Category: International

Posts related to international football

Boston College and Georgia Tech to come to Ireland

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The Irish American Football Association welcomes today’s announcement of the Aer Lingus College Football Classic between Boston College and Georgia Tech, which is scheduled for 2016. This marks the third regular season college football game to be held in Ireland in recent years.

In 2014, IAFA was an official partner of the Penn State versus University of Central Florida game. Over 20,000 people from North America travelled to Ireland to watch the game and as well as bringing significant tourism to Ireland, it also helped to highlight the sport in this country.

Commenting at today’s announcement, IAFA Commissioner Cillian Smith said “Having major American football fixtures in Ireland helps to not only shine a light on the massive growth the sport is currently experiencing in Ireland, but it also reinforces Ireland as a prime destination for sporting events of this scale. As the National Governing Body for American football in Ireland, we’re delighted to hear that Boston College and Georgia Tech, two of the top teams in college football, are considering Ireland as a location for a future fixture and we look forward to working with both of them”.

Atlantic Cup joins GFL International. Netherlands to host 2015 tournament.

The Atlantic Cup grouping has formally joined German Football League International (GFL International). This years tournament in the Netherlands will be the first to be run by GFL International.

GFL International currently runs Europe two most prestigious club competitions – the Big6 EuroBowl and the European Football League (EFL). Like the Atlantic Cup, both of these competitions were formerly run by EFAF. The inclusion of the Atlantic Cup means that GFL International competitions now include most western European nations. The current line-up of countries inlcudes Germany, France, Austria, Switzerland, Spain, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Ireland. A number of other countries are expected to be included in the future.

This years GFL International Atlantic Cup will be hosted by the Netherlands with the provisional line-up as follows:

Belfast Trojans (IAFA).

Groningen Giants (NL)

Gent Gators (BEL)

Dudelange Steelers (LUX)

The tournament will take place over the last weekend in September, with Shamrock Bowl Champions, Belfast Trojans representing the IAFA.

With the standard of play improving every year in Ireland, joining GFL International will also give Irish clubs access to the EFL in future years. The IAFA will now also be able to cooperate with the other GFL International countries in areas such as coaching and officiating.

Brussels Tigers win EFAF Atlantic Cup

Brussels Tigers (white) - winners of Atlantic Cup VI

The Brussels Tigers won Atlantic Cup VI today with a 9-7 victory over Dutch entrants, Hilversum Hurricanes. The win means that Belgium draws level with Ireland and the Netherlands with 2 wins each since the tournament was incepted in 2009. The final was a low scoring defensive affair which was edged by the host team.

Earlier today, Ireland’s Dublin Rebels had a comfortable 20-7 victory over French entrant, the Vileneuve d’Ascq Vikings to take 3rd place in the competition. The Rebels were defeated 24-14 by Brussels in Saturday’s semi-final – with the difference between the team being some uncharacteristic costly defensive errors by the Rebels. Hilversum defeated the Vikings 16-13 in the other semi-final. 

EFAF Atlantic Cup VI Results (all games played in Brussels, Belgium): 

Sunday 7th September: 

FINAL – Brussels Tigers (BEL) 9-7 Hilversum Hurricanes (NL).

3rd PLACE – Dublin Rebels (IRL) 20-7 Villneuve d’Ascq Vikings (FRA).

Saturday 6th September:

SEMI: Brussels Tigers 24-14 Dublin Rebels

SEMI: Hilversum Hurricanes 16-13 Villneuve d’Ascq Vikings.

Atlantic Cup 2014 – Rebels seek to retain title for Ireland

The Dublin Rebels travel to Brussels today with the aim of retaining the Atlantic Cup title for Ireland. The Atlantic Cup is the official Western European Championship for amateur clubs. On Saturday they face the Brussels Tigers in their Semi-Final with the winner facing the winner of the Villeneuve d’Ascq Vikings (FRA) v Hilversum Hurricanes (NL) semi in Sunday’s Final. A win for the Dublin Rebels would give Ireland it’s third title in six years, pulling ahead of the Dutch who have also won two titles to date and the Belgians with one. The Belfast Trojans won the 2013 tournament, played at Tallaght Stadium in Dublin. 

Brussels Tigers v Dublin Rebels

The Rebels finished their 2014 season as the third ranked team in Ireland, though with an impressive 7-1 regular season record (same as the Champions). The Tigers won the Francophone Conference, but lost to the Flemish Conference champions in the Belgian Bowl. They won the Belgian Bowl in 2013. As with all International tournaments at this level, the host team usually has the big advantage of having it’s full squad in situ – with simple economics/availability dictating that the travellers cannot bring every player on their rosters. While the Rebels are travelling with a reasonably strong squad, the Tigers should have the numerical advantage. The Rebels last faced Belgian opposition in Brussels in the 2010 Atlantic Cup – losing by 2 points to West Flanders in the final. The Tigers were defeated by Trinity College in the 2013 Atlantic Cup Semi-finals. While most experts would agree that the IAFL is currently a slightly stronger league than the BFL, it is likely that this game will come down to home field and numerical advantage for the Tigers versus superior talent for the Rebels. Rebels QB Andy Dennehy and RB Simon Mackey will be the key players.

Rebels in action during their last trip to Brussels in 2010

Villeneuve d’Ascq Vikings v Hilversum Hurricanes.

The addition of France to the Atlantic Cup family is expected to give the tournament a major boost in both territorial and standard of play terms. The Vikings are a significant upgrade from the normal Luxembourg entry. As they are the first French entrant, there is an element of the unknown about how they will match up. Villeneuve d’Ascq is a large club, fielding two squads at senior level, with the best of those playing in the ‘Casque d’Argent’ Division of the French League. The Vikings had an impressive 6-1-1 record, winning their conference. Like all of the previous Dutch entries, the Hilversum Hurricanes are expected to be strong. Recently promoted, they now play in the Dutch superleague which is affiliated to GFL International’s semi-pro European Football League. As such, they have been dubbed the tournament favourites and will be difficult to defeat should they reach the final.

2014 Atlantic Cup Schedule: 

6th September – Semi-Finals.

7th September – Finals & Third place play-off.

Atlantic Cup newcomers - Villeneuve d'Ascq Vikings (red/white).

Atlantic Cup 2014: Dublin Rebels to play Brussels Tigers in Semi-Final.

The Semi-Final draw for the 2014 Atlantic Cup has been announced. Ireland’s representatives, the Dublin Rebels, have been drawn against the Brussels Tigers from the host nation. The Hilversum Hurricanse from the Netherlands will play the Villeneuve Vikings from France in the other Semi-Final.

