Note Standings Calculated Automatically from Schedule.

Schedule compiled from results and fixtures from numerous sources – please see references section for more details.

The opening game of the 1988 Irish American Football League season between the winners of the first two Shamrock Bowls – Craigavon Cowboys and Dublin Celts – was a washout with the game being cancelled. [References: 2]

The 1988 Irish American Football League season finally got underway at Coleraine on Saturday, 9 April 1988 when the Chieftains found the Dublin Tornadoes whirlwind too much to handle as the visitors won 46-0.

Dublin Celts and Belfast Blitzers both got their 1988 season underway in Belfast with the Celts winning 20-7. Belfast Labatt Spartans defeated Carrickfergus Cougars 7-6 and went top of the Irish Conference in both teams first game of the 1988 season. [References: 1, 3-4]

Craigavon Cowboys opened their 1988 season with a 32-0 victory over Dublin Tornadoes, the Dublin team’s first defeat of the season. Belfast Labatt Spartans earned their second close win of the season as they moved top of the Irish Conference on 2-0 with a 14-7 defeat of Coleraine Chieftains who fell to their second straight loss. [References: 1, 4]

Dublin Celts continued on winning ways with a 37-0 defeat of Carrickfergus Cougars who dropped to 0-2. Belfast Blitzers won 14-3 at home to arch-rivals Craigavon Cowboys to bring both teams level on 1-1 in the Standings. [References: 1, 5]

Dublin Tornadoes took the lead in the first quarter versus cross-town rivals Dublin Celts, but a shock result was averted by the Celts with two touchdowns of their own and a safety to provide an exciting finish to the match. The win put the Celts on 3-0 and left the Tornadoes on 1-2. [References: 1, 6, 7, 8]

The resolute Celts broke down the Craigavon Cowboys with three touchdowns in the third quarter to add to one in the first quarter, as their defence kept the Cowboys scoreless for a 28-0 win. The win put the Celts on 4-0 and Craigavon dropped to 1-2 alongside Dublin Tornadoes in the National Conference. [References: 9-12]

Dublin Tornadoes arrived an hour late in Belfast for their Week 8 1988 IAFL Regular Season match-up sponsored by Smithwicks in aid of the Pelethon Appeal.  The coach the Tornadoes were travelling in had broken down enroute and the players had no time to prepare for the game, which was to be played before TV Cameras.  Belfast Blitzers won comfortably by a score of 36-6 putting the Belfast team back in contention for the National Conference title. The loss left Tornadoes on 1-3. [References: 13-14]

Despite the closeness of the scoreline the Spartans remained unbeaten on 3-0 atop the Irish Conference, with Carrickfergus bottom of the same Conference on 0-3 as Belfast defeated the Cougars 14-13. [References: 14]

The 1988 Irish American Football League was the third season of the league. Eight teams returned from the 1987 season – both East Side Jets and Jordanstown Jaguars had disbanded mid-way through the 1987 season and Bangor Buccaneers had moved to Newtownards, becoming the North Down Raiders but never played in the 1988 season. NI Giants (also known as Belfast Tennants Giants for sponsorship reasons) pulled out after the preseason after a dispute over scheduling leaving seven teams, divided into two Conferences: National and Irish. The two Conference Champions plus the two teams with the next best records qualified for the Shamrock Bowl Playoffs. Dublin Celts, Craigavon Cowboys, Belfast Blitzers and Dublin Tornadoes contested the National Conference while Coleraine Chieftains, Carrickfergus Cougars, and Belfast Labatt Spartans contested the Irish Conference.

[1988-1] Britball Now (2016) Results Section [1988] [Internet] Available from: http://www.britballnow.co.uk/history-index/results-section.html [Accessed 23 March 2017]

[1988-2] Anon. (1988) “Gridiron action” Belfast Telegraph. Friday, April 1, 1988. Pg. 29. Past Editions of the Belfast Telegraph are Available to view on the Internet at the Irish Newspaper Archive at: https://www.irishnewsarchive.com/ [Accessed 6 May 2020]

[1988-3] Anon. (1988) “Chieftains fall” Belfast Telegraph. Monday, April 11, 1988. Pg. 18-19. Past Editions of the Belfast Telegraph are Available to view on the Internet at the Irish Newspaper Archive at: https://www.irishnewsarchive.com/ [Accessed 6 May 2020]

[1988-4] Anon. (1988) “Celts’ home debut” Irish Independent. Monday, May 14, 1988. Pg. 22. Past Editions of the Belfast Telegraph are Available to view on the Internet at the Irish Newspaper Archive at: https://www.irishnewsarchive.com/ [Accessed 13 October 2018]

[1988-5] Anon. (1988) “Scoreline” First Down. May 14, 1988. pg. 18. Mediawatch Ltd, Charlbury , Oxfordshire. UK. ed: Alan D. Lees.

[1988-6] First Down “Scoreline” May 21, 1988. pg. 18. Published By: Mediawatch Ltd, Charlbury, Oxon, UK, ed: Alan D Lees.

