Final Standings IAFL South

Results 2007

Home Venue – Pfizers Sports Club Ringaskiddy, Cork

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Shamrock Bowl XXI

29 July 2007 – University of Limerick Vikings 22 Cork Admirals 14

Seamus Hogan, who scored two touchdowns, won the Most Valuable Player Award in the Irish American Football League Shamrock Bowl XXI in 2007, as the University of Limerick Vikings beat the Cork Admirals 22-14 in a close Munster Derby.

Cork had a great start with kick returner David Barry returned the opening kickoff well into Limerick territory. They were stopped short of the goal-line, however, as were the Vikings on the next drive. On their next possession the Cork Admirals got into good field position following a 40 yard draw play by full back Alain Pezeron, leaving them on first and goal on the 3 yard line, which Keith O’Callaghan capitalized on with a 3-yard rushing touchdown for the first score of the game. Pezeron converted for two points.

The vikings got back into the game immediately, with Quarterback Chris Bassitt driving them downfield, helped by Running Backs Andrew Gordan and Seamus Hogan. Hogan got the equalizing touchdown, with a 5-yard run up the middle, converted for two points by Bassitt. The second quarter was scoreless as both defenses held the opposing offense, with good defensive plays by Vikings defenders Eoin O’Sullivan, Declan O’Donnell, Damien Laffan and Alan O’Carroll. The Admirals defensive line of Marcus Gates, Ross McCullough and Barry Rea forced a number of tackles for losses. The Vikings got the first turnover of the day with less than 5 minutes to go to halftime, when their defensive back intercepted the ball, however, they missed the resulting field goal, leaving the score 8-8 at half-time.

The first play from scrimmage of the second half yielded the second turnover of the day, as Admirals linebacker Martin Mulvey recovered a Vikings fumble to leave them in good field position on the Vikings 20-yard line. Shortly afterwards, the Admirals went 14-8 up as Quarterback David Lomansey connected with Wide Receiver Dominic MacHale for a 30-yard touchdown pass. Limerick then drove deep into Admirals territory, but a fierce goalmouth stand for the Cork side on their own 5-yard line prevented the Vikings from scoring. The Vikings defense, however, ensured their offense got another chance before the quarter was out, as they forced the Admirals to punt, giving the UL offense the ball at midfield. Through runs by Bassitt and Gordon they got to the 10-yard line, where Seamus Hogan scored his second running touchdown, on a draw play up the middle, pushing the ball over the goal-line as the Admirals defenders attempted to tackle him. The Single Point Kick conversion put the Vikings 15-14 up at the end of the third quarter.

Again the Vikings defense forced the Admirals to punt early in the fourth quarter, and in the ensuing drive, the Vikings went to the air with a long pass from Quarterback Bassitt to Wide Receiver Marc Ashworth, setting up MVP Seamus Hogan for his third touchdown of the day, as a he scored on a 5-yard sweep to the right. again the conversion kick was good to put the Vikings 22-14 up. The game was not over yet, however, and the Admirals drove to the Vikings two-yard line on the next drive. In the best defensive performance of the day, the Vikings held, the Admirals on all four downs, and the Vikings punted on their next possession having failed to run out the clock. The punt pinned the Cork side deep in their own territory, and while they picked up a couple of first downs, were stopped on fourth down with less than 30 seconds left. The Vikings could then celebrate their first ever Shamrock Bowl win. [Ref: 4]

Season Report

The Cork Admirals reached the Shamrock Bowl in 2007, losing to the University of Limerick Vikings 22-14. The season had started with wins over Belfast Bulls (13-6) and University of Limerick (30-0) before back-to-back defeats to Dublin Rebels (26-28) and the return game with the Vikings (20-36).

The Admirals regrouped after this, and won big against Tallaght Outlaws (30-0), Dublin City University Saints (64-0), Belfast Trojans (60-0) and Tallaght Outlaws (64-0), to leave them with a 6-2 Won-Loss Record, and a place in the Wild-Card Playoffs with the Belfast Trojans, where they won 30-0, before another close game with the Dublin Rebels in the Semi-Finals, which they won 8-6, letting in the first points in six games. Then followed the heartbreak of the Shamrock Bowl against the Vikings, with the two teams evenly matched over the season beforehand, the Vikings having the slight advantage of only one loss, and homefield advantage.

Team Roster SB XXI 2007

Coaches

References

Websites

[2] Irish American Football Association (2007) 2007 LEAGUE TABLE, FIXTURES & RESULTS [Internet] Available from: http://www.americanfootball.ie/iafl/2007results.htm [Accessed 24 September 2016]

[4] Irish American Football Association (2007) SHAMROCK BOWL XXI REPORT[Internet] Available from: https://www.americanfootball.ie/iafl/sbxxireport.htm [Accessed 15 May 2020]

[5] Irish American Football Association (2007) Cork Admirals SB XXIRoster [Internet] Available from: https://www.americanfootball.ie/iafl/sbxxiadmiralssroster.htm  [Accessed 15 May 2020]

[7] Irish American Football Association (2007) Key Players [Internet] Available from: https://www.americanfootball.ie/iafl/sbxxikeyplayers.htm [Accessed 15 May 2020]

Images

[1] Irish American Football Association (2017) Admirals Logo [Internet] Available from: https://www.americanfootball.ie/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/Admirals-PNG-1.png [Accessed 30 November 2018]

[6] Irish American Football Association (2007) Cork Admirals Keith O’Callaghan (#34) – scorer of the games first touchdown. [Internet] Available from: https://www.americanfootball.ie/iafl/sbxxi0008.jpg [Accessed 15 May 2020]

[8] Irish American Football Association (2007) SBXXI Pics:Cork Admirals team picture.  [Internet] Available from: https://www.americanfootball.ie/iafl/admirals2007.jpg [Accessed 15 May 2020]

Acknowledgements

Michael O’Callaghan.

About this document

Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the

Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive

Last Updated: 15 May 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.