All Ireland American Football League Box Scores & Match Reports 1995

League Table

PWLTPFPAPct
*Dublin Tornadoes6600120191.000
*Dublin Lightning53207486.600
*Carrickfergus Knights52304972.400
*Lurgan Area Raiders606014100.000

[24]

Playoff Results

DateHome TeamAway Team
Semi-Finals
17.09.95Dublin Tornadoes60Lurgan Area Raiders0
17.09.95Dublin LightningLCarrickfergus KnightsW
Shamrock Bowl X Islandbridge, Dublin 8
24.09.95Dublin Tornadoes34Carrickfergus Knights12

Refrences: [3][4]

Week 1

Lurgan Area Raiders 0 Dublin Lightning 14 – Ireland QB Eddie Goggins, who came to Ireland from the Bath Gladiators during the offseason, passedfor one touchdown and ran for another as the Lightning, who changed their name back from the Hawks at the end of preseason, defeated the Lurgan Area Raiders 14-0.

TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4Total
Dublin Lightning14
Lurgan Area Raiders00000
TeamScorersScore
LIGTD Pass from Eddie Goggins
LIGEddie Goggins Run

Week 2

Dublin Tornadoes 54 Dublin Lightning 6 – Four touchdown runs by Brian Dennehy proved decisive in this Dublin derby, as the Tornadoes ran out 54-6 winners. Dennehy scored on six, 25, 48 and 90 yard runs, and David Grandmaison, who switched from Strong Safety to Quarterback, scored on a 20 yard keeper and also returned a kickoff 70 yards to the endzone.

TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4Total
Dublin Lightning6
Dublin Tornadoes54
TeamScorersScore
TORDennehy 90yd Run
TORDennehy 48yd Run
TORDennehy 25yd Run
TORDennehy Run

Week 3

Carrickfergus Knights 30 Lurgan Area Raiders – Lurgan Area opened the scoring after Connolly caught a pass from QB Blantol for a shock 8-0 lead. Fifth-string Quarterback for the Knights, Gerry Graham found Complim for a touchdown reception, and this was soon followed by Richard Woods breakaway TD run. After halftime, Lyndsay Slater returned a punt 70 yards and a lateral for the final 10 yards to the endzone was received by Stephen McKenny. To finish out the scoring Woods again broke away for a 56 yard run, and Graham again found Complim with a TD pass, this one from 15 yards out. In the end the Knights won 30-8, but coach Eddie Kelly said they were “rusty and LA made me feel we were in trouble early on”.

TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4Total
Lurgan Area Raiders8
Carrickfergus Knights30
TeamScorersScore
LARConnolly 5yd Pass from Blantol, 2xpt good8-0
CARComplim 30yd Pass from Graham8-6
CARWoods Run8-12
3rd Quarter
CARMcKenny 10yd Pass from Graham8-18
CARWoods 56yd Run8-24
CARCamplim 15yd Pass from Graham8-30

Reference: [15]
[20]

Week 4

Carrickfergus Knights 13 Dublin Tornadoes 32 – Carrickfergus took a shock 13-0 lead in the first quarter with Stephen McKenny’s 63 yard Punt Return and Paul woods’ 18 yard Interception Return, but the Tornadoes stormed back for 32 unanswered points, holding the Knights to just 2 first downs.

TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4Total
Dublin Tornadoes32
Carrickfergus Knights1300013
TeamScorersScore
1st Quarter
CAR McKenny 63yd Punt Return
CARWoods 18yd Int Return0-13
Quarter ??
TORDennehy 50yd Run
TORDennehy TD
TORDennehy TD
TORDennehy TD
TORDennehy TD
TORDennehy, 2xpt

Reference: [13]

Week 5

Dublin Tornadoes 14 Carrickfergus Knights 0 – Despite being undermanned, the Carrickfergus Knights gave the Tornadoes a real fright before eventually falling 14-0. Fullback Alan Byrne ripped through off tackle to give the Tornadoes a 6-0 halftime lead. Knights QB Wes Bell had been kept on his toes all day and struggled to find receivers. MVP Brian Dennehy scored in the third Quarter, and the final points were added by linebacker Craig Morrell who registered a safety. Dennehy now had 54 points in three games to his name at this early stage of the season. Coach Brian Sutton said he thought the team were a little over-confident coming off a big win the previous match.

TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4Total
Carrickfergus Knights00000
Dublin Tornadoes14
TeamScorersScore
1st Half
TORByrne Run0-6
3rd Quarter
TORDennehy TD0-12
TORC. Morrell Safety0-14

Reference: [11]

TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4Total
Lurgan Area Raiders16
Dublin Lightning36
TeamScorersScore

Week 6

TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4Total
Dublin Lightning18
Carrickfergus Knights6
TeamScorersScore
1st Quarter
LIGWard 70yd Pass from Goggins6-0
LIGGoggins 1yd Run12-0
CARBell 18yd Run12-6
LIGGoggins 96yd Int Return18-6

Reference: [8]

Week 7 – 9 July 1995

Lurgan Area Raiders 0 Dublin Tornadoes 20 – The Tornadoes continued their dominance of the All-Ireland American Football League with another superb defensive display, shutting out the Lurgan Area Raiders, as Alan O’Brien (twice) and Gary Morrell scoring touchdowns, and Padraig Redmond adding a conversion to the third TD as the Tornadoes won 20-0. In the first quarter, Brian Sutton connected with Connor Leonard with a 20 yard reception, setting up Alan O’Brien for a 2 yard TD run. In the third quarter as Gary Morrell executed a sweep move to perfection, as he ran 30 yards for the second score. the Tornadoes defense meanwhile shut down the Lurgan offense, keeping them scoreless. The final score came courtesy of Alan O’Brien, yet again scoring on a short run after Phil McGown, had made an excellent interception, returning it 40 yards.

TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4Total
Dublin Tornadoes20
Lurgan Area Raiders00000
TeamScorersScore
1st Quarter
TORO’Brien 8yd Run6-0
3rd Quarter
TORG. Morrell 12yd Run12-0
4th Quarter
TORO’Brien Run, Redmond 2xpt20-0

Reference : [19]
[22][7]

Week 8 – 16 July 1995

Dublin Lightning 0 Dublin Tornadoes 20 – The Dublin Tornadoes remained favourites for their third Shamrock Bowl in as many years with a 20-0 whitewash of their closest rivals, the Dublin Lightning. David Grandmaison was among the scorers for the Tornadoes. but it was a bad day for the Lightning as their QB Eddie Goggins was carried off injured early on. The game was played in appalling conditions, and the match remained scoreless until the third quarter, when Gary Morrel returned a Punt 45 yards to the endzone for the opening score for the Tornadoes. QB David Grandmaison had a fine day, leading the team downfield from their own 20 yard line to the Lightning 2 yard line before going over himself for the score. Morrell hammered in the final nail with a 40 yard fumble recovery returned for a touchdown. The win made it five wins for five for the Tornadoes.

TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4Total
Dublin Tornadoes0020
Dublin Lightning00000
TeamScorersScore
1st Quarter
TORG.Morrell 45yd Punt Return6-0
TORD. Grandmaison 2yd Run12-0
4th Quarter
TORG. Morrell 40yd Fumble Return, G. Morrell 2x20-0

Reference: [18]

Week 9

TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4Total
Lurgan Area Raiders
Dublin Tornadoes
TeamScorersScore
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4Total
Carrickfergus Knights
Dublin Lightning
TeamScorersScore

Week 10

TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4Total
Carrickfergus Knights
Lurgan Area Raiders
TeamScorersScore

League Table

PWLTPFPAPct
Dublin Tornadoes8800120191.000
Dublin Lightning64207486.667
Carrickfergus Knights72504972.287
Lurgan Area Raiders707014100.000

[2]

Playoffs – 17 September 1995

Dublin Tornadoes 60 Lurgan Area Raiders 0 –

TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4Total
Lurgan Area Raiders00000
Dublin Tornadoes60
TeamScorersScore

Reference: [3]

TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4Total
Carrickfergus Knights+1
Dublin Lightning-1
TeamScorersScore

Shamrock Bowl X

Dublin Tornadoes 34 Carrickfergus Knights 12 – Dublin Tornadoes showed their dominance of Irish American Football, registering a perfect 10-0 season with this comprehensive win over the Carrickfergus Knights in a repeat of Shamrock Bowl IX.

The Knights took an early lead in spectacular fashion, returning the opening kickoff 85 yards to the endzone. The lead was shortlived, however, as the Tornadoes marched downfield immediately, sending Phil McGowan over from three yards out to level the scores. The Tornadoes defense held the Knights offense to just 25 yards in the second quarter, and the Dubliners took the lead for the first time.

The Tornadoes took control of the game in the second half with QB David Grandmaison and Running Back Brian Dennehy both scoring, although Carrickfergus Running Back Mark Banks became the first player to score on the Tornadoes defense all year.

The MVP award, however, went to the Tornadoes entire Offensive Line, whose crunching blocks ensured QB David Grandmaison could march downfield all day, securing the win with the final points of the day as he scramled over to make the final score 34-12 to the Dubliners, who now made it three-in-a-row.

The Dublin players wore the letters “DC” in honour of Coach Dave Curran, who had led them to the 1993 title, and who had died suddenly in November 1994, after holding an Ireland training session.

