Irish American Football Association Flag Team
Home Venue: Sallins GAA Club, Co. Kildare & Phoenix Park, Dublin 2.
Season Report: On the 6 July 2002, the Drimnagh Cycos hosted the Leicester Europa Eagles, many times British Senior Flag League Champions in the Annual Anglo-Irish Flag Football Challenge in Sallins GAA Club, Co. Kildare. The match finished a 12-12 tie. The following January the Cycos played a match against a BSFL Allstar team in the Phoenix Park, losing 12-18 (see match report below).
Season Record: (Wins-Losses-Ties): 1-1-0
Home Venue: Sallins GAA Club, Sallins, Co. Kildare
2002-03 Season Record
| Week | Date | H/A | Versus | W/L | Score |
| AIFFC VI | 06.07.2002 | H | Leicester Europa Eagles | T | 12-12 |
| AIFFC VII | 25.01.2003 | H | BSFL Allstars | L | 12-18 |
Drimnagh Cycos 12 BSFL Allstars 18 – 25 January 2003
Drimnagh Cycos 12 BSFL Allstars 18 – The BSFL Allstars travelled to Dublin on a cold, wet windy day on Saturday, 25 January 2003 to play the Drimnagh Cycos in the Anglo-Irish Flag Football Challenge in the Phoenix Park. The BSFL Allstars were made up of players from the Bournemouth Raiders and Invicta (Canterbury) Coyotes. The match was 7v7 Flag Football under the Irish Rules then used in Ireland. The Cycos first possession was stopped at the 20-yard line by a strong BSFL Defensive stand. On the first BSFL possession QB Nick Michael threw the ball straight into the hands of the Cycos #55 (Liam Farrell), although again the Allstars defense stopped the Cycos from scoring. QB Michael yet again threw an interception on the next BSFL drive, this time in the endzone. Drimnagh Cycos Quarterback Aidan Kelly scored the first Touchdown of the game on the next possesion, running in from 5 yards. Stephen wigley of the BSFL Allstars helted the Point After with a lunging tackle. Michael threw a third interception on the next drive, this time to Cornerback #53 who returned it 30 yards for the second touchdown. Kelly was tagged on the resulting option play by Mark Houston, ening the PAT attempt, leaving the score 12-0 to Drimnagh. Mark houston replaced Nick Michael at Quarterback for the Allstars, and they drove downfield in the final two minutes of the half to put a score on the board as Abdulmalik Lawal caught a 10 yard TD Pass from Houston, although the PAT attempt was unsuccessful. The Half-Time Score read Drimnagh Cycos 12 BSFL Allstars 6.
The second half started with playmaker Mark Houston calling a no huddle offense with Michael as QB and Houston as Wide Receiver. While a couple of Cycos looked at Houston, none decided to cover him and Michael completed a 75-yard pass to Houston to tie the game. The PAT attempt to Stephen Wigley was spoiled by a Drimnagh defender. The BSFL defense dominated the Cycos from there to the final whistle, leaving little room on passing, running, option and trick plays, and both Vincent Gurrea and Stephen Wigley got interceptions for the Allstars. BSFL decide to run conservative rushing plays up the middle by Houston and the outside by Lawal, who broke free on a 40-yard running play to put the BSFL Allstars 18-12 up. After a controversial sack in the endzone where the teams dispured whether it should be a safety or not, the Cycos kept the ball on their own goalline. Three plays later Houston intercepted a Cyco pass and returned it 20 yards, but BSFL could not get in the endzone as the Irish team kept them out. The Cycos then took over and started slowly marching downfield, and after two unsuccessful attempts to get in the endzone they face 4th and Goal from the 10 yard line. QB Kelly rolled out to his right looking for Receivers #55 (Liam Farrell) and #53 but they were covered. Kelly circled back, looking for an open Tight End in the Endzone to his left, but just as he was about to release the ball, Lawal dove to take the flag, leaving the BSFL Allstars 18-12 winners.
| At Phoenix Park, Dublin | H1 | H2 | Total |
| BSFL Allstars | 6 | 12 | 18 |
| Drimnagh Cycos | 12 | 0 | 12 |
| Team | Scorers | Score |
| 1st Half | ||
| DRI | Aidan Kelly 5yd Run | 0-6 |
| DRI | #53 30yd Interception Return | 0-12 |
| BSFL | Abdulmalik Lawal 10yd Pass from Mark Houston | 6-12 |
| 2nd Half | ||
| BSFL | Mark Houston 75yd Pass from Nick Michael | 12-12 |
| BSFL | Abdulmalik Lawal 40yd Run | 18-12 |
Team Roster 2002-03
| Drimnagh Cycos | Position |
| Aidan Kelly | Quarterback |
| Liam Farrell (#55) | Cornerback / Receiver |
| Stephen Dunne | |
| John Canning | |
| Ian McGuinness | |
| Cameron Cramer | |
| Ian Curtis | |
| Bob Curran |
References
Internet Archive
[1] British Senior Flag League | Wayback Machine (2003) Internationals [Internet] Available from: [Accessed 12 November 2019]
Social Media
[2] Liam Farrell (2020) Facebook Messenger 29 November 2020 – Response to Eirball Article on Drimnagh Cycos v BSFL Allstars Anglo-Irish Flag Football Challenge 2003
Websites
[3] Britball Now (2018) History of the game in Ireland [Internet] Available from: http://www.britballnow.co.uk/history-index/ireland/history-of-the-game-in.html [Accessed 25 October 2016]
Acknowledgements
Thanks to Liam Farrell & Peter Mullen, Drimnagh Cycos & and John Kane
About this document
Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the
Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive
Last Updated: 30 November 2020
(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2020
You may quote this document in whole or part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Reserved.
