American Football Association of Ireland | All-Ireland American Football League 1992

 

League Table

P W L T PF PA Pct
Mourne Conference
*Craigavon Cowboys 5 4 1 0 124 18 .800
*Antrim Bulldogs 6 4 2 0 127 16 .667
Belfast Spartans 6 4 2 0 105 59 .667
Tara Conference
*Dublin Tornadoes 6 4 2 0 81 49 .667
*Dublin Celts 6 3 3 0 77 57 .500
Drogheda Vikings 5 1 4 0 15 135 .200
Lee Valley Steelers 6 0 6 0 0 195 .000

Playoff Results

19

Date Home Team Away Team
Semi-Finals
13.09.92 Dublin Tornadoes 6 Antrim Bulldogs 19
13.09.92 Craigavon Cowboys W Dublin Celts L
Shamrock Bowl VII
20.09.92 Craigavon Cowboys 14 Antrim Bulldogs 6

[15][17]

Regular Season Results

Date Home Team Away Team
Week 1
Antrim Bulldogs 6 Dublin Celts 0
Belfast Spartans 16 Dublin Tornadoes 13
Week 2
Antrim Bulldogs 60 Lee Valley Steelers 0
Week 3
05.07.92 Dublin Tornadoes 22 Dublin Celts 0
05.07.92 Craigavon Cowboys 14 Belfast Spartans 0
Week 4
12.07.92 Dublin Tornadoes 22 Lee Valley Steelers 0
Week 5
19.07.92 Belfast Spartans 13 Dublin Celts 12
19.07.92 Craigavon Cowboys 26 Dublin Tornadoes 0
Week 6
26.07.92 Dublin Celts 18 Craigavon Cowboys 16
26.07.92 Antrim Bulldogs 50 Drogheda Vikings 0
Week 7
02.08.92 Belfast Spartans 50 Drogheda Vikings 9
Week 8
09.08.92 Lee Valley Steelers 0 Craigavon Cowboys 60
09.08.92 Drogheda Vikings 0 Dublin Celts 19
Week 9
16.08.92 Drogheda Vikings 0 Dublin Tornadoes 16
16.08.92 Dublin Celts 21 Lee Valley Steelers 0
Week 10
23.08.92 Dublin Tornadoes 8 Antrim Bulldogs 0
23.08.92 Belfast Spartans 18 Lee Valley Steelers 0
Week 12
06.09.92 Antrim Bulldogs 11 Belfast Spartans 8
Week ??
Craigavon Cowboys W Antrim Bulldogs L

Report

Week 1: 23 June 1992

Antrim Bulldogs 6 Dublin Celts 0 – The Dublin Celts lost to Irish opposition for the first time in five years as they were shocked by the Antrim Bulldogs, who were now installed as favourites to win the Shamrock Bowl.[1]

Week 2: 30 June 1992

Belfast Spartans 16 Dublin Tornadoes 13 – The Spartans set an Irish record by coming from 13-0 down to defeat the Tornadoes and make it a week 1 double for northern sides over southern teams. The Tornadoes had a chance to tie the game as time expired but a field goal attempt fell short.[1]

Antrim Bulldogs 60 Lee Valley Steelers 0 – Antrim Bulldogs, with a win over the Dublin Celts under their belt, easily beat Lee Valley Steelers from Cork 60-0. Despite lots of possession for Running Back Mark Tataro and Alan Rice & John McNamara, the Steelers couldn’t convert their chances, in what was their first ever game.[2]

Week 3: 6 July 1992

Dublin Tornadoes 22 Dublin Celts 7 – A “brusing encounter” between the Dublin rivals, which saw only one person ejected from play, ended in a victory for the Tallaght-based Tornadoes. Vinnie Clark scored one TD, QB Martin Dillon scored a spectacular touchdown from 20 yards, and Phil McGowan added a third TD for the Tornadoes. Brendan Fox added a Field-Goal and Extra Point as the Celts could only manage one TD in reply.[3][4]

Craigavon Cowboys 14 Belfast Spartans 0 – The Cowboys started their season with a win over the previously unbeaten Spartans.[3]

Week 4: 13 July 1992

Lee Valley Steelers 0 Dublin Tornadoes 22 – Gary Morrell scored two touchdowns, and Vinnie O’Connell added another while the defence scored a safety by Mark Kearns as the Tornadoes defeated a much-improved Cork side.[5]

Week 5: 20 July 1992

Dublin Celts 12 Belfast Spartans 13 – The defending champions Dublin Celts slumped to their third straight defeat of the season against Belfast.[6]

Dublin Tornadoes 0 Craigavon Cowboys 26 – Another northern double over southern sides in week 5 as the Cowboys were comfortable winners over the Tornadoes.[6]

Week 6: 27 July 1992

Dublin Celts 18 Craigavon Cowboys 16 – In a close encounter the Dublin Celts finally won a game in 1992 after a last-second field goal attempt by Craigavon was missed.[7]

Antrim Bulldogs 50 Drogheda Vikings 0 – The Drogheda Vikings lost by a large margin in their first ever game as the Bulldogs improved to 3-0.[7]