At Civil Service Grounds, IslandbridgeQ1Q2Q3Q4Total
Carrickfergus Knights12
Dublin Tornadoes34
TeamScorersScore
1st Quarter
CARKick Return6-0
TORMcGowan 3yd Run6-6
2nd Quarter
TORTD6-12
3rd Quarter
TORGrandmaison Run6-18
TORDennehy Run6-24
CARBanks12-24
TORGrandmaison Run12-34

Most Valuable Player: Dublin Tornadoes Offensive Line

Report

The All-Ireland American Football League of 1995 featured four teams playing an eight game schedule each. A further five teams – Belfast Spartans, Craigavon Cowboys, Cork Steelers, Ballymena Wolfhounds and Limerick Patriots held associate membership of the League, playing a friendly schedule until they were strong enough to enter or re-enter the League. The League was administered by the American Football Association of Ireland from 1990 to 1996.

Dublin Tornadoes, two-time Shamrock Bowl champions from 1993 to 1994 finished top of the League with an 8-0 record, and were expected to win their fourth in a row in Shamrock Bowl X, and did so convincingly, triumphing 34-12 over the Carrickfergus Knights, who had shocked the Dublin Lightning in the Playoff Semi-Finals. The other Semi-Final had been a blow-out with the Tornadoes destroying the Lurgan Area Raiders 60-0. All four teams had made the Playoffs.

In the Shamrock Bowl itself the Carrckfergus Knights had opened the scoring with a kick return for touchdown, but the Tornadoes struck back with runs from McGowan, David Grandmaison and Brian Dennehy, before Carrickfergus scored their second from Banks. David Grandmaison scored his second rushing TD to finish off the scoring in the fourth.

Sources

[3] Anon (1995) Tornadoes go for three in a row. The Echo. Thursday, 21 September 1995, pg. 48.

[4] O’Brien, Alan (1995) Tornadoes breeze past Carrickfergus to claim third straight Irish title. First Down. 7 October 1995, pg. 21.

[5] Anon (1995) Standings & Fixtures – Irish League. First Down. 29 July 1995, pg. 21.

[6] Anon (1995) Standings & Fixtures – Irish League. First Down. 15 July 1995, pg. 18.

[7] Anon (1995) Irish Update – Tearaway Tornadoes. First Down. 15 July 1995, pg. 18.

[8] Anon (1995) Standings & Fixtures – Irish League. First Down. 1 July 1995, pg. 21.

[9] Anon (1995) Irish League. First Down. 1 July 1995, pg. 21.

[10] Anon (1995) Standings & Fixtures – Irish League. First Down. 24 June 1995, pg. 21.

[11] Anon (1995) Irish League Round-Up – Tornadoes wake up from Knight-mare performance. First Down. 24 June 1995, pg. 21.

[12] Anon (1995) Standings & Fixtures – Irish League. First Down. 17 June 1995, pg. 21.

[13] Anon (1995) Irish League Round-Up – Tornadoes turn up heat. First Down. 17 June 1995, pg. 21.

[14] Anon (1995) Standings & Fixtures – Irish League. First Down. 10 June 1995, pg. 21.

[15] Anon (1995) Irish League Round-Up – Graham’s Five Alive. First Down. 10 June 1995, pg. 21.

[16] Anon (1995) * The Irish League… First Down. 3 June 1995, pg. 18.

[17] Anon (1995) Standings & Fixtures – Irish League. First Down. 15 July 1995, pg. 18.

[18] Anon (1995) Tornadoes smash county rivals. The Echo. Thursday, 20 July 1995, pg. 48.

[19] Anon (1995) Tornadoes blow Lurgan away. The Echo. Thursday, 13 July 1995, pg. 48.

[20] Anon (1995) Tornadoes on the rampage. The Echo. Thursday, 15 June 1995, pg. 46.

[21] Naughton, Lindie (1995) American Football Evening Herald Thursday, June 8, 1995. Pg. 68

[22] Naughton, Lindie (1995) American Football Evening Herald Thursday, July 13, 1995. Pg. 79

[23] Naughton, Lindie (1995) American Football Evening Herald Thursday, July 27, 1995. Pg. 71

Websites:

[24] Dublin Tornadoes (1996) Irish American Football League 1995: The League Schedule ’95 / Results in ’95 [Internet] Available from: http://web.archive.org/web/19961115060654/http://fiachra.ucd.ie/~alan/american_football.html#main_menu [Accessed 5 July 2017]

Internet Archive

[2] Dublin Tornadoes (1996) Irish American Football League 1995: The League Schedule ’95 / Results in ’95 [Internet] Available from: http://web.archive.org/web/19961115060654/http://fiachra.ucd.ie/~alan/american_football.html#main_menu [Accessed 5 July 2017]

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Cillian Smith, Michael Smith and Ralph Schmeer of the Irish American Football Association and Irish American Football Officials Association, and Sean Douglas, Dublin Rebels.

About this document

Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive

Last Updated: 2 July 2020

(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2020

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

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