American Football Ireland Irish Teams v USA & Canadian Teams 1985-Present

Gridiron Football International American Football (Ireland) Irish Teams v USA & Canadian Teams
American Football Ireland Logo [Ref: 49]

Irish Teams versus Eastern Football League Semi-Pro Teams 1986-1988

DateIrish Team EFL Team 
1986IAFL All-Stars0Marlboro Shamrocks (Mass)36
19.04.1987Dublin Celts0Taunton Raiders (Mass)51
08.11.1987Limerick Mind Benders Charlestown Townies (Mass) 
08.11.1987Dublin Tornadoes0Charlestown Townies (Mass)12
14.11.1987Craigavon Cowboys0Charlestown Townies (Mass)60
15.11.1987Dublin Celts0Charlestown Townies (Mass)36
1988Dublin Celts0Taunton Raiders (MASS)50
[References: 1-6]

Irish Teams v Canadian Semi-Pro Teams 1994-1995

DateIrish Team Canadian Team 
07.1994Carrickfergus/BelfastLHull Raiders (QC)W
10.07.1994Dublin Tornadoes18Hull Raiders (QC)17
08.1994Dublin Tornadoes19Team Canada18
08.1994Ireland/Le Mans Caimans7Team Canada27
19.07.1995Ireland22Ottawa Gee Gees Alumni (ON)34
03.08.1995Ireland27Ottawa Gee Gees Alumni (ON)24
Irish Teams v Canadian Semi-Pro Teams 1994-1995 [Ref: 6-17]

Irish Teams v North American Servicemen & Schools Teams 1991-2002

DateIrish TeamAmerican Team
06.07.1991Irish All-Stars6USAF Lakenheath Eagles (US/UK)W
06.1993Dublin Tornadoes7Rota Naval Base (US/Spa)0
05.1998Dublin Tigers0Maranatha Baptist Bible College48
05.1998Carrickfergus Knights6Maranatha Baptist Bible College42
2000Irish Lions12Mount St. Josephs HS (MD)36
Irish Teams versus American High Schools and Services 1998-2000 [Ref: 18-24]

Irish Teams versus NCAA Division III College Teams 2004-2019

DateIrish TeamNCAA DIII Team
05.2004Ireland2John Carroll Blue Streaks (OH)52
06.05.2005Ireland0Adrian College Bulldogs (Mich)53
19.05.2007Tallaght Outlaws0Claremont-McKenna Stags (CA)67
02.06.2007Carrickfergus Knights0Team USA Allstars26
28.06.2008Dublin Rebels8Midwestern AllStars (USA)72
2010Dublin Rebels7Chicago All-Stars74
02.06.2012Trinity College Dublin10New England Ironmen (USA)48
10.06.2012University of Limerick Vikings2Wisconsin-Eau Claire (WN)58
31.05.2014Dublin Rebels0Centre College Colonels (KY)90
.05.2016Belfast Trojans26Sewanee Tigers (Tenn)27
25.07.2017Belfast Trojans0Centre College Colonels (KY)47
2018Dublin Rebels0Dubuque Spartans (IW)98
25.05.2019Belfast Trojans0Augustana Vikings (IL)65
Irish Teams v NCAA Division III College Teams [Ref: 25-47]

Irish Teams v North American Servicemen & Schools Teams 2009-Present

DateIrish TeamAmerican Team
28.02.2009UL Vikings0Philadelphia Blue Flame (PA)22
27.08.2013Ireland U20s22Greendell Falcons (MB, Can)20
08.04.2017Irish Wolfhounds6Team USA (AFW)54
Irish Teams versus American High Schools and Services 1998-2000 [Ref: 18-24]

Report

Irish Teams v Eastern Football League Semi-Pro Teams 1985-1986

Irish American Football League teams played the first ever matches between Irish and American teams in 1986 and 1987. The matches were against Eastern Football League teams, a Semi-Pro League that still operates in the Massachusetts region.

The Irish teams were easily outclassed in what was a sport that was brand new to Ireland, losing heavily with not a single team scoring over the course of the five matches.

