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Vikings defeat Rebels 14-12 to win second Shamrock Bowl

Scorers:
1st Quarter: Grogan (Reb) FG.
2nd Quarter: Adrian Garvey (Vik) TD, Darragh O'Callaghan (Vik) INT RET, Seamus Feehan 2xpt from JP Nerbun.
3rd Quarter: Safety (Reb), Smyth (Reb) TD from Andy Dennehy, Grogan XP
4th Quarter: No Scoring

Shamrock Bowl XXII was a spectacular occasion played in perfect conditions. The newly built and ultra modern CIT Stadium hosted a large, loud and proud crowd from Limerick who were treated to a nail-biting struggle between two excellent teams. The Vikings faced their rivals the Dublin Rebels and sought revenge for their regular season defeat at the hands of the Dublin outfit.

Vikings team celebrates with the Shamrock Bowl trophy.

The game began with the Vikings kicking off to Dublin and Kevin Finnegan returned the ball into Limerick territory. The Rebels Quarterback Andy Dennehy then proceeded to lead a well executed drive to get to the Limerick redzone. Finnegan was the main threat for Dublin from the running back position. The Vikings defence then stepped up their game and big tackles from Kieran Coen and Bill Parkinson stopped the Dublin drive. Vikings QB JP Nerbun then took over and had trouble moving the ball initially against the tough Dublin defense. A great punt by Daniel Smith put Dublin under pressure but they continued to move the ball well and got back into Limerick territory. A fumble by the Vikings was recovered by the Rebels and they then opened the scoring with a 25 yard field goal by Paul Grogan which put them up three to nil. The Vikes then steeled their resolve and began to gain yards on offense. JP Nerbun completed passes to Tight end Glen Carr and reciever Marc Ashworth and game MVP Adrian Garvey made some big gains on the ground.

This pressure continued and the Rebels were powerless to stop the drive. Garvey punched in the first touchdown of the game from 23 yards out with a dazzling run combining great speed, elusive moves and crushing strength at the end to put him over the line. The blocking of Mark Thompson, Brendan Moroney, Jim Davis, Kieran Coen, Dave Moloney and Glen Carr was crucial on the drive also. The extra point attempt was blocked. The Rebels then took to the air in a bid to regain the lead. Dennehy completed passes to tight end Paul Smyth. Darragh O'Callaghan then stepped in front of a pass, juggled it for a moment and then secured possession. The Viking defence then turned to blockers and in what resembled a feeding frenzy, O'Callaghan found running room and took the ball all the way back for another Viking touchdown. The sizeable Limerick crowd went crazy after the play. JP Nerbun then threw a spectacular fade pass to Seamus Feehan who snagged the ball and kept his feet in bounds for the 2 point conversion. This score would prove crucial at the final whistle. The rest of the 2nd quarter saw the ball change hands a couple of times but no scores.

Vikings running back Adrian Garvey receives Citizen Eco-Drive MVP Award from Commissioner.

The third quarter saw the Rebels come back strongly showing what made them champions four times this decade. They were awarded 2 points for a safety for a block below the waist penalty on a punt. They then put together their first touchdown drive through great running from Ross McCoohey and Kevin Finnegan which was capped by a touchdown pass to Tight End Paul Smyth. Paul Grogan kicked the extra point. This cut the Vikings lead to two points and put them in serious danger of losing the game.

The fourth quarter was dominated by both defences and was a showcase of tense and entertaining football. Garvey continued to pound away on the ground getting the Vikings valuable first downs and keeping the Rebels out of range of scoring. The Vikings defense made some huge stops this quarter with Danny Smith, Mark Gaffney, Cormac Ryan and Kieran Coen making important tackles. The Rebels still managed to move the ball into field goal range and attempted the kick to put them one point up with 3 minutes left. Kieran Coen and Glen Carr surged through the Rebels line and both got a fingertip to the ball as it sailed goalward. The ball was tipped off line and the kick was no good. The Vikes then drove the back up the pitch and took 2 minutes off the clock. The Rebels got the ball back again and drove down the pitch. The atmosphere in the stadium was electric as every play in the drive was life or death. Dennehy completed a number of passes and the Rebels were moving well until the Vikings Safety Liam Ryan made a diving interception in front of Paul Smyth to seal the game and secure the Vikings second National Championship. Adrian Garvey then picked up a first down and the last seconds ticked off of a hugely entertaining final.

Vikings running back Adrian Garvey carries the ball.

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