This years Atlantic Cup is being held in Brussels, Belgium over the weekend of 6th/7th September. The tournament is the Western European Championship for amateur American football clubs. Traditionally contested between teams from the Benelux countries and Ireland, the tournament has been given a major boost with the addition of France – the Villeneuve Vikings are the first ever French entrants. The tournament has also been moved from it’s late June timeframe to early September so as to avoid clashing with the play-offs in some of the participating countries.

This is the 6th edition of the tournament. Ireland is the current holder of the title with the Belfast Trojans having won the final, played in Tallaght Stadium, in 2013. The UL Vikings have also previously won the tournament, again on Irish soil in 2010.

The Rebels are hoping to be the first Irish team to win the tournament on mainland European soil.

A spokesman for the IAFA said “We are very excited with the addition of France to the Atlantic Cup family – it adds a new dimension to the tournament. The Rebels are an experienced team who will proudly defend the title on behalf of Ireland.”

Atlantic Cup Draw:

Saturday 6th September, Brussels.

12:00  Hilversum Hurricanes (NL) v Villeneuve Vikings (FRA)

15:30   Brussels Tigers (BEL) v Dublin Rebels (IRL).

Sunday 7th September, Brussels.

12:00  Third place play-off.

 15:00  Atlantic Cup Final

Croke Park Classic Schedule of Events Announced.

With over 20,000 overseas tourists expected for the game, the majority travelling from North America, the economy is set to benefit to the tune of an estimated €30 million from the event.

Lord Mayor of Dublin, Christy Burke said; “The economic benefit from the Croke Park Classic and the various social, business and entertainment events surrounding the game are hugely significant to the country. It’s a wonderful platform to showcase what Ireland has to offer to the many tourists who are over for the game and all those watching on television around the world. I am certainly looking forward to what promises to be an exciting build up followed by a superb spectacle in Croke Park.”

Temple Bar will become a Croke Park Classic fanzone over the weekend from Thursday, August 28th to Sunday August 31st providing travelling fans and locals with an area to mix and mingle and get behind their chosen teams. Both teams Pep Rallies will be hosted here on Friday 29th and the pre-game Tailgate Party will also take place here on the morning of Saturday 30th. Dublin Bus will offer a complimentary shuttle service from Temple Bar to Croke Park to take fans from the Tailgate to the game.

The Croke Park Classic game spectacle will be a full days entertainment for all the family featuring parachute jumps, the Penn State marching band, Extreme Rhythm, The Dublin Gospel Choir, cheerleaders, team mascots and the Super 11’s. Tickets including a special August Family Ticket Offer are still available for the event.

UCF and Penn State will be playing for the Dan Rooney Trophy and there is a special coach’s Waterford Crystal helmet for the winning coach.

American Football is set to dominate the Irish sports calendar this August with the Irish American Football Association’s ‘Shamrock Bowl’ between Trinity College Dublin and Belfast Trojans in Tallaght Stadium this Sunday 10th August.

Event Schedule

Knights without Borders (4th – 10th August), Lourdes Community Hall

Student athletes from the University of Central Florida are in Dublin this week as part of their ‘Knights without Borders’ social programme to help renovate the Lourdes Community Hall on Sean McDermott Street. This community initiative was developed in association with Croke Park Stadium and Habitat for Humanity Ireland to coincide with the Croke Park Classic.

American Irish Business Forum (AIBF) – Thurs 28th August, Croke Park Conference Centre

The business forum will be held on Thursday 28th August at the Croke Park Conference Centre, focusing specifically on trade and enterprise between Florida, Pennsylvania and Ireland, and will feature a number of high profile speakers from both sides of the Atlantic.

UNESCO Symposium on Youth Civic Engagement and Leadership through Sport and Recreation – Thursday 28th August, Croke Park Conference Centre.

The symposium will bring together experts, practitioners, members of development organizations, UNESCO goodwill ambassadors, and youth leaders to create innovative solutions to issues that directly impact youth and their communities.  The event will develop a series of key policy directions and a major formal UN declaration on utilizing sports and recreation as mechanisms for youth development worldwide.  This declaration will be presented to the UN, UNESCO, and UNICEF as a platform for them to build global programming and policy.

Croke Park Classic Fanzone, Pep Rallies & Tailgate Party – Temple Bar

On Friday 29th August both sides will host their Pep Rallies in the area with UCF set to take over Meeting House Square at 4pm.  UCF will be working with Irish drumming sensation Extreme Rhythm on their performance which will include the UCF Cheerleaders, Head Coach George O’Leary, members of the team and their mascot Knightro.

At 4.30pm on the same day, Penn State will kick off their Pep Rally close by on East Essex Street, Temple Bar and their party will include a dance troop, members of the Penn State Marching Band, a large contingent of the team as well as cheerleaders and their official mascot, The Penn State Nittany Lion.

Croke Park Is All Set for a Classic

Croke Park, Sunday 27th April: A delegation from Penn State and the University of Central Florida (UCF) visited Dublin this weekend to put detailed operations plans in place with the Croke Park team for the Croke Park Classic on August 30th.

 A crew from both universities, including UCF Head Coach, George O’Leary, and Penn State’s Director of Athletics, Dave Joyner, along with their backroom staff joined the team at Croke Park to run through logistics plans ahead of their 2014 American College Football season opener.

 This included a pitch transformation at GAA HQ as American Football posts were erected and pitch markings laid down. The American Football pitch size for the college game is half the size of the Croke Park pitch at 110m x 45m compared to 144m x 86m.  The visit was the first time the pitch plans had been laid out and game operations and production were also finalised.  In addition, the groups visited the locations for citywide events including the joint Pep Rally and Tailgate venues at Dublin Castle and Temple Bar.

 Speaking at the visit UCF’s George O’Leary said he is eagerly anticipating the Croke Park Classic clash, “It’s been great to put the last few operations plans together over the past few days.  Now we can start to look ahead to the big game with excitement. We are really looking forward to putting on a show in Dublin.”

 Since the team’s first visit to Ireland for the official announcement of the game last year, Penn State University have seen a change in Head Coach as Bill O’Brien, who departed for the NFL’s Houston Texans. He was replaced by James Franklin, whose first competitive game in charge at Penn State will be the Croke Park Classic.

 Coach Franklin also can’t wait to arrive in Ireland for the season opener, “Our team is excited about coming to Ireland to play UCF and open the season. Irish fans of American Football and all of the Penn State fans travelling to Dublin will be in for an exciting game and a memorable experience. We’re looking forward to getting the season underway in front of a huge Penn State crowd at Croke Park.”

 GAA Director General Páraic Duffy said, “It was great to welcome the colleges to Croke Park again this weekend.  Next time it will be for the big game in August which promises to be a superb event for the city.”