In 1986 the Marlboro Shamrocks defeated an IAFL All-All Star Team 36-0, and in 1987 in a pre-season game the Taunton Raiders, also from Massachusetts won 51-0 against the Dublin Celts. Later that year the Charletown Townies of Massachusetts toured Ireland beating Dublin Tornadoes, Craigavon Cowboys and Dublin Celts. In 1988 the Celts made a return visit to Massachusetts to play the Taunton Raiders, losing 50-0 at Middlesborough High School. [Reference: 1-6]

Irish Teams v Canadian Semi-Pro Teams 1994-1995

Irish American Football teams have played Canadian teams as well as American teams, faring much better.

The first of these matches was in 1994, when the Hull Raiders from Quebec toured Ireland, defeating a combined Carrickfergus/Belfast team and losing 18-17 to the Dublin Tornadoes, who would also defeat a Team Canada 19-18, while a combined Ireland/Le Mans Caimans team would lose 27-7 to the Canadians in France.

In 1995, Team Ireland would split a two-game series with the Gee-Gees a Canadian Alumni team from Ottawa. During these games Canadian Football rules were slipped in, making it difficult for the Irish teams.

Carrickfergus Knights lost a game to a Team Canada U21s, 34-6 in 2002 ,  before Ireland U20s beat Greendell Falcons, a junior team from Manitoba 22-20 in 2013 [Ref: 6-17].

Irish Teams v US & Canadian Services & Underage Teams 1991-2017

In 1991 an Irish All-Stars lost to the USAF Lakenheath Eagles, who were USAFE League champions at the time (USAFE was the United States Air Force in Europe Football League from 1947 to early 1990s). the Irish lost heavily, but managed to put a touchdown on the board – Quarterback Eddie Goggins connecting with Wide Receiver Dermot Connolly for a TD Pass. [Ref: 18-19]

The Dublin Tornadoes defeated a US Coastguard team, from the Rota Naval Base in Spain 7-0 in June 1993.

In 2000, there was no Irish League and the only match played was the Ireland National Team versus Mount St. Joseph’s High School from Baltimore, Maryland. Ireland lost 36-12, but the match led to the rebirth of American Football in Ireland.

The University of Limerick Vikings also played a match against Philadelphia Blue Flame – losing 22-0 to a team of Firefighters and Policemen playing in the National Services League.

The University of Limerick Vikings also played a match against Philadelphia Blue Flame – losing 22-0 to a team of Firefighters and Policemen playing in the National Services League.

As part of the Global Ireland Football Tournament in 2012, in which over a dozen small Colleges & High Schools from North America played in various venues around Ireland, the Oak Park High School from Winnipeg Manitoba, beat Villanova College, from King City in Ontario 18-9, in front of 3,000 at Pairc Tailteann, in Navan Co. Meath.

The following year, as part of the Gathering Ireland celebrations in 2013, the Greendell Falcons, who play in the Winnipeg Major Football League played two games in Ireland – one against the Ireland U20s team, which they lost, and one against Bristol Academy Pride, who play in the European US High Schools League. Greendell won the latter 39-22 in front of 2,500 spectators at Tallaght Stadium. The Falcons Wide Receiver, Bryce LeBlanc was named MVP.

Ireland’s U20s lost a match in 2017, 54-6 to Team USA American Football Worldwide, a team of Elite High School students representing USA on tours throughout Europe. [Ref: 18-24]

Ireland U20s Offense in action v Greendell Falcons (Manitoba, Canada). [Ref: 48]

Irish Teams v NCAA Division III College Teams 2004-Present

Irish American Football League teams graduated to playing National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III teams in 2004, showing a marked improvement on their first outings in the 1980s and 1990s against American opposition.

The first matches were played between the Ireland National Team and the John Carroll Blue Streaks and Adrian College Bulldogs from Ohio and Michigan respectively, with Ireland losing by approximately 50 points each time.

Irish American Football League teams graduated to playing National Collegiate Athletic Association Division III teams in 2004, showing a marked improvement on their first outings in the 1980s and 1990s against American opposition.

The Tallaght Outlaws created History in 2007, becoming the first Irish Club to play NCAA opposition, losing to Claremont-McKenna Stags of California 67-0.

Over the next three years the Dublin Rebels lost twice to Midwestern All-Star teams – one from Chicago and one representing a Midwestern Conference.

