Report

Belfast Blitzers tore through the Irish American Football League in 1987, scoring 333 points to 0 in their first six games including a 92-0 victory over the East Side Jets on opening day. In their seventh game the Belfast Tennents Giants finally put some points on the board against the Blitzers with a fourth quarter Field Goal, but the Blitzers still ran out 38-3 winners.

They lost their next game to deadly rivals the Dublin Celts 14-26, but wrapped up the Mourne Conference title with two wins against Dublin Tornadoes and Carrickfergus Cougars. A shock loss to the Craigavon Cowboys meant yet again they were not in the Shamrock Bowl despite being one of the two best teams all season.

Final Standings 1987

	P	W	L	T	PF	PA	Pct
Tara Conference
*Dublin Celts	10	10	0	0			1.000
*Craigavon Cowboys	10	8	2	0			.800
*Belfast Giants	10	7	3	0			.667
Belfast Spartans	10	4	6	0			.450
Bangor Buccaneers	10	3	7	0			.300
Jordanstown Jaguars	10	0	10	0			.000
Mourne Conference
*Belfast Blitzers	10	9	1	0			.900
Carrickfergus Cougars	10	5	5	0			.500
Dublin Tornadoes	10	5	5	0			.500
Coleraine Chieftains	10	2	8	0			.200
East Side Jets	10	2	8	0			.200

Home Ground

1987 Results

Week	Date	H/A	Opposition	W/L	Score
1	27.04.1987	A	East Side Jets	W	92-0
3	10.05.1987	A	Jordanstown Jaguars	W	28-0
5	24.05.1987	H	Coleraine Chieftans	W	52-0
6	31.05.1987	H	Bangor Buccaneers	W	76-0
9	21.06.1987	H	Belfast Spartans	W	53-0
10	28.06.1987	A	Craigavon Cowboys	W	22-0
15	02.08.1987	H	Belfast Giants	W	38-3
16	16.08.1987	A	Dublin Celts	L	14-26
17	22.08.1987	H	Dublin Tornadoes	W	?-?
17	25.08.1987	A	Carrickfergus Cougars	W	36-6
SF	12.09.1987	H	Craigavon Cowboys	L	20-28

Team Roster 1987

Number	Name	Position
13	Alan McCandless	Quarterback
21	Nigel Somers
26	Hayden Davis	Running Back / Quarterback
37	Conor McCornish	Running Back
39	Mark Harris	Cornerback
40 / 25	Robin Boyd	Cornerback
42	Safety	Dale Eliot
45	Davy Turner	Cornerback
52	Desi Wilson	Guard
54	Stewart McDowell	Guard
57	Alan Young	Linebacker
58	Martin Press	Defensive Tackle
59	Billy Graham	Linebacker / Defensive End
66	Lee Donaldson	Center
69	Gary Moore	Defensive Tackle
71	Davy Wright	Defensive Tackle / Offensive Tackle
77	John McHugh
81	Ivan Smith	Wing Back / Corner Back
82	Gary Linton	Cornerback / Tight End
83	Ansy Cheevers	Wide Receiver
87	Steve Thompson	Cornerback / Running Back
89	Patsy Lundy	Wide Receiver
92	Eric Hanvey	Defensive Tackle / Offensive Tackle
95	Jim Delargy	Offensive End
99	Eric Grant	Linebacker
	Simon McIntyre	Linebacker
	George Neill	Wide Receiver
	Don Whittle	Tight End
	Nial Johnston	Cornerback
	Colin Pedlow	Offensive Tackle
	Raymond Deans	Offensive Guard
	Hayden Davis

References

Images

[1] Belfast Blitzers | Facebook (2019) Belfast Blitzers Logo [Internet] Available from: https://scontent-dub4-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/67510518_2229601940484282_4045526367226298368_n.jpg?_nc_cat=110&_nc_oc=AQl1RH5LGTyzP7JMEVoPCpPxclJUvZJLdfcQ4B410nJOwq86JZKgmCdGwLxt9Ohiu_LX86-8QPWKraapOFn6Q0ai&_nc_ht=scontent-dub4-1.xx&oh=28e5b0bd6891c62c2b9a18b51ad283a1&oe=5DE33CA5 [Accessed 8 August 2019]

Websites

[2] Britball Now (2016) Belfast Blitzers [Internet] Available from: http://www.britballnow.co.uk/History/Britball%20Teams/BelfastBlitzers.htm [Accessed 4 July 2018]

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

[4] Britball Now (2016) Results Section [1987] [Internet] Available from: http://www.britballnow.co.uk/history-index/results-section.html [Accessed 23 March 2017]

Social Media

[5] Belfast Blitzers Facebook (2020) Photo, May 22, 2020: [Internet] Available from: https://www.facebook.com/belfastblitzers/photos/a.459079834203177/2828597063918097 [Accessed 28 September 2020]

[6] Belfast Blitzers Facebook (2020) Photo, September 2, 2020: [Internet] Available from: https://www.facebook.com/belfastblitzers/photos/a.459079834203177/3118544214923379 [Accessed 28 September 2020]

Images

[7] Belfast Blitzers Facebook (2020) Photo, June 10, 2020: [Internet] Available from: https://www.facebook.com/belfastblitzers/photos/pcb.2879200218857781/2879181078859695 [Accessed 28 September 2020]

Acknowledgements

Thanks to David Turner & Billy Graham.

About this document

Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the

REirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive

Last Updated: 28 September 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.Advertisementshttps://c0.pubmine.com/sf/0.0.3/html/safeframe.html