 Tickets are on sale for the Croke Park Classic through ticketmaster.ie and tickets.ie. For further information visit www.crokeparkclassic.ie 

W:                 www.crokeparkclassic.ie

F:                  www.facebook.com/crokeparkclassic

T:                 @crokepkclassic

 Photographs released FOC by Sportsfile www.sportsfile.com

New elite organisation in Europe – GFL International Launched

The German Federation (AFVD) has launched a new International organisation – GFL International (GFLI) – which is set to change the face of European American football over the next few years. GFLI is taking over the running of Europe’s two elite club competitions – the EuroBowl and European Football League (EFL), both of which are currently run by the European Federation of American Football (EFAF).

The launch of GFLI is consequential to the ‘Frankfurt Declaration’ between AFVD and the International Federation of American Football (IFAF) which allows the German Federation to operate on a pan- European level. This Declaration resolves a long standing dispute over the running of European American football. In accordance with this agreement, a decision has been made to disband the European Federation of American Football (EFAF) with effect from 30th June 2014 and amendments are to be made to IFAF structures to ensure that European countries have more control over European matters and that revenue raised in Europe must remain in Europe.

Five countries – Germany, Austria, Netherlands, Switzerland and Spain – have already signed up to GFLI with others expected to come on board in the future. GFLI will have total control over the EuroBowl, which will now become the Championship game of the new GFLI BIG6 league. The old EFAF Cup competition will now become the European Football League, also run by GFLI. Both of these competitions will include the majority of the big name clubs in European American Football, with games being broadcast on Eurosport. GFLI will also set up development projects to help grow the sport in less developed European countries.

EFAF Vice-President and French Federation Board Member, Mr. Michel Daum, has been appointed as the new head of GFLI. It is expected that the majority of EFAF staff, particularly those with experience in running competitions, will transition to GFLI thus providing continuity.

The Atlantic Cup competition, which was formerly run by EFAF, will continue as an officially sanctioned International Club Championship tournament, though it will now be run directly by the participating countries.

Shamrock Bowl XXVIII confirmed for Tallaght Stadium

Shamrock Bowl XXVII - Tallaght Stadium

 The Irish American Football Association is pleased to announce that Shamrock Bowl XXVIII will take place at Tallaght Stadium on the weekend of 9th/10th August 2014. The stadium has hosted the Shamrock Bowl in three of the past four years. It also hosted the EFAF Atlantic Cup and The Gathering Bowl in 2013. 

Most of the American football events in the stadium have been well attended, with The Gathering Bowl setting a new record attendance of 3,000 people for a domestic American football event in the current era. The stadium has excellent spectator facilities and is fully equiped to host top level American football games. It is intended that Shamrock Bowl XXVIII will build on the success of previous games with new elements being added to this years event.

The kick-off time will be announced closer to the event.

Large crowd at 2013 Shamrock Bowl in Tallaght Stadium.

Eoin O’Sullivan appointed as IAFA Finance Officer

Eoin O’Sullivan has been appointed as the IAFA’s new Finance Officer, which along with the Commissioner and Communications Officer, is one of the three key posts in the Associations administration.

Eoin played as a defensive end on the Vikings team which reached a number of Shamrock Bowls  as well as being involved in the administration of the team. In recent years, he has been a member of Drogheda Lightning.

IAFA Team’s Super Bowl events

Superbowl XLVIII Logo

Super Bowl XLVIII is coming up on February 2nd, featuring the Denver Broncos and the Seattle Seahawks. Last year, a massive 164.1 million people watched the Super Bowl on TV in the US alone, and this year’s promises to be no different.

Whether you follow the NFL or not, many people make the effort to watch the Super Bowl but it can be difficult to find a venue showing the game. Well you’re in luck as many of our teams around the country host Super Bowl events in their communities and we wanted to give a definitive listing of these events so you’ll know where to go. We’ll add to this list as more become available.

Belfast Trojans – Madison’s Hotel, Belfast
Are you ready for the first big party of 2014? Your undefeated national champions are once again teaming up with Madisons Hotel and Budweiser NI to bring you Ireland’s biggest Super Bowl Party. The Trojans will be bringing you the big game over three floors on multiple giant screens. While you watch, you can take advantage of their amazing drinks promotion from Budweiser and forget about your New Year’s diet with their Tailgate party kitchen. There’ll also be music, prizes, VIP’s and more crazy gridiron fans in one place than anywhere else in the country.

For full details check out their Facebook event page.

Carrickfergus Knights – Swift Bar, Carrickfergus
The Carrickfergus Knights are hosting their Super Bowl night in The Swift bar in Carrickfergus. Kicking off at 7pm, the Knights will have drink promos and competitions all for £5, which includes some food to keep you going while the game will be shown across 12 screens.

For full details, check out the Knights’ Facebook page.

Craigavon Cowboys – Fabric Bar, Lurgan
The Greatest Show on Turf will be shown on multiple screens including one large screen. The Cowboys are expecting large numbers, so get your tickets early to avoid disappointment. There will also be a Madden Tournament and a Man vs Food competition in the build up to the big game, so be there early. The Cowboys will also be running a Touchdown Lotto so get ready to party with the Cowboys! #CowboysFamily.

For full details, see the Cowboys’ Facebook events page.

Drogheda Lightning – Planet Bar, Drogheda
The Planet bar in Association with Drogheda Lightning present the Super Bowl 2014 Party. Join them for the Biggest Super Bowl party in Louth on Sunday 2nd of February. Their pre-party kicks off at 6pm with Finger Food and a DJ and their live build-up starts at 8pm followed by full match coverage. They’ll be decking the place out with American decor as well as having great drinks promos & much more.

For full details, see the Lightning’s Facebook event page.

Dublin Dragons – Sinnott’s Bar, South King Street, Dublin
The Dublin Dragons are hosting a Super Bowl night in Sinnotts Bar on South King Street in Dublin, kicking off at 8pm. Entry is free and the game will be shown live on their 10 big HD screens. There’ll also be buckets of beer, wings & hotdogs & much more.

For full details, head on over to the Dragons’ Facebook event page.

Dundalk Mavericks – Brubakers, Dundalk
The Dundalk Mavericks have teamed up with Brubakers in Dundalk to bring you the Superbru party! Join them to celebrat the end of the 2014 NFL season and the beginning of their first season in the IAFA. They’ll also have finger food and drink promotions on the night.

For more information, head over to the Maverick’s Facebook page.

Dublin Rebels – Harry’s on the Green, Dublin – SOLD OUT

The Dublin Rebels have teamed up with Harry’s on the Green to bring you the original and best Super Bowl Party in Dublin. The venue will be transformed into a heaven of AV Multimedia with the big game being shown live in HD on multiple TV screens including a massive HD projection screen. Harry’s will be serving food ALL night until the early hours of the morning to help kill those half time hankerings and Harry’s on the Green will be running plenty of drink specials like buckets of beers. Exact details will be announced shortly.  And lets not forget the very famous and sexy Dublin Rebels Cheerleader will be there on the night doing their thing 🙂

For more information, head over to the Rebels’ Facebook page.

