vs

Details

Date Time League Season Match Day
April 19, 1987 3:00 pm International American Football Friendlies 1987 Irish v American International American Football 1987

Results

TeamT
Dublin Celts0
Taunton Raiders (Mass)46

Dublin Celts

Position FG Safety PAT 2XP TD Comp Att Pass Yds Rush Att Rush Yds Rec Rec Yds Int Lng Fum Lost FR Tckl Solo Asst Sack PR KR Punt PYds PAvg BFG OR
 0000000000000000000000000000

Taunton Raiders (Mass)

# Player Position FG Safety PAT 2XP TD Comp Att Pass Yds Rush Att Rush Yds Rec Rec Yds Int Lng Fum Lost FR Tckl Solo Asst Sack PR KR Punt PYds PAvg BFG OR
Billy Joyce-00001000000014000000000000000
 Total 00001000000014000000000000000

Recap

In the first ever International American Football game played in Ireland between an Irish Club team and an American team (the IAFL All-Stars played a game the previous year) the Dublin Celts lost 0-46 at Wanderers Rugby Club in Ballsbridge to the Taunton Raiders from Massachusetts who played in the Semi-Professional Eastern Football League in USA.

The Dublin Celts were determined but they never really put the Americans under any pressure, and although it took time for the Massachusetts offence to get started they put seven touchdowns on the board during the course of the match, the most telling of which was Billy Joyce’s Interception which was returned for a 40 yard touchdown just before half-time. The Celts never recovered and conceded another four touchdowns in the second half.

Scorers

1st Half

TAU – TD 0-7

TAU – TD 0-14

TAU – Billy Joyce 40yd Interception Return

2nd Half

TAU – TD

TAU – TD

TAU – TD

TAU – TD

REFERENCES

NEWSPAPERS

[1] Irish Independent (1987) “U.S. Football” Irish Independent. Monday, April 20, 1987. pg.12 [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]

IMAGES

[6] Dublin Celts American Football Team Facebook Page (2016) Photo by Joseph Greene August 28, 2016 [Internet] Available from: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1421158977901127&set=gm.269427200117075&type=3&theater&ifg=1 [Accessed 3 July 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: 12 August 2021

(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball 2020-2021

You may quote this document in part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Reserved.