In 2012 Trinity College would lose by 50-odd points to the New England Ironmen, while the UL Vikings similarly lost to Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

2014 saw Centre College Colonels pay the first of two visits to Ireland, not holding back in a 90-0 defeat of the Dublin Rebels. They would return in 2017 beating the Belfast Trojans 47-0.[11]  The Rebels would also lose heavily in 2018 to Dubuque Spartans from Iowa.

In between these matches the Belfast Trojans would come the closest an Irish team has ever come to beating a US team, losing to the Sewanee Tigers of Kentucky 27-26. They entertained another American College, Augustana Vikings from Illinois in 2019, losing 65-0. [Ref: 25-47]

Sources

[1] Irish Press (1987) It’s not so good for the ‘Giants’ Irish Press. Thursday, November 05, 1987. pg. 11[Internet]

[2] Irish Independent (1987) Your Sports Diary – Tomorrow – American Football Irish Independent. Saturday, April 18, 1987. pg. 16

Websites

[3] Britball Now (2016) History of the Game in Ireland [Internet] Available from: http://www.britballnow.co.uk/history-index/ireland/history-of-the-game-in.html [Accessed 02 October 2016]

[4] Britball Now (2008) UK Clubs Against Foreign Opposition [Internet] Available from: http://www.britballnow.co.uk/History/UKClubsForeignOppo.html [Accessed 16 November 2008]

[5] Semi-Pro Football (2017) Eastern Football League Champions [Internet] Available from: http://www.semiprofootball.org/minor/champs/eastfl.htm [Accessed 16 November 2017]

Sources

[6] Kevin Sharkey (2020) “The Dublin Celts” Word Document shared by John Gunning on Facebook Messenger with permission.

Bibliography

[6] Evening Herald (1993) Tornadoes Plan for ’94 Evening Herald. Thursday, October 07, 1993, pg. 52

[7] Evening Herald (1994) YOUR SPORTING UPDATE AT A GLANCE – AMERICAN FOOTBALL Evening Herald. Thursday February 17, 1994, pg. 53

[8] Evening Herald (1994) Tornadoes Test Evening Herald. Thursday July 07, 1994, pg. 61

[9] Evening Herald (1994) “Tornadoes Test” Evening Herald. Thursday July 07, 1994, pg. 61

Websites

[10] Irish American Football Association (2016) History of US Teams playing in Ireland [Internet] Available from: http://www.americanfootball.ie/history-of-us-teams-playing-in-ireland/ [Accessed 22 November 2016]

[11] Wayback Machine – Irish National Team (1999) The Irish National Team [Internet] Available from: http://web.archive.org/web/19990203153252/http://fiachra.ucd.ie/~alan/national_team.html [Accessed 5 July 2017]

[12] Wayback Machine – Dublin Tornadoes (2000) Welcome to the Dublin Tornadoes Web Site [Internet] Available from: http://web.archive.org/web/20000422074512/http://www.connect.ie/users/tornadoes/Welcome.htm [Accessed 16 April 2017]</p

[13] Wayback Machine – Dublin Tornadoes (2001) Irish National American Football Team [Internet] Available from: http://web.archive.org/web/20010710173628/http://www.connect.ie/users/tornadoes/NatTeam/History.htm [Accessed 16 April 2017]

[14] Wayback Machine – Irish American Football Association (2002) August 25th 2002 – TEAM CANADA 34 – 6 CARRICKFERGUS KNIGHTS [Internet] Available from: http://web.archive.org/web/20021210031300/http://www.irish-american-football.org/news%20stories/25aug02.htm [Accessed 8 October 2017]

[15] Irish American Football Association (2009) PAUDIE O’SE DINGLE TOURNAMENT [Internet] Available from: http://americanfootball.ie/iafl/indexearly2009.htm [Accessed 15 October 2017]

[16] Irish American Football Association (2013) IAFA U20s have historic win against Greendell Falcons [Internet] Available from: http://www.americanfootball.ie/breaking-news-iafa-u20s-win-against-greendell-falcons/ [Accessed 30 April 2017]

[17] Greendell Falcons (2017) MMFA Schedule [Internet] Available from: http://falconsfootball.ca/index.php [Accessed 16 November 2017]