Meath Bulldogs – Navan RFC
The Meath Bulldogs are hosting their Super Bowl event in Navan RFC. Kicking off at 9pm, not only is entry free but you’ll get a free hotdog with your first drink!

For more details, head on over to their Facebook page.

North Kildare Reapers – Darkie Moore’s, Lexlip
The North Kildare Reapers are holding their Super Bowl night in Darkie Moore’s in Lexlip Village. Starting at 9pm, they’ll have a late bar, big screens and great drink promotions and are also running competitions including some with a cash prize!

To get in touch and to find out more, head over to their Facebook page.

South Kildare Soldiers – Judge Roy Beans, Newbridge
The South Kildare Soldiers are holding their event in one of Newbridge’s finest establishments, Judge Roy Beans on Edward Street. Great tasting finger food and crisp cold beers, it’s going to be a great night in store. They’ll also be holding a few competitions on the night, including Guess the Score and the SKS Raffle, so put your money where your mouth is! This is proving to be a night of fun and great entertainment so head down and join their event and bring your football buddies. Who know’s you may even join their team!

For full details, check out their Facebook event page.

Trinity College Dublin – Captain America’s, Grafton St, Dublin
Trinity Football is pleased to announce it will be hosting Super Bowl Sunday at Captain America’s on Grafton Street in Dublin. We want to welcome all interests so whether you’re an expert, rookie or just want to have a drink and eat chicken wings, come on down and enjoy one of the best nights of the year.

For further details and get your hands on some tickets, head over to their Facebook event page.

UCD – D2, Harcourt St, Dublin
The UCD American Football Club are are organising a Super Bowl night in DTWO! The venue has a reserved area for us and a dance floor downstairs to celebrate! Tickets are €7 but if you show your ESN card, you’ll get them for only &euro5.

For further details on the event and how to get your hands on some tickets, head over to the UCD Facebook event page.

UL Vikings – Flannery’s Bar, Limerick

The UL Vikings are teaming up with Flannery’s Bar in Limerick to host their 7th Annual Super Bowl Party, in association with Coors Light. They are serving hotdogs and burgers in the Courtyard and we will be showing the entire game on our huge screen…and the other 6 screens.  Join them from 9pm on Sunday 2nd February to see Super Bowl 2014.  Please note entry will not be permitted after 1am.

All the details are available on their dedicated Facebook profile

West Dublin Rhinos – The Woolshed, Parnell St, Dublin
The West Dublin Rhinos would like to invite everyone out there in Rhinoland to join them at Dublin’s premier Sports Bar The Woolshed to take in Super Bowl XLVIII on February 2nd. Kick Off is at 11:30pm but get there early to secure your seats. It’s a night out not to be missed and remember unlike some other Super Bowl venues entry is free. Also food will be available until 1am.

For more details, head on over to the Rhinos’ Facebook page.

Derek Ward appointed to the IAFA Board

Derek Ward has been coopted onto the IAFA Board to fill the final vacant internal place on the Board. His term of office will be until the AGM in late 2014.

Derek has a long association with the sport going back to the 1980s/1990s when he played with the Dublin Celts. He was Head Coach of the Dublin Lightning team which won Shamrock Bowl XI in 1996. He took a few years out of football from the late 1990s onwards during which time he was heavily involved in softball in a number of roles including manager of the Irish National Softball team. In recent years he returned to football as a member of the West Dublin Rhinos coaching staff.

The IAFA Board now consists of the following people:

Michael Smith (President), Matt Craig, John Judge, Declan McNally, Alan Orr, Ciaran O’Sullivan, Cillian Smith & Derek Ward

Carrickfergus & South Kildare share first Youth Kitted Blitz

Carrickfergus Knights & South Kildare Soldiers shared victory in the IAFA’s first U19 Youth Kitted Blitz in Carrickfergus on Sunday 15th December. All four participating teams equiped themselves well in what would have been the first ever competitive kitted action for the majority of players on all teams. The tournament was played using DV8s development rule and it’s principal aim was the development of the participants skills and experience. All teams played two blitz games.

All games were close with Carrickfergus edging Craigavon in the opening game. South Kildare edged Drogheda in the second game.  Both the final and third place play-offs were tied games – overtime was not played.

Results:

Final:

South Kildare Soldiers v Carrickfergus Knights – tied game.

Craigavon Cowboys v Drogheda Lightning – tied game.

Semi-Finals:

Carrickfergus Knights beat Craigavon Cowboys

South Kildare Soldiers beat Drogheda Lightning

President of Ireland recognises IAFA’s contribution to The Gathering

The contribution of the Irish American Football Association (IAFA) to The Gathering has been rewarded by the President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins, who has awarded the IAFA a certificate recognising it’s valuable contribution  The contributions of Maurice Cosgrave, Alan Orr and Cillian Smith were also individually recognised in a similar manner.

The IAFA hosted visiting teams from UK, Canada, Belgium and the Netherlands during 2013 as part of its programme of The Gathering Dublin events including The Gathering Bowl and the EFAF Atlantic Cup. Each of these events attracted 100’s of participants and supporters from overseas, generating 1,000s of bednights for the tourism industry thus contributing to the Irish economy.

A spokesman for the IAFA said: ” We are delighted that the President has chosen to recognise our contribution to The Gathering. This is award  pays tribute to all the IAFA members who volunteered their time and effort and without whom these events could not take place.”

Irish Sport calls on Government to invest in jobs.

  • Submission asks Government to invest ONE Euro for every citizen in fund to create jobs.
  • Sport seeks €4.58 million – but notes €1.5 million will go back to Exchequer in taxes.
  • Fund to create jobs and deliver participation programmes
  • Sport confident that 150 jobs can be created immediately

Irish sport has appealed to the Government to invest a total of €4.58 million – one euro for every citizen – in a fund specifically designed to create jobs in sport.  The appeal is at the core of a pre-budget submission by the Federation of Irish Sport, the representative body for the governing bodies of all of the major sports in Ireland.  Copies of the submission were delivered to the Government earlier today, Wednesday 25th September 2013.

The submission makes the case for more investment in sport – but investment specifically targeted at creating jobs and using those jobs to generate more participation in sport. The Federation notes that Government funding for sport has been cut by33% over the past five years.  It calls on the Government to reverse this process and to invest in sport – but to invest specifically in creating more jobs in sport.  The Federation argues that a combination of these jobs with funding to create more participation programmes in sport will be an investment for the future. This ties in with the stated objective contained in the “Programme for Government 2011 – 2016” which provides:

“In future sports funding should prioritise projects which further greater participation in sport on a local and national level.”