[1988-7] Evening Herald “Tornadoes Tamed” Tuesday, May 17, 1988. pg. 47

[1988-8] Irish Independent “American Football” Saturday, May 14, 1988. pg. 22.

[1988-9] Evening Herald. May 21, 1988. pg. 40 “U.S. Football”

[1988-10] Irish Independent. May 23, 1988. pg. 16 “Dublin Celts keep record”

[1988-11] Irish Independent. May 21, 1988. pg. 18. “Tomorrow: American Football”.

[1988-12] First Down “Scoreline” May 28, 1988. pg. 18. Published By: Mediawatch Ltd, Charlbury, Oxon, UK, ed: Alan D Lees.

[1988-13] Irish Press (1988) “Dublin Tornadoes / American Football”. Monday, May 30, 1988. pg. 46

[1988-14] Alan Lees., Ed. (1988) “Scoreline”. First Down , June 4, 1988. pg. 18. Published by Mediawatch Ltd. Charlbury, Oxfordshire, UK.

[1988-TI-1] Britball Now (2022) North Down Raiders [Internet] Available from: http://www.britballnow.co.uk/History/Britball%20Teams/NORTHDOWNRAIDERS.htm [Last Accessed 28 December 2022]

[L-1] Dublin Celts American Football Team Facebook Page (2016) Photo by Joseph Greene August 28, 2016 [Internet] Available from: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1421158977901127&set=gm.269427200117075&type=3&theater&ifg=1 [Accessed 3 July 2018]

[L-2] Coleraine Chieftains (2002) Coleraine Chieftains: Chief Image [Internet] Available from: http://www.thecolerainechieftans.freeservers.com/images/chief.gif [Accessed 18 July 2018]

[L-3] Craigavon Cowboys – Twitter Account (2018) Profile Picture [Internet] Available from: https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/864100166680424448/TCauLbnj_400x400.jpg [Accessed 22 July 2018]

[L-4] Belfast Blitzers Facebook Page (2019) Post, August 12, 2019 at 1:31 PM [Internet] Available from:  https://www.facebook.com/belfastblitzers/posts/2244208692356940?notif_id=1565921781157641&notif_t=comment_mention [Accessed 17 August 2019]

[L-5-1] Neil Robertshaw (1987) “Irish Eyes Are Smiling” Gridiron, June 1987, Issue 36. pg. 48-49. Published by Gridiron, High Street, Christchurch, Dorset. Executive editor: Bob Goddard. Editor: Nick Halling (1987)

[L-5-2] Helmethistory.com (2025) Princeton [Internet] Availbale from: https://www.helmethistory.com/princeton.html [Accessed 15 September 2025]

[L-5-3] Chris Creamer’s SportsLogos (2025) Princeton Tigers Primary Logo 1984-2004 [Internet] Available from: https://www.sportslogos.net/logos/view/ganu2ck9p7ihrigny8hv/Princeton-Tigers-Logo/1984/Primary-Logo [Accessed 15 September 2025]

Based on Robertshaw’s article – the most likely logo utilised by Carrickfergus Cougars is Princeton Tigers’ Logo from 1974-1977 as per Helmethistory.com [Reference L-2] or 1984-2004 as per Chris Creamer’s Sports Logos [Reference: L-3]. As per the article by Robershaw, the Cougars’ received more than 38 full kits from Yale starting quarteback Kelly Ryan, gathered from old Princeton Tigers, Yale and Harvard University kit, including as per photograph of Cougars president Mervyn Robinson decked out in the full kit in the article: Princeton Helmets and Shirts, Yale shoulder pads and Harvard pants and shoes. Note: The Logo utilised here on eirball.ie is downloaded from Chris Creamer’s SportLogos.net – As per request citation is given. Logo has been amended with an orange background for eirball.ie by Enda Mulcahy on 15 September 2025. Please purchase Chris’ brilliant SportsLogo illustrated history books, of which the author of eirball.ie has purchased a number of. This request is unsolicited and unpaid for, and is a small bit of gratitude for providing such a wonderful resource. 

[L-6] Belfast Blitzers Facebook Page (2021) Post to Page by Belfast Blitzers, 5 February 2021: [Internet] Available from: https://scontent-dub4-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/146339398_3535274803250316_484236705150193506_n.jpg?_nc_cat=104&ccb=2&_nc_sid=dbeb18&_nc_ohc=APIfzLRulaMAX9g3LLc&_nc_ht=scontent-dub4-1.xx&oh=72bcf54f0435a9ab26cd035a8d2cf7c7&oe=604502C2 [Accessed 5 February 2021]

[L-11] Dublin Tornadoes Football Helmet – Authors’ Personal Collection – Purchased at http://www.417helmets.com

Thanks to Jo Buchanan (Craigavon Cowboys), Kevin Sharkey (Dublin Celts) and David Turner (Belfast Blitzers)

Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive

Last Updated: 16 September 2025.

(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2019-2025

You may quote this document in part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Reserved. The Logos and Photos used in this article remain the property of the organisations and individuals which own the copyright and are used here for educational and information purposes only.