our places in a few years, one kid told me he is going to be at our next training session and wants to play running back, so Simon Mackey watch out.

These kids are true warriors, no matter what hardships life has thrown at them, they have gotten and fought on through it with their families by their side and with the incredible work that the nurses, doctors and the volunteers provide.

Rebels hanging with Oliver Kelly

We want to thank Conall Mac Riocaird who made it possible for us to attend to the hospital, to all the ward nurses and staff, the 2 medical interns Katie Duggan and Dan O’Day but we want to say a special thanks to June Farrell who brought us to all the wards and gave us an insight into what goes on day to day in the hospital but most of all we want to thank the kids themselves for taking the time to meet with us and share the stories.

Rebels conquer Cowboys.

Dublin Rebels 62 -6 Craigavon Cowboys
People’s Park, Portadown
April 28th 2013

Despite playing and losing their first away game of the year against the West Dublin Rhinos 2 weeks ago, the Rebels hit the road for reals and headed North to play their first of 3 games in as many weeks against Northern opposition. The 7-6 loss was now in the rear view mirror as the Rebels looked ahead up the long highway to the Shamrock Bowl. Luckily for the Rebels the players brought more balls onto the pitch than game manager Mick Clarke brought onto the bus and it was clear from the off that the road team were out to make a statement to the rest of the league that “Black Is Back”.

Looking to capture the IAFL rushing record for 2013, running back Simon Mackey, probably fresh from an early morning Ben Dunne session with Smith & Wesson, put up 3 rushing TDs in the first quarter alone with 2 point conversions to boot to put the Rebels ahead by a surprising 24 points. With low squad numbers amongst Ireland’s original American Football team, the Cowboys seemed happy to sit back and try stemming the flow of arterial gridiron pressure being pumped by the Rebels “Reservoir Pigs” O-line. The absence of Cowboys starting QB Peter Loughran didn’t help the home side as they struggled to create any offensive momentum against the Rebel’s stingy No Name Defense. The Rebels however reminded the league that they are not just a running game team when QB Andy Dennehy connected with rookie tight end Peter Keely on a pretty rainbow over the Cowboys secondary. He also connected with receiver Gary Sommerville on a quick strike and a customary bomb over the top for 2 TDs. Mackey added another TD to his haul to give him 9 this season after only 4 games. Defensive players got in on the scoring act also with defensive tackle Ger O’ Leary forcing his Northern counterparts into conceding a safety. Defensive back Senan O’ Mahony picked off an errant throw by 18 year old Cowboys QB Christian Cowan and took it back to the house to score the Rebels second pick 6 of the year. The home side scored a TD of their own when receiver Ryan Brolly snagged a deep ball in the Rebels endzone. Despite a flattering score line of 62-6, one thing you always get playing Northern teams is physical game and it was no different on this occasion. A stout Cowboys defensive line made the Rebels O work for their treats and showed why they are around since the dawn of the IAFL.

The Rebels boarded the bus with a W in the back pocket and enjoyed the drink fuelled, Burger King smelling journey back home with the upcoming Trojans game seeping into their thoughts. Rookies were made perform like circus monkeys; some were horrid, some were meh, but none were Paul Grogan, the songbird of our generation. The win puts the Rebels at 3-1, trailing the 4-0 Belfast Trojans at the top of the SBC North. Back to back games against the National Champions in Dublin and Belfast in the next 2 weeks will decide the wearer of the Northern crown and the right to face the wild-card winners in the SBC South. Be sure to catch the first of these mouth watering clashes this Sunday at 2pm in Sportslink Santry.

Scorers:
1st Quarter
Run by S.Mackey (2pc successful) 8-0
Run by S.Mackey (2pc successful) 16-0
Run by S.Mackey (2pc successful) 24-0
2nd Quarter
Pass by A. Dennehy to P.Keely (2pc successful) 32-0
Pass by A. Dennehy to G. Sommerville (2pc unsuccessful) 38-0
Safety by G. O’ Leary 40-0
Half time Dublin Rebels 40-0 Craigavon Cowboys 0

3rd Quarter
Run by S.Mackey (2pc successful) 48-0
Pass by A. Dennehy to G. Sommerville (2pc successful) 56-0
4th Quarter
Pass by C. Cowan to R. Brolly (XP unscuccessful) 56-6
INT Return by S. O’ Mahony (2pc unsuccessful) 62-6
Final Score Dublin Rebels 62 Craigavon Cowboys 6

Report by Gary Sommerville

New dates for games lost due to weather announced.

The IAFA has announced new dates for the following fixtures which were lost due to the poor weather on March 24th.

June 2nd

Belfast Trojans @ West Dublin Rhinos will be played on June 2nd (Rhinos @ Trojans game on this date will move to June 9th).

June 9th

Dublin Rebels @ Carrickfergus Knights (venue tba)

West Dublin Rhinos @ Belfast Trojans (moved from June 2nd).

June 16th

Cork Admirals @ Trinity College will be played on June 16th.

A new date for UL Vikings @ UCD will be announced shortly.

In order to accommodate the rescheduled games, the SBC North Wildcard game will move to from June 16th to June 23rd – same date as the SBC South Wildcard game.

Rhinos upset Rebels

Rhino's QB Northcutt gets ready to pass

After starting the season 0-3 and just one week removed from a 23-0 beating, the Dublin Rhinos tore up the form book and scored a massive upset over the Dublin Rebels. After a heavy loss to the Craigavon Cowboys, Head Coach Mark Lawless could have been forgiven for looking at a date with Ireland’s most successful side as a particularly unwelcome fixture.

Instead, the Rhinos, led by first-time starting quarterback Jonny Northcutt, dug deep and withstood everything the Rebels had to throw at them in a thrilling final quarter. The day hadn’t started particularly well for the Rhinos, who ceded possession early in their first drive, then struggled to contain the Rebels running game.

Simon Mackey, who had dominated the February meeting between the sides, picked up where he left off and gashed the Rhinos defence for a rushing touchdown, his third against the men in red this season. Andy Dennehy’s pass was deflected on the two-point conversion, leaving the Rhinos 6-0 down.

Any foreboding or sense of déjà-vu was premature, however, as the Rhinos reacted excellently to the score, clogging the middle of the line and delivering a number of big hits, first Barry Bolton getting to Mackey, then Fintan Corr separating Andrew McMahon and the ball.

The impetus created by the defence spurred the offence, and Northcutt on. The second quarter saw the Rhinos march down the field, with Robert Pops and Shaun Douglas both gaining yards as the wind played havoc with any notion of a passing game developing on either side. On a third and eight from the Rebels 22, however, that notion would be exploded.

Northcutt took the snap and retreated, eyes downfield, before arcing a perfect pass over the head of Keith Foster. Alex McGuirk, whose catching chances had been limited throughout the day, showed no signs of rust as he rose spectacularly before bringing the ball in safely in the endzone.

Paul Hosford added the point after, to give the Rhinos a one-point margin at the break. The second half would become a war of attrition, with penalties pock-marking the game and the tension ratcheted up. The Rhinos defence would force a turnover on downs before a fourth quarter showdown on their own goal line. With a fourth and goal just inches from the line, the Rebels snap was fumbled and Stephen Byrne gratefully dived on it.

The Rhinos would punt before having to make another goal line stand with time running out. Dennehy scrambled for what felt like an eternity, before firing a dart that would fall incomplete as the clock expired and the Rhinos claimed their first-ever win over their cross-town rivals. Final score Rhinos 7 -6 Rebels.