American Football Association of Ireland | Irish Senior League 1997-1999

Gridiron Football Irish American Football League

AFAI Senior League 1997

DateHome Team Away Team 
 Shamrock Bowl XII   
 Carrickfergus Knights21Dublin Bulls0

[1][2]

AFAI Senior League 1998

 PWLTPFPAPts
*Dublin Tigers8602  .875
*Carrickfergus Knights8602  .875
*Greystones Rebels8440  .500
*Craigavon Cowboys8170  .125
Queens University Belfast Broncos8170  .125

[3]

DateHome Team Away Team 
 Semi-Finals   
 Dublin Tigers30Craigavon Cowboys0
 Carrickfergus Knights40Greystones Rebels0
 Shamrock Bowl XIII   
 Dublin Tigers14Carrickfergus Knights22

[3]

AFAI Senior League 1999

 PWLTPFPAPct
*Dublin Tigers440012801.000
*Carrickfergus Knights42205838.500
Queens University Belfast Broncos404010158.000
DateHome Team Away Team 
 Shamrock Bowl XIV   
 Dublin Tigers22Carrickfergus Knights6

[5]

Report

________________________________________________________

In 1997 Carrickfergus Knights would defeat new team Dublin Bulls, who were formed by Gateway Computers and had a very international feel to the team, 21-0 to win their first Shamrock Bowl.

The 1998 season would see the Dublin Bulls replaced by the Tigers and new teams enter – the Greystones Rebels (who would later become the Dublin Rebels) and Queens University Belfast Broncos. The Tigers and Carrickfergus Knights would both go through the season undefeated – tie-ing both games with each other and winning all the rest. They would meet in Shamrock Bowl XIII where they were only separated by one converted Touchdown – Carrickfergus Knights winning 22-14.

The Greystones Rebels would pull out of the League  in 1999, citing the politics in the game, and the League would drop to just 3 teams. The Shamrock Bowl would be won by the Dublin Tigers 22-6 over the Carrickfergus Knights.

The 2000 season was not played as a further two teams pulled out and a court case involving the AFAI and Cillian Smith and a number of other players resulted in a new body being formed – the Irish American Football Association – which would feature the Rebels and Carrickfergus Knights as well as two other teams starting the League over. Cillian Smith would guide the sport as Commissioner for the next 17 years to one with 20 teams and three levels of play.

References

[40] Britball (2016) Shamrock Bowl Results www.britball.co.uk/history-index/ireland/shamrock-bowl-results-1986.html [Accessed 2 October 2016]

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

Social Media

[42] Dublin Celts American Football Team Facebook Page (2016) Post by Kevin Sharkey, August 27, 2016 [Internet] Available from: https://www.facebook.com/groups/259540917772370/permalink/268518076874654/ [Accessed 6 June 2018]

Websites

[2] Dublin Tornadoes (1997) Shamrock Bowl [Internet] Available from: www.connect.ie/users/tornadoes/Shamrock.html [Accessed 6 April 2001]

[3] Carrickfergus Knights (1998) Full 1998 AFAI Results and Table [Internet] Available from: www.sugarcube.co.uk/knight/Full_1998_AFAI_Results_and.htm [Accessed 23 May 200]

[4] Britball (2016) Shamrock Bowl Results www.britball.co.uk/history-index/ireland/shamrock-bowl-results-1986.html [Accessed 2 October 2016]

[5] 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, Michael Smith, Ralph Schmeer and Michael Brophy 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: 23 March 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 Resereved.



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