The Federation points to the fact that over 2,000 young people graduate annually with a sports related qualification but that currently few, if any, of those graduates can find work in Ireland due to the continuous cuts.This is despite the fact that in the UK sport & leisure is a significant source of employment for young people with 21% of all 16 – 25 year olds working in sport.

The Federation goes on to point out that research amongst the 100 plus organisations they represent has shown that over 150 jobs could be created immediately if there was funding available.

In calling for the Government to stop cutting sports funding and to invest in the jobs initiative the Federation has looked for a specific sum – €4.58 million, which the Federation points out is the equivalent of just ONE euro for every person in the country.  The submission details that government investment in sport currently amounts to €9.42 per citizen.

Speaking of the submission, Sarah O’Connor, CEO of the Federation of Irish Sport, said that the Federation had decided to concentrate on a single issue in its submission.  “The cuts of recent years have hit sport hard. Sport was very much an emerging sector when the recession hit and Irish Sport now stands on a knife edge. Further reductions in funding could send Irish Sport backwards fast.

We are aware of the need to create jobs and know that sport as a growth sector not just in Ireland but across the EU, with real capacity to develop other niche sectors of the economy, can contribute to this effort at a relatively low cost to Government. This has been recognised by the Lithuanian Presidency of the EU which is prioratising sport stating that they intend to put forward proposals for adoption relating to sport as an impetus for economic growth and employement. Therefore, whilst we continue to work on other initiatives which we feel will help sport maximise the potential return it can make to Ireland, this year we have made jobs the focus of our submission.”

“We are confident that sport can create jobs and also sustain them in the long term. The additional funding sought should be viewed as seed capitalfor what is an indigenous industry.The Federation has identified that in the area of development officers alone sport could create up to 150 jobs almost immediately.  We are conscious that these need to be sustained – hence our call for one third of the fund to be invested in participation programmes that will go along with the jobs.  We believe these programme can become self-funding over time and will also help generate revenue to help ensure the jobs become permanent.”

“We specifically asked for €4.58 million as that represents an investment of ONE euro per citizen.  And the good news for the Government is that an estimated €1.5 million of the fund will go straight back to the Exchequer in PRSI, PAYE and VAT. The estimated cost per job is therefore €25,000 which, compares very favourably with €167,000 per job in the “Infrastructure Stimulus” announced in July 2013.”

While the jobs fund is at the heart of the submission the document also points out the overall importance of sport to Ireland as an industry.  It notes that:-

  • Irish sport supports 40,532 jobs.
  • Sport contributes €2.4 billion to the Irish economy (EU Study).
  • Sport is a growth industry. There has been a 27% increase in the number of people working as professional athletes since 2006 (compared to an 18% growth in the number of accountants over the same period)
  • 5,722 people are now employed as professional athletes and sports officials compared to the 6,093 people working as authors, writers and journalists
  • Sport delivers 938 jobs for every million invested by Government compared to 443 in the Arts and 381 in the Horse and Greyhound industries.
  • Irish sports clubs spend €818 million annually.
  • 19% of all The Gathering events were sports related.
  • Sports Tourism generates returns of more than €850 million annually
  • 254,000 Irish residents travelled domestically to sports events in 2012 with a total expenditure of €49.4 million.

A copy of the pre-budget submission entitled “If jobs are a priority, then invest in sport” can be downloaded from the Federation of Irish Sport website: www.irishsport.ie

Team Ireland Flag Football playing at European Championships 2013 in Italy.

The Team Ireland flag football team is currently competing in the EFAF European Championship Finals in Italy. The competition is taking place in Pesaro from 22nd to 24th September 2013.

Ireland has been drawn in Group B for the group stages alongside Germany, Italy, Denmark and the Netherlands. Group A consists of Austria, France, Israel, Czech Republic and Great Britain.

Each team plays round robin within their group on the 22nd and 23rd. A series of play-off games on the 24th will decide the final order from 1st to 8th.

The Irish team is being coached by Ken Farrell and consists of players from senior flag football teams.

Team Ireland Squad:
Brennan, Conor – QB, Mullingar Minotaurs
Corroon, Dermot – WR, Mullingar Minotaurs
Elston,Ted – S, South Kildare Soldiers
Elston, Will – CB, South Kildare Soldiers
Grey, Joe – QB, Terenure Titans
Loughran, Peter – CB, Cragavon Cowboys
Moran, Darragh – LB, Edenderry Eagles
Nolan, Gary – LB, Mullingar Minotaurs
O’Donnell, Brian – LB, Edenderry Eagles
Purcel, Nathan – C, Edenderry Eagles
Sommerville, Gary – WR, Dublin Rebels
Whelan, Eoin – RB, South Kildare Soldiers

Group B Fixtures/Results:
Sunday 22nd:
Germany 52:13 Ireland
Ireland 00:58 Denmark

Monday 23rd:
Ireland 36:60 Netherlands
Italy 39:06 Ireland

Tuesday 24th – 9th place play-off:
Ireland 24:39 Czech Republic

Croke Park Classic – Last chance to get tickets in advance sale.

Croke Park is delighted to offer IAFA members an ADVANCE SALES OPPORTUNITY to secure some of the best seats for the CROKE PARK CLASSIC, 30TH AUGUST 2014.

This competitive season opener will see the UCF Knights go head-to-head with the Penn State Lions for the Dan Rooney Trophy. It will mark the first time these teams have played outside the US and the GAA is delighted to host this spectacle of American college football. September 14th is your chance to secure some of the best seats for the game.

Secure your seats early in the Exclusive IAFA Members Pre-Sale…

IAFA members and supporters have the opportunity to purchase tickets in advance of the general sale. Don’t miss out on this exclusive chance to get the best tickets early. 

This advance sale will be available from 14th–20th September 2013.

Tickets can be purchased via the following link:

www.ticketmaster.ie/iafa

Promotional Code can be obtained from your club.

Further details on the event can be found at www.crokeparkclassic.ie.

Greendell Falcons win the Gathering Bowl

Bristol (white) and Greendell (green) at Tallaght Stadium.

Final Score: Greendell Falcons 39-22 Bristol Academy Pride

The Greendell Falcons from Canada won the Gathering Bowl by a score of 39-22 on front of an enthusiastic crowd of nearly 2,500 at Tallaght Stadium.

Both teams rose to the occasion putting on a wonderful display of skillful football in what was a very entertaining high scoring game. Greendell receiver Bryce LeBlanc was named the games MVP.

Just before kick-off, the American football community played tribute to IAFA Board Member Terry Lynch, who sadly passed away the previous evening.

Full report and pictures to follow soon.

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Large crowd enjoys the evening kick-off

U20s prepare for Greendell

The IAFA U20 Selection continued its preparations for the upcoming The Gathering Challenge game against Canadian team, Greendell Falcons at Westmanstown yesterday. The Coaching team, led by Coaching Ireland Tutors John Judge and Terry Lynch and ex-UL Head Coach, Ciaran O’Sullivan put c.40 players through their paces. The coaching staff also includes several coaches from both the SBC and IAFL-1.

