Sunday 10th July 2011
Trim Bulldogs 0-40 Drogheda Lightning
St. Olivers Community College, Drogheda.
As two o’clock rolled round last Sunday four teams were preparing to take to the field in matchups that would make-or-break their seasons. In Belfast IAFL North sides Craigavon Cowboys and Belfast Trojans were two hours from finding out which of them would be travelling to Limerick to take on the #1 seeded UL Vikings in the Shamrock Bowl semi-finals, while south of the border in Drogheda the Trim Bulldogs and Drogheda Lightning were hoping to get their DV8s seasons back on track after both succumbing to losses against the experienced Tullamore Phoenix.
The game began with a blistering pace with Drogheda scoring in the first quarter. At St. Oliver’s Community College, Lightning running back David Murray continued his exceptional debut season running home a 60-yard play to put up the day’s first touchdown and give the under strength home side the perfect start. Rookie quarterback Dan Finnamore scrambled over for the PAT to give the Lightning a 0-7 lead. The Lightning kept up the pressure for the remainder of the half with Dan Finnamore once again crossing into the endzone, this time for the full 6 points before notching up his second PAT to double the score to 0-14.
As the end of the second quarter neared Drogheda’s Oisin Dowling was able to intercept a misplaced Bulldogs pass and return it for 6 before James English bulled through for the PAT conversion.
In the third quarter, Fu Faapito of Drogheda broke through for his first touchdown of the game to increase the hosts’ lead to 0-27 but the PAT was stopped by a Bulldogs defence that was still fighting despite the expanding deficit. Fu Faapito then added another score – breaking through the Bulldog’s defence to rush for a sixty-yard touchdown that was duly converted to extend his sides lead to 0-34.
Late in the fourth quarter, with their last offensive possession of the game Drogheda took the direct route to the endzone as Fu Faapito took over the QB role, completing a 15-yard pass to Matty Hagan to give the receiver his first touchdown of the season. After a hard fought game the Lightning were unable to push over the PAT to leave the final score in Drogheda at Trim Bulldogs 0-40 Drogheda Lightning.