[18] Irish American Football Association (2016) Journey to Thirty [Internet] Available from: http://www.americanfootball.ie/journeyto-thirty/ [Accessed 08 August 2016]

Newspapers

[19] Evening Herald (1999) “American Football” Evening Herald, Tuesday, January 5, 1999, pg. 91 [Irish Newspaper Archive: Available online at: https://archive.irishnewsarchive.com/Olive/APA/INA/Print.Article.aspx?mode=image&href=EHD%2F1999%2F01%2F05&id=Ar09100 [Accessed 21 August 2020][The Irish Newspaper Archive is a Subscription Service]

Social Media Conversations

[20] Kevin Sharkey Facebook Messenger (2020) Facebook Messenger Conversation, 29 May 2020.

[21] Dublin Celts Facebook (2019) Photo, September 8, 2019: “Not strictly Dublin Celts, but in this fame QB Eddie Goggins�� threw a TD pass to WR Dermot Connolly��, we scored against good quality American opposition, these guys were the champions of their league in Europe.” [Internet] Available from: https://www.facebook.com/groups/259540917772370/permalink/270796126646849/ [Accessed 7 November 2019]

Bibliography

[22] Anon (1993) Coast Guard at Sea First Down. July 6-12 2000. pg. 19.

Bibliography

[23] Anon (2000) Plucky Irish Denied by Americans First Down. June 12, 2000. pg. 17.

Websites

[24] Britball Now (2016) Friendly Results against foreign opposition [1998] [Internet] Available from: http://www.britballnow.co.uk/history-index/friendly-results-against.html [Accessed 14 April 2020]

Websites

[25] Wayback Machine – Irish American Football Association (2002) August 25th 2002 – TEAM CANADA 34 – 6 CARRICKFERGUS KNIGHTS [Internet] Available from: http://web.archive.org/web/20021210031300/http://www.irish-american-football.org/news%20stories/25aug02.htm [Accessed 8 October 2017]

[26] Irish American Football Association (2013) IAFA U20s have historic win against Greendell Falcons [Internet] Available from: http://www.americanfootball.ie/breaking-news-iafa-u20s-win-against-greendell-falcons/ [Accessed 30 April 2017]

[23] Greendell Falcons (2017) MMFA Schedule [Internet] Available from: http://falconsfootball.ca/index.php [Accessed 16 November 2017]

[24] Irish American Football Association (2016) Journey to Thirty [Internet] Available from: http://www.americanfootball.ie/journeyto-thirty/ [Accessed 08 August 2016]

Websites

[25] Irish American Football Association (2004) John Carroll win Celtic Classic 2 [Internet] Available from: http://www.americanfootball.ie/john-carroll-win-celtic-classic-2/ [Accessed 8 December 2016]

[26] Wayback Machine – Irish American Football Association (2006) IRISH NATIONAL TEAM & IAFL ALLSTARS RESULTS [Internet] Available from: http://web.archive.org/web/20060622144820/http://www.americanfootball.ie/teamirelandresults.htm [Accessed 6 July 2017]

Websites

[27] Irish American Football Association (2009) PAUDIE O’SE DINGLE TOURNAMENT [Internet] Available from: http://americanfootball.ie/iafl/indexearly2009.htm [Accessed 15 October 2017]

[28] IAFA Ireland Facebook Page (2017) Post April 3 2017 [Internet] Available from: https://www.facebook.com/iafaireland/posts/1474457059254856:0 [Accessed 25 August 2017]

[29] IAFA Ireland Facebook Page (2017) Post April 8 2017 [Internet] Available from: https://www.facebook.com/iafaireland/posts/1479857652048130 [Accessed 25 August 2017]

Websites

[30] Irish American Football Association (2004) John Carroll win Celtic Classic 2 [Internet] Available from: http://www.americanfootball.ie/john-carroll-win-celtic-classic-2/ [Accessed 8 December 2016]

[31] Wayback Machine – Irish American Football Association (2006) IRISH NATIONAL TEAM & IAFL ALLSTARS RESULTS [Internet] Available from: http://web.archive.org/web/20060622144820/http://www.americanfootball.ie/teamirelandresults.htm [Accessed 6 July 2017]