1st team Defense with defensive coaches.

The squad is comprised of young players from IAFL clubs in the 18-20 age group. This game will be the first time that the majority of these players have faced North American opposition.

Head Coach John Judge said, that while it’s always challenging to bring together players selected from 16 clubs, he is very happy with the preparations to date and the players and coaching staff have put in a lot of work. He expects these players to acquit themselves well next Wednesday.

Players receive instruction.

The enthusiasm of the players is very evident at the training sessions. It’s clear to see that they are enjoying the challenge, representing their league and the opportunity to play alongside players from other IAFL clubs.

The Gathering Challenge between the IAFA U20 selection and the Greendell Falcons will take place at Garda RFC, Westmanstown, Dublin next Wednesday (28th August), kick-off 6pm. Admission is free of charge. This will be the first of the Falcons two games in Ireland, they face Bristol Academy at Tallaght Stadium on August 31st.

Defensive Coordinator Terry Lynch (left) confers with Head Coach John Judge (right)

The Gathering Bowl launched by Jason Sherlock and Deputy Mayor Duff

The Gathering Bowl 2013 was launched by South Dublin Deputy Mayor Cllr Mick Duff with Jason Sherlock on Thursday the 15th of August at Tallaght Stadium.

The Irish American Football Association (IAFA), The Gathering Dublin, Tallaght Stadium and South Dublin County Council are delighted to introduce the teams playing in The Gathering Bowl, which will take place at Tallaght Stadium on Saturday 31st August 2013 at 7pm.

The game will feature two top class teams who are among the best in their category of the sport. Canadian team, the Greendell Falcons will play the Bristol Academy Pride from the European US High School league. Both teams will be bringing full squads of players to this transatlantic battle played on neutral territory in Dublin. For Irish fans, this will be the only opportunity to watch this level of American football in Ireland in 2013.

Deputy Mayor of South Dublin Cllr Mick Duff remarked on the international teams in attendance; ‘’I am delighted to invite international teams and visitors to the area to compete in the Gathering  Bowl at Tallaght Stadium. South Dublin is Ireland’s premier business, sport and leisure destination. Don’t forget to ‘#MeetToCompete’ if you are attending the event!’’

Alan Orr, Irish American Football Association Communications Officer expressed the excitement within the IAFA for this upcoming game ‘We are so delighted to host two international teams from two different backgrounds as part of the Gathering Bowl. We look forward to seeing local people attend the game and embrace the sport of American Football’.

Admission is free, tickets are required please logon to www.americanfootball.ie.

The Gathering Dublin is a South Dublin County Tourism project in partnership with the Gathering Ireland. This project is supported by South Dublin County Council, Failte Ireland, the Irish Sports Council, Fingal LEADER Partnership, Cuisine De France and The Square Towncentre.

For more information www.thegatheringdublin.com

Background Information:

Greendell Falcons:

The Falcons are a community based team from Manitoba, Canada. They recruit players from the Winnepeg area and field a number of teams at various age groups from 7 year olds right up to high school (15-17) and college (18-22) aged players. Their top level team plays in the Manitoba Major Football League. The Falcons squad for The Gathering Bowl – their “Euroteam” will feature players from both their high school and college aged squads. A number of players from the Falcons have progressed onto Canada’s top level professional league, the CFL.

Bristol Academy Pride:

Though based in the UK, the Pride play in the US High School system. They play in the DODDS Europe League which is the European section of the American High School League for the US Military bases. This league features teams based in Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Belgium. These games are played in stadia and regularly attract up to c.2,000 spectators. In 2012, the Pride were ranked in the top 4 in Division 1 of the DODDS league. A number of Bristol players have won scholarships to NCAA college football teams in the United States in recent years.

 

 

IAFA Meetings – Youth Kitted Football to start. Application dates for 2014 season set.

On Saturday 10th August, the IAFA held a General Meeting, which focused mainly on Youth Kitted Football. There was also an IAFA Board meeting later that day. The main issues discussed at each meeting are as follows:

 General Meeting:

 Youth Kitted Football: 

There was a long discussion regarding the introduction of Youth Kitted football which covered topics such as policies, legal requirements, player pathway, rules/format etc.

A new Youth Kitted Football Subcommittee was put in place as follows:

 Matt Craig (Carrickfergus)

Garland Drake (Meath)

Ken Farrell (South Kildare/Schools Flag).

Tony Rivers (officiating input). 

This Subcommittee will report to Board Member Terry Lynch (Coaching Tutor), who will also supply some coaching input.

The first IAFA Youth Kitted Football Tournament has been scheduled for Sunday 6th October. Teams will be required to register at least 2 weeks in advance. The tournament will use DV8s rules and will be in blitz format. 

The subcommittee will produce a document pack for prospective teams before the end of this month.

Workshop – League Football:

A strategic workshop which will discuss the format of the league has been scheduled to take place on Saturday 21st September [date of 14 or 15 September was discussed at the meeting, but at the Board Meeting, it was found to clash with other 2 other important events]. SBC/IAFL-1 concepts recently introduced will remain in place, however, the workshop will discuss issues such as minimum requirements, schedule formats and the direction that league football should take over the next 3-4 years.

 Other topics discussed included 2012 accounts, officiating payments, coaching courses and league balls.

IAFA Board Quarterly Meeting:

 The Board meeting covered a variety of topics including the following: 

1. Vacant Board Position:

Matt Craig was co-opted onto the Board to replace Russell Kerley, who recently resigned. 

Alan Orr will take over Development Officer duties. All Flag Football will report directly to the Development Officer except for some administrative matters which will be handled by the Commissioner.

2. The Gathering Bowl:

Greendell Falcons and Bristol Academy have been confirmed. The game will take place under lights at 7pm on Saturday 31st August at Tallaght Stadium. In addition, an Ireland U20 team will play Greendell on 28th August.

 3. 2014 League Season:

Some important dates were set as follows: 

21st September – Strategic Workshop on League Football.

1st October – deadline for applications from new teams for the 2014 season.

15th October – deadline for application for the 2014 season for all other teams.

 All teams will be required to attend a face to face audit. Audit meetings will be scheduled 3-4 weeks after each of the above application dates. A new application/audit form will be circulated to all teams in early September. 

Formative Membership Applications:

Tyrone Titans – formative membership granted.

Cork Greens – formative membership refused.

4. 2014 -2017 Strategic Plan:

We are in the final year of the current Strategic Plan. Over the coming weeks, the IAFA Board will start consulting with various stakeholders. Feedback on league football will be taken at the Workshop on League Football.

