Scoring
Q1
6-0 Rebels: Shahin Nikroo, reception from Andy Dennehy.
6-6 Vikings: UL WR, Reception from Marc Ashworth.
Q2
12-6 Rebels: Shahin Nikroo, reception from Andy Dennehy.
12-13 Vikings: Marc Ashworth, 1 yard run. PAT Good.
Q3
20-13 Rebels: Aaron Smith, run. 2PAT good, run (Aaron Smith).
28-13 Rebels: Sam Hodgins. 2PAT (Shahin Nikroo)
Q4
28-19 Vikings: Marc Ashworth, 1 yard run. PAT blocked.
Game Photos
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Game Report
Game Report by the Dublin Rebels
Over the last few years, the rivalry between the Dublin Rebels and UL Vikings has become the fiercest in recent IAFL history. Contesting the last two Shamrock Bowls, both won by Limerick (by a combined margin of 5 points), as well as a host of regular season games in which the Rebels have come out on top (by a similarly narrow margin), there is parity, but the Vikings’ share of the spoils raises emotions and tensions that much higher. Sunday’s war of attrition didn’t disappoint, as the two teams maintained their high standard in Limerick’s scorching heat.
As with all close games, a big play or two can often prove decisive. For the Rebels, it was the coming-of-age story of wide receiver Shahin Nikroo that ultimately separated the sides. Indeed, it was the man from Tehran that broke the deadlock, getting on the end of Andy Dennehy’s deep ball to give the visitors an early 6-0 lead.
Scoring didn’t come easy to either team early on, as the game became a tussle for field position, with Paul Grogan and Glen Carr jousting for territory respectively. The Rebels defense was stifling, as linebacker Kevin Healy and safety Stephen Archibald cleaned up what little got past the front four. It took a rare mistake in the secondary that sprung the equalizer, as QB Marc Ashworth found his receiver wide open downfield after a broken coverage. The sides turned for the 2nd quarter all square at 6 apiece.
As consistent running room was hard to come by, and some crucial passes ran afoul the turf, it became apparent that breaking the deadlock was going to take something special. And so it was when the Sha-Man juiced up his inter-galactic jalopy and channeled another dash of the divine from the spirit world, hauling in his second TD with an ethereal pluck from about the clouds.
Though his efforts were indeed therapeutic to his teammates, the Vikes were less impressed with his handiwork, and set about restoring order to meet their own ends. It took an equally mysterious phenomenon, namely the colossal tight end Carr’s ability to scoot downfield unaccounted for, that allowed the home team to build some momentum. Complimenting strong running from Adrian Garvey, Ashworth’s completions brought play up to the Rebels goal-line, and it was Ashworth himself that tied the game up again, plunging across the plane on 4th and inches. A successful conversion gave them a 1-point lead going into halftime.
The Dubliners came out to start the second half and leaned heavily on their running game. An almost entirely rookie O-Line, led by former DT Steve Wilson, ploughed the way for RBs Aaron Smith and Sam Hodgins up the field, all the way to the 5 yard line, when the game came to a frightening halt. Both teams were held in tense concern as a UL defender didn’t surface after bringing down Hodgins and was eventually taken to, and safely discharged from, Limerick Regional Hospital.
When the game re-started after over an hour’s delay, the atmosphere had changed somewhat, and a brand new game seemed to be getting underway. Continuing from where they left off, at the UL 5 yard line, the Rebels had the upper hand, and within two plays had scored both a touchdown and a 2-point conversion on two powerful runs.
The score now at 20-13, the next score would be critical, and when Hodgins delivered it, and Nikroo added the 2-pointer, the lead appeared insurmountable going into the 4th quarter. The Vikings drove admirably, but were kept at bay by the likes of CB Duvet McKeating. Playing with a broken wrist, the duvet showed a harder edge than his suffocatingly soft moniker might suggest, continuously breaking up passes and making timely tackles. An interception from linebacker Kevin Finnegan brought an end to the champs’ drive however and the Rebels set about driving back. However, some good defense from the Viking forced a punt from the visitors, setting up UL with another chance to hack away at the Rebels’ skeleton crew defense.
Carr was again instrumental in moving the chains for the home team but it was a long run from Garvey brought the Vikes to the goal-line once more. And, once again, it was Ashworth who punched it in, on a second QB sneak. Crucially, however, DT Sunday O‘Hanlon’s blocked field goal prevented UL from getting to within one score and the Rebels could successfully wind down the clock after the Vikings elected not to attempt an onside kick.
In true football terms it was a victory for the Rebels O-Line, who kept Dennehy upright all day and ushered Smith and Hodgins towards the Limerick secondary, if not at will, certainly when it mattered most. However, in hyperbolic, biased and uninformed sports journalism terms, the day belonged to the little Iranian who could: Shahin Nikroo. With the game ball tucked under his arm, the young receiver set off home to post incomprehensible rubbish on the internet and, for once, not take any abuse for it.