[32] Wayback Machine – Irish American Football Association (2007) Home [Internet] Available from: http://web.archive.org/web/20071002075251/http://www.irish-american-football.org:80/ [Accessed 3 January 2019]

[33] Wayback Machine – Tallaght Outlaws (2008) Latest News [Internet] Available from: http://web.archive.org/web/20071114134039/http://www.tallaghtoutlaws.com [Accessed 15 October 2017]

[34] Irish American Football Association (2009) CELTIC CLASSIC & WEEK 14 OF IAFL SEASON [Internet] Available from: http://americanfootball.ie/iafl/indexearly2009.htm [Accessed 15 October 2017]

[35] Irish American Football Association (2012) Wisconsin Eau Claire 58-2 UL Vikings [Internet] Available from: http://www.americanfootball.ie/wisconsin-eau-claire-58-2-ul-vikings/ [Accessed 8 December 2016]

[36] Wayback Machine – Irish American Football Association (2012) Result: New England 48-10 Trinity College Dublin [Internet] Available from: http://web.archive.org/web/20160303233538/http://www.americanfootball.ie/result-new-england-48-10-trinity-college-dublin [Accessed 10 May 2017]

[37] Irish American Football Association (2014) Centre College NCAA win against Dublin Rebels [Internet] Available from: http://www.americanfootball.ie/centre-college-ncaa-win-against-dublin-rebels/ [Accessed 8 December 2016]

[38] Irish American Football Association (2016) Sewanee Tigers narrowly defeat Belfast Trojans [Internet] Available from: http://www.americanfootball.ie/sewanee-tigers-narrowly-defeat-belfast-trojans/ [Accessed 8 December 2016]

[39] IAFA Ireland Facebook Page (2017) Post April 3 2017 [Internet] Available from: https://www.facebook.com/iafaireland/posts/1474457059254856:0 [Accessed 25 August 2017]

[40] IAFA Ireland Facebook Page (2017) Post April 8 2017 [Internet] Available from: https://www.facebook.com/iafaireland/posts/1479857652048130 [Accessed 25 August 2017]

[41] Irish American Football Association (2017) Centre College Colonels @ Belfast Trojans [Internet] Available from: http://www.americanfootball.ie/centre-college-colonels-belfast-trojans/ [Accessed 26 May 2017

[42] Belfast Trojans Facebook Page (2017) Post May 27 2017 [Internet] Available from: http://www.facebook.com/TheBelfastTrojans/posts/1470445163002450 [Accessed 9 June 2017]

[43] Belfast Trojans Facebook Page (2017) Post May 27 2017 [Internet] Available from: http://www.facebook.com/TheBelfastTrojans/posts/1470453613001605 [Accessed 9 June 2017]

[44] College Football Ireland [Internet] Available from: http://collegefootballireland.com/ [Accessed 8 December 2016]

[45] American Football Worldwide Dubuque Spartans Control LOS and Dominate in Ireland [Internet] Available from: http://americanfootballworldwide.com/featured/dubuque-spartans-control-los-dominate-ireland/ [Accessed 8 December 2016]

Media

[46] You Tube (2010) American Football in Ireland Chicago vs Dublin [7:21] [Internet] Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeSbw7Vd42Q [Accessed 16 November 2017]

Social Media

[47] Belfast Trojans | Facebook (2019) Post, May 25, 2019 [Internet] Available from: https://www.facebook.com/TheBelfastTrojans/posts/2364320563614901 [Accessed 30 May 2019]

Images

[48] Irish American Football Association (2013) IAFA U20s on offense (white jerseys) [Internet] Available from: https://www.americanfootball.ie/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/u20gf2-650×433.jpg [Accessed 12 May 2020]

Images

[49] American Football Ireland (2020) AFI Logo 2020 [Internet] Available from: https://www.americanfootball.ie/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/AFI-Logo-200.png [Accessed 10 February 2020]

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Cillian Smith, Michael Smith, Ralph Schmeer and Michael Brophy of the Irish American Football Association and Irish American Football Officials Association; Todd Zboyan, Tim Leadingham, Bri Wallace and Heather Foust.

About this document

Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive

Last Updated: 21 August 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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