5. Coaching Pathway:

The Coaching Directorate sought formal permission from the Board to commence work on a new coaching player pathway in advance of introducing any level 2 courses. This has been requested by Coaching Ireland. If completed, the IAFA will be one of only 4 NGBs in Ireland with the new pathway in place (IRFU/FAI/GAA are the others). This will be a significant body of work and the IAFA will be the first small/medium NGB to undertake the exercise. Board approval was given.

 There was also a discussion on how the adult learning/pathway knowledge on the coaching side could be also be applied to officiating.

6. Croke Park Classic:

Report on recent meetings with GAA was given. Michael Smith to continue to liaise with GAA.

Ireland U20 Selection prepares for Greendell game.

The Ireland U20 team is gearing up for its upcoming challenge fixture against the Greendell Falcons on Wednesday 28th August. The team, which is comprised of young players from IAFL teams, will be holding training camp sessions in Dublin on each of the next two Saturdays.

Head Coach John Judge is looking forward to the challenge and believes that playing a similar aged team from overseas will be a great experience for all the players. The team will also be debuting the new all white Ireland kit – Greendell will be playing in green.

Introducing The Gathering Bowl teams.

 

The Irish American Football Association and The Gathering Dublin are pleased to introduce the teams playing in The Gathering Bowl, which will take place at Tallaght Stadium on Saturday 31st August 2013.

The game will feature two top class teams who are among the best in their category of the sport. Canadian team, the Greendell Falcons will play the Bristol Academy Pride from the European US High School league. Both teams will be bringing full squads of players to this transatlantic battle played on neutral territory in Dublin. For Irish fans, this will be the only opportunity to watch this level of American football in Ireland in 2013.

Greendell Falcons:

The Falcons are a community based team from Manitoba in Canada. They recruit players from the Winnepeg area and field a number of teams at various age groups from 7 year olds right up to high school (15-17) and college (18-22) aged players. Their top level team plays in the Manitoba Major Football League. The Falcons squad for The Gathering Bowl – their “Euroteam” will feature players from both their high school and college aged squads. A number of players from the Falcons have progressed onto Canada’s top level professional league, the CFL.

The Falcons in action (green uniforms).

Bristol Academy Pride:

Though based in the UK, the Pride play in the US High School system. They play in the DODDS Europe League which is the European section of the American High School League for the US Military bases. This league features teams based in Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Belgium. These games are played in stadia and regularly attract up to c.2,000 spectators. In 2012, the Pride were ranked in the top 4 in Division 1 of the DODDS league. A number of Bristol players have won scholarships to NCAA college football teams in the United States in recent years.

 

Bristol Academy (white/silver) in action.

Tickets for The Gathering Bowl will be available from this website from next week and, as this is a South Dublin County Council community event, will be free of charge for all who register.  

In addition to The Gathering Bowl, on Wednesday 28th August, a domestic U20 selection of young players selected mainly from IAFL clubs will play a challenge game against the Greendell Falcons. Time and venue for this game will be announced shortly.

Shamrock Bowl – How to purchase tickets

Tickets for Ireland’s National Championship game, Shamrock Bowl XXVII are now on sale. The event details are as follows:

Dublin Rebels v Belfast Trojans

Saturday 20th July 2013, kick-off 2pm

Tallaght Stadium, South Dublin.

Tickets can be purchased by clicking on the  ‘register now’ button on the right hand side of this website.

Tickets are €8 for adults and €2 for children under 16. A special discounted Adult ticket rate of €5 is available to online purchasers who input the following promotional code before purchase: sb27_iafl

Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance. Tallaght Stadium is an all-ticket venue. While tickets will be available on the day from the box office,  there may be queues particularly close to kick-off time.  Advance purchasers can also avail of the special discount rate.

Transport to Tallaght Stadium:

Map and transport options can be viewed at the following link:

http://www.tallaghtstadium.ie/location

There is plenty of public parking in The Square Shopping Centre, which is very close to the stadium.

Those travelling from the city centre by public transport are advised to use the Luas – red line to Tallaght. The stop is less than 5 minutes walk from the stadium and kids can travel free on the Luas next Saturday.

Croke Park to host College Football in 2014

IAFL players help out with media photos at Croke Park today.

At noon today, it was officially announced that University of Central Florida will play Penn State University on Saturday 30th August 2014 at Croke Park in Dublin. The game is being hosted by the GAA.

The Irish American Football Association (IAFA) is very pleased that the University of Central Florida and Penn State have decided to open their 2014 college football seasons in Ireland. The staging of major American football games in Dublin can only serve to help generate more interest in the sport locally.

Commenting on the game, IAFA President Michael Smith said “IAFA is delighted to see top level American football return to Croke Park. We look forward to working with the GAA and Croke Park to make this an ongoing success.”

A small number of mainly endzone tickets went on sale yesterday as a taster for the event. IAFA members should get a chance to buy tickets later this year.

Representatives of GAA, UCF and Penn State at Croke Park

Coach George O’Leary with IAFA Commissioner Cillian Smith

Official GAA Press Release:

Croke Park, 14th July: Croke Park and the GAA today announced details of the 2014 “Croke Park Classic” which will see the University of Central Florida (UCF) face Penn State in their 2014 Season opener in GAA HQ on the 30th August 2014.

The GAA welcomed UCF coach George O’Leary and Penn State Director of Athletics Dave Joyner onto the pitch during half time in the Leinster Senior Football Championship Final between Dublin and Meath to officially launch the event.

The Croke Park Classic will be the first time that UCF and Penn State have played outside the United States.  The last American Football game hosted in Croke Park was in 1996 when Notre Dame defeated Navy.  Both of these colleges were back in Dublin last year when they attracted a capacity attendance of almost 50,000 to their fixture.

“This is a hugely significant event for Croke Park and Ireland. We in the GAA are looking forward to hosting a competitive sporting occasion,” said Páraic Duffy GAA Director General.

“Irish people are renowned for their love of sport as evidenced by the thousands who attend our games throughout the year.  I have no doubt that this game will be every bit as attractive.”

Organisers of last year’s game in Dublin estimated that the game added €100m to the Irish economy as well as contributing to the nearly 15% growth in American visitors in the period August-October 2012 compared to the same three months in 2011.

Speaking at today’s announcement, Minister for Transport Tourism and Sport Leo Varadkar said: “This will be a fantastic event for Croke Park and for Ireland. The Navy vs Notre Dame game in 2012 welcomed 35,000 US visitors to Dublin. The “Croke Park Classic” will be every bit as important, and just as exciting, and both teams are guaranteed a warm welcome. It’s great news for sports fans, for the GAA and the wider economy. I congratulate everyone involved on making this possible.”

