SHAMROCK BOWL XIX PREVIEW

Sunday 28th August 2005-2pm

Belfast Bulls v Dublin Rebels

Grafton Arena, Deramore Park, Belfast.

Shamrock Bowl XIX, the National Championship game for the Irish American Football League (IAFL) is due to take place at the Grafton Arena (home of Belfast Harlequins RFC) on Sunday 28th August at 2pm. The game will be contested by the winners of the semi-finals, which took place on Sunday 14th August.

Dublin Rebels (2) 26-20 Carrickfergus Knights (3)
Belfast Bulls (1) 31-0 Cork Admirals (4)

American football in Ireland is a growing sport. Six teams from various parts of the country played a full league schedule and two more teams have joined for 2006. The number of active players in the league has almost doubled over the past three years to c.350. This years Shamrock Bowl is expected to be a good spectacle due to the increase in the standard of play in the IAFL in recent years. Last year’s Shamrock Bowl, which was played at Greystones RFC in Wicklow was deemed a great success attracting the largest ever crowd for an IAFL game. Shamrock Bowls was run as an event to be enjoyed by all the family. This years game will follow the same formula. Admission to the game is free, though there will be a small charge for the optional game programme.

The game will be played on the Grafton Arena, which is overlooked by an all-seater stand. Food and drink will be available for spectators. The game will closely resemble what spectators are used to seeing on TV with large squads of fully kitted players, a fully painted field, chains, striped officials etc. There will be live play-by-play commentary to help spectators follow and understand the game. Shamrock Bowl XVIII was not decided until the dying seconds of the game and all the signs are that this years game could also go right down to the wire. Both teams are capable of both running and passing the ball effectively and are renowned for their hard hitting defenses. The Belfast Bulls have the best record in Ireland this season (8-1 overall) and the Rebels are the defending Shamrock Bowl Champions. The teams have met twice in this year’s league, with the home team coming out on top on each occasion. Both teams have some excellent players who will be contenders for the Thomas Street Jewellers MVP Award.

Belfast Bulls (maroon) line up against the Cork Admirals

BELFAST BULLS
Head Coach: Rod Thompson.

The Belfast Bulls have only played in the IAFL since 2002, but since then have made more improvements than any other team. They have put together a very talented squad - a mixture of experienced players and young talent – in a very short time. Head Coach Rod Thompson, aided by some experienced assistants, has done an excellent job and deserves credit for developing the squad so quickly. The Bulls have been the most dominant team in the league this season and have only lost one game (away to the Rebels).

Quarterback James McKelvey took over as the teams starter earlier this year and has been improving with every game. As well as being a good passer, he is deceptively elusive and strong and can pick up yardage on the ground. The Bulls best player this season has been Erin Wagner. He was Ireland’s best player in the Celtic Classic and will line up at running back in the Bulls offense. His speed and size make him a threat in the running game. He will also contribute on defense, lining up as a pass rushing defensive end. The heart of the Bulls offense is their offensive line which is the biggest in the IAFL. Their best offensive lineman is Jeroen Egge, an ex-full time professional in NFL Europe. Egge also won awards at Duke University in the USA. Egge’s mammoth size is also used on defense where he lines up at nose tackle. Tackle Eoghan Murphy is also one of the Bulls best linemen as well as being one of the biggest in the IAFL. This season, the Bulls have used several players in the offensive backfield – Warren Thompson and Mark McGrath both carry the ball regularly. The Bulls best receiver is Chris McKeown and Stephen McDowell is good at picking up extra yardage after the catch. Expect the Bulls to use a balanced mixture of run and pass with a lot of players contributing.

The Bulls defense has been one of the reasons they have topped the IAFL standings this year. They have 4 shut out victories and have created many turnovers. As well as having Egge and Wagner contribute, the defensive line also features Carl Ward who is very strong against the run. At times this season, teams have found it very difficult to run up the middle on the Bulls and the Rebels will find it equally difficult in the Shamrock Bowl. The defensive line is aided by some tough linebackers including Kris Donaghy, Gareth Millar and Chris Weir. The Bulls secondary has been very effective in creating turnovers this season. It is led by experienced safety Mark Helferty. Helferty leads the league in interceptions this season, and fellow defensive backs James Kay and Andy Neeson have also contributed. The Bulls make it particularly tough for teams to pass in the middle of the field.

Dublin Rebels (black) in action against the Carrickfergus Knights

DUBLIN REBELS
Head Coaches: Brian Dennehy/Marcus Naylor.

The Dublin Rebels have been the most successful IAFL team over the past 3 years. They have won each of the last two Shamrock Bowls and have won the Charleroi Trophy in Belgium twice. They have also finished in the top two positions in the league in 4 of the past 5 years. The team has a lot of big game experience and tend to lift themselves on big occasions such as the Shamrock Bowl. Brian Dennehy coaches the offense and Marcus Naylor coaches the defense. They have an extremely experienced squad, but have also had some rookies shine through this year.

The Rebels quarterback is Andrew Dennehy. He is very much a student of the game and will rarely make a mistake on the field. He excels at reading the game as it develops. The Rebels best player is the legendary Brian Dennehy (brother of Andrew) who lines up at tailback. Brian holds most of the IAFL rushing records and has been the dominant running back in Ireland since the 1990s. He has had over 100 yards rushing in each of the past two Shamrock Bowls. Brian Dennehy is very elusive and is as much a threat catching passes out of the back field as he is when carrying the ball. Rookie Sam Hodgins has been a pleasant surprise for the Rebels this season and should also get some carries. Andrew Flynn will line up at full back. The Rebels have traditionally been a rushing team, but have developed an effective passing game this season. Tight end Simon Mackey has good hands and will work the middle of the field. One of the reasons for the improvement in the Rebels passing has been the discovery of rookie receiver Barry Flinn. The 6-5 Flinn can out jump most defensive backs and catches a lot of sideline balls. The Rebels other starting receiver is speedster Conor Ryan. The Rebels line is led by Shane Campbell and Tobias Hansson.

Like the Bulls, the Rebels pride themselves on their tough defense. Their defensive line is anchored by veteran Al Kelly who is a good run stuffer. Defensive end Paul Smyth is a good pass rusher who will also make tackles in the offensive backfield. The Rebels defense has some very experienced linebackers including Kenny Hudson who anchors the middle and Fearghal O’Donnchu who is excellent in dropping back and covering tight ends. The Rebels defensive backfield is very strong and features a couple of the best young corners in the IAFL. Darragh Farrell and Patrick Quinn are both avid ball hawks as is safety Marcus Naylor who patrols the middle of the field.

Overall, this years game will provide some interesting matchups involving some very experienced players and young and upcoming talent. The talent level in the IAFL has is rising every year and this years Shamrock Bowl is promising to be one of the best ever in terms of standard of play. One thing is certain – which ever team wins will deserve to do so.

THOMAS STREET JEWELLERS MOST VALUABLE PLAYER AWARD:

The IAFL is pleased to announce that this years MVP Award will be sponsored by Thomas Street Jewellers of Dublin. A representative of TSJ will present a watch to the game MVP (man of the match) after the Shamrock Bowl. TSJ were one of the sponsors of last years Shamrock Bowl in Greystones and have decided to continue their association with the Shamrock Bowl.

GRAFTON BELFAST HARLEQUINS RFC & BELFAST CITY COUNCIL:

The IAFL would like to thank Grafton Belfast Harlequins RFC and Belfast City Council for their assistance in making this years game happen.