The Craigavon Cowboys won the Wildcard game against IAFL North rivals Belfast Trojans by a score of 17-14 earlier this afternoon. They will travel to Limerick to face the UL Vikings in next weekends Shamrock Bowl semi-final.
The IAFL North has been the strongest division in 2011 with all three teams making the play-offs. The division was won by the Carrickfergus Knights with a 6-2 record, followed closly by the Trojans who also posted a 6 -2 winning season but were pipped for first place by points difference. The Trojans had finished their regular season with a last minute win over the Knights and so were strong favourites to beat the Cowboys who had only managed an even 4-4 season.
The Cowboys opened the scoring early in the first quarter when kicker , #17 Thomas Sheridan kicked a field goal from 42 yards out to put 3 points on the board for the Cowboys. Both defenses dominated the first quarter and the Trojans were rewarded with a 2 point safety when the snap for a punt went astry in the endzone. With half-time approaching and both team struggling to maintain momentum on their offensive drives, the Cowboys put an eighty yard drive together that ended with a touchdown from their most productive pairing of the year. Quarterback, #2, Chris Bondi found Tight End, #1 , Peter Loughran with a thirty five yard pass in the endzone. Heaping the pressure on the Trojans, the Cowboys converted a 2 point attempt, when #9 Gary Carr carried the ball into the endzone to end the half 11 – 2 in favour of Craigavon.
With a few adjustments at half time, the Trojans came out determinded to get back in the game and it was not long before Running Back #33, Alex Newton forced his way into the endzone for a touchdown, but the extra point attempt was blocked making the score 11 – 8. At the end of the third quarter, a twenty five yard completion from Bondi to Receiver,#33 , Conal Walsh set up Full Back # 40, Bobby Murray who scored from 3 yards out. The extra point attempt was no good and the score was 17 – 8.
With the clock running down in the fourth quarter, Newton struck again for the Trojans and the home team Trojans were just a 3 point field goal away from forcing the game into overtime. With just over 2 minutes left on the clock, the Trojans recovered a fumble to take possession of the ball at their 40 yard line but a number of mistakes and penalties forced them into a 4th and 25 situation. The deep pass was intercepted by Sheridan and the Cowboys ran out the clock to win by 17 – 14. ” I am convinced that the Cowboys have peaked at the right time. We were not very competitive at the start of the season and we lacked the belief that we could grind out a result. However, we have come through that patch and we believe that we deserve to on the same field as the best teams in Ireland.” said Cowboys Head Coach, Greg Loughran.
The Most Valuable Player trophy went to Gary Carr, although Sheridan, Bondi, Walsh and Loughran all deserved honourable mentions