Veteran UCF Knights Coach George O’Leary was a mentor of Penn State Nittany Lions coach Bill O’Brien at Georgia Tech (1995-2001). “We are very excited about the prospect of playing our 2014 season opener in Dublin,” said Knights Coach O’Leary, in Croke Park for today’s announcement. “It’s a great opportunity for UCF, and a chance for us to grow the exposure of our football programme.”

“On a personal level, Coach O’Brien (Penn State) and myself are both of Irish heritage, so obviously it means a great deal to both of us to be in a position to bring our teams here. We are confident that Croke Park will be an excellent venue for us to play in, we have been hugely impressed to date with the facilities and we are looking forward to a huge crowd to get our 2014 season off to a flying start.”

Delegations from UCF and Penn State travelled over for today’s announcement, and both parties were hugely impressed not just with Croke Park stadium and its facilities, but also with their first experience of Gaelic Football.

“Our visit this weekend has only reinforced our reasons for wanting to come and play in Dublin,” said Dave Joyner, Penn State Director of Athletics. “We’ve not only grown our appreciation for the games so entrenched in the history and traditions here in Ireland, but have also confirmed that, because of the Irish people and their hospitality, Penn State fans are going to love their time here in late summer of 2014.”

Ireland of course has its own vibrant American Football scene. The IAFL, under the remit of the Irish American Football Association (IAFA) plays adult, full contact American football using NCAA rules – those used in major college football in the USA. Nine teams are playing in the Shamrock Bow Conference, which is Ireland’s top competitive league. The GAA and Croke Park welcome the support of the IAFA.

The Croke Park Classic will take place on Saturday 30th August 2014 and a limited number of end zone tickets were released for sale today from ticketmaster.ie and tickets.ie in advance of a general ticket sale (for a capacity of 69,000) across all GAA outlets, scheduled for mid-autumn.

Players with IAFA President Michael Smith, the Dublin Rose and Lord Mayor Oisin Quinn

 

Alan Orr appointed Communications Officer.

Mr. Russell Kerley has had to step down from his role as Communications & Development Officer of the IAFA for non football related reasons.

Mr. Alan Orr, who is a member of the IAFA Board, will be filling the Communications & Development Officer roles on a pro tem basis until further notice. Alan can be contacted at alan@americanfootball.ie.

IAFA Director of Coaching, Mr. John Judge, and IAFA Coaching Tutor, Mr. Terry Lynch will also assist with Development duties.

Poor turnout at IFAF Congress – meetings terminated.

This weeks IFAF Congress in Helsinki was terminated after only 38 minutes after 40 of the 64 member Federations decided not to attend. The Congress had been intended to run for 2 days on 4th and 5th July.

The absentees included most of EFAF’s member countries.

The IFAF executive has been under pressure on a number of fronts in recent weeks. Firstly, the International Olympic Committee refused to allow IFAF’s application for recognition to go to a vote.

Secondly, in recent days, CAS has given a judgement in a case taken to challenge the outcome of the 2012 Congress in Texas. While IFAF was successful in this action, CAS did highlight the “lack of intelligibility of the IFAF Statutes” and “a questionable conduct of the IFAF Congress in July 2012” and consequently ruled that IFAF should share the costs of the case. It appears that the official English translation of IFAF’s Statutes, which the EFAF countries had relied upon in their appeal, did not accurately reflect the French version (which is the primary version as IFAF is registered in Paris) thus contributing to the reasons why the matter was appealed to CAS.

Separately, IFAF has also come under pressure to reveal the undisclosed recipient of a €87,000 ‘loan’ which appeared in its recently published 2012 audited accounts.

Belfast Trojans win Atlantic Cup at Tallaght Stadium.

The Belfast Trojans were crowned Western European Champions following a convincing 26-0 win over Trinity College Dublin in the Atlantic Cup Final played at Tallaght Stadium on Sunday 30th June. This followed a 7-0 victory by Brussels Tigers over Amersfoort Untouchables in the third place play-off, also at Tallaght Stadium.

 This is only the second time in the history of the sport that an Irish team has won a major European title – the UL Vikings won the Atlantic Cup in 2010. It was also the first time that two teams from the same league contested the final, underlining the increase in standard of the IAFL over the past 2-3 years.

 The Trojans opened the tournament on Saturday 29th with a solid 30-6 victory over Dutch team, Amersfoort Untouchables. Trinity College Dublin made it a double victory for the IAFL with an upset 12-10 victory over two times Belgian Champions, Brussels Tigers in the second semi-final.

 Trinity College had a bright start to the Final, played on Sunday 30th. They moved the ball effectively on their early possessions; however, as the first half progressed, the Trojans began to come into their own, scoring two touchdowns before the half time. As the second half progressed, the Trojans started to show their dominance, scoring two more touchdowns to seal the win.

 The event was hosted by South Dublin County Council as part of The Gathering Dublin and the trophy was presented to the winners by the newly elected Mayor of South Dublin – Cllr Dermot Looney. EFAF President, Mr. Rober Huber was also present for the final. There were over 1,600 tickets requested for games over the 2 days and the visitors generated over 300 bed nights across four hotels in the Dublin area.

RESULTS:

Sunday 30th June:

Final: Belfast Trojans 26-0 Trinity College Dublin.

3rd Place Play-off: Brussels Tigers 7-0 Amersfoort Untouchables.

Saturday 29th June:

Semi-Final: Belfast Trojans 30-6 Amersfoort Untouchables.

Semi-Final: Trinity College Dublin 12-10 Brussels Tigers.

Irish teams win Atlantic Cup Semi-Finals

Belfast Trojans and Trinity College Dublin will meet in tomorrows Atlantic Cup Final after both teams won their semi-finals against overseas opposition at Tallaght Stadium today. The final, also to be played at Tallaght Stadium, will be tomorrow (Sunday 30th June) at 3pm – see link on IAFA homepage for free tickets.

Belfast Trojans had a convincing 30-6 victory over Amersfoort Untouchables of the Netherlands. Amersfoort opened the scoring early in the first quarter, however, the Trojans dominated from that point forward, scoring 30 unanswered points.

The second semi-final saw Trinity College Dublin win a close game against Belgian Champions, Brussels Tigers. The Tigers have won the past two Belgian Championships without suffering a defeat. Trinity opened the scoring, but Brussels then took the lead with a touchdown and a field goal. Trinity scored on a long pass late in the 4th quarter to win 12-10.

The Atlantic Cup is the official amateur club championship for Western Europe. Tomorrow’s final will be the first time ever that two teams from the same country have contested the final.

Semi-Final Results:

Amersfoort Untouchables 6-30 Belfast Trojans

Trinity College Dublin 12-10 Brussels Tigers.

Sunday 30th June – Tallaght Stadium.

Final (3pm) – Trinity College Dublin v Belfast Trojans.

3rd place play-off (Noon) – Amersfoort Untouchables v Brussels Tigers.