Week 7: 2 August 1992

Belfast Spartans 50 Drogheda Vikings 9 – The Vikings lost heavily again to northern opposition.[7]

Week 8: 9 August 1992

Craigavon Cowboys 68 Lee Valley Steelers 0 – It was another big victory for northern teams over southern teams as the Cowboys won easily against the Cork side.[8]

Week 9: 12-16 August 1992

Dublin Celts 20 Lee Valley Steelers 0 – In a midweek match the Dublin Celts defeated the Lee Valley Steelers.[9]

Dublin Tornadoes 16 Drogheda Vikings 0 – Gary Morrell scored 2 TD’s, one from 30 yards out, and brother Greg scored a safety on defence as the Tallaght team became the first to qualify for the playoffs.[10]

Week 10: 23 August 1992

Dublin Tornadoes 6 Antrim Bulldogs 0 – Quarterback Jim Walsh scored the only TD of the match as the Dublin Tornadoes secured home field advantage for the playoffs.[11]

Week 11: 30 August 1992

Dublin Celts 19 Drogheda Vikings 0 – Drogheda were not disgraced in this loss to the Celts , with rivalries to the fore as the Vikings were a splinter team from the Celts.[12]

Lee Valley Steelers 0 Belfast Spartans 18 – Peter Taylor scored two touchdowns as the Belfast Spartans and Cork side met halfway in Tallaght.[12]

Lee Valley Steelers 0 Drogheda Vikings 6 – This encounter in Cork between the two winless sides , went Drogheda’s way, Brian Reynolds scoring the only TD. The Vikings played with the bare minimum of 12 players, with Chris Leonard coming out of retirement for the match.[13]

Week 12: 6 September 1992

Antrim Bulldogs 11 Belfast Spartans 8 – In a “cracking climax” to the regular season the Antrim Bulldogs defeated the Belfast Spartans in a close match.[14]

Playoffs: 13 September 1992

Dublin Tornadoes 6 Antrim Bulldogs 19 – In a “dour” match, the Antrim defence held strong, with matters made worse for the Tornadoes, when QB Jim Walsh damaged his arm. Billy Beattie opened the scoring from 10 yards for the Bulldogs, and the Tornadoes responded quickly with a Mark Nicholls TD. A missed FG at the end of the first half for the Dubliners meant the teams wre level going in at the break. Antrim scored a second TD against the run of play, when Paul McCullough put the Bulldogs one TD up, and there was “no surprise” in the end when Mark Banks added athird with Garry Graham adding the extra-point.[15]

References

_________________________________________________________

Sources

[1] Anon. (1992) “IRISH CHAMPION CELTS STUNG BY BULLDOG SPIRIT”, First Down. July 11, 1992, pg. 17.

[2] Naughton, L. (1992) “Minority Reports: U.S. Football”, Evening Herald. Thursday, July 2, 1992, pg. 65

[3] Anon. (1992) “Sad Celts are Torn to shreds”, First Down. July 18, 1992, pg. 16.

[4] Naughton, L. (1992) “Minority Reports: Celts blown away”, Evening Herald. Thursday, July 9, 1992, pg. 66

[5] Naughton, L. (1992) “Minority Reports: U.S. Football”, Evening Herald. Thursday, July 16, 1992, pg. 69

[6] Anon. (1992) “Dublin Celts still winless”, First Down. July 25, 1992, pg. 19.

[7] FD Reporter. (1992) “At last! It’s the Dub-win Celts!”, First Down. August 15, 1992, pg. 17.

[8] Anon. (1992) “IRISH RESULTS”, First Down. August 29, 1992, pg. 17.

[9] Naughton, L. (1992) “Minority Reports: Vikings ready to invade Tallaght”, Evening Herald. Thursday, August 13, 1992, pg. 66

[10] Naughton, L. (1992) “Minority Reports: Tornadoes ko Vikings”, Evening Herald. Thursday, August 20, 1992, pg. 61

[11] Naughton, L. (1992) “Minority Reports: U.S. Football”, Evening Herald. Thursday, August 27, 1992, pg. 61

[12] Naughton, L. (1992) “Minority Reports: U.S. Football”, Evening Herald. Thursday, September 3, 1992, pg. 94

[13] Anon. (1992) “Vikings Victory”, Drogheda Independent. Friday, September 4, 1992, pg. 11

[14] Naughton, L. (1992) “Minority Reports: U.S. Football”, Evening Herald. Thursday, September 10, 1992, pg. 70

[15] Naughton, L. (1992) “Minority Reports: Gridiron grief for Dubs!”, Evening Herald. Thursday, September 17, 1992, pg. 76

[16] Naughton, L. (1992) “Minority Reports: U.S. Football”, Evening Herald. Thursday, October 8, 1992, pg. Sport 7

[17] Irish American Football Association (2018) Shamrock Bowl History [Internet] Available from: hhttp://www.americanfootball.ie/american-football/shamrock-bowl-history/ [Accessed 23 March 2018]

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Cillian Smith of the Irish American Football Association and Irish American Football Officials Association.

About this document

Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive

Last Updated: 28 January 2019

(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2019

You may quote this document in part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Reserved.

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