Standings
NIAFA Flag Football 1985
| Pos | Team | W | L | T | Pct | PF | PA | Net Pts | Streak |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Craigavon Cowboys | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | W1 |
| 1 | Tyrone Tornadoes | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | W1 |
| 3 | Belfast Blitzers | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0.500 | 0 | 0 | 0 | W1 |
| 4 | Coleraine Chieftains | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0.000 | 0 | 0 | 0 | L2 |
Schedule
NIAFA Flag Football 1985
| Match Day Week 1 |
|---|
|
(Week 1)
3:30 pmTyrone Tornadoes vs Coleraine Chieftains |
| Match Day Final Match |
|
(Final Match)
12:00 amBelfast Blitzers vs Craigavon Cowboys |
| Match Day Unknown Week |
|
(Unknown Week)
12:00 amColeraine Chieftains vs Belfast Blitzers |
Report
The Coleraine Chieftains were formed in December 1984, the first American Football team in Northern Ireland. The following March, Steve Stacher, who had only arrived in Ireland a few months previously with his Irish wife, had started up the Tyrone Tornadoes. Meanwhile David Freeland had founded the Belfast Blitzers. The three teams formed the NIAFA – Northern Ireland American Football Association – in April 1985
The first match involving two Irish teams was a 7v7 or 9v9 Flag Football (non-contact American Football) between Tyrone Tornadoes and Coleraine Chieftains in Omagh Rugby Club, Co. Tyrone, which the Tornadoes won. Ballymena Wolfhounds, Bangor Buccaneers and Craigavon Cowboys had joined by mid-summer, and an ad-hoc series of games was played between the teams for the first season.
Tyrone Tornadoes disbanded after a few months due to the GAA players in the team focusing on Gaelic Football during the summer and Steve Stacher, along with a few others formed the IAFRA – Irish American Football Referees Association. Belfast Blitzers first match was against Coleraine Chieftains and they went on to play in the Final Match, a loss in the Final minutes to Craigavon Cowboys which was to start a fierce Inter-town rivalry.
References
[1] Belfast Blitzers Facebook Page (2013) Album, November 3, 2013 “Belfast Blitzers first ever game!” [Internet] Available from: https://www.facebook.com/belfastblitzers/posts/455913187853175 [Accessed 12 October 2018]
[2] Belfast Blitzers Facebook Page (2013) Album, November 3, 2013 “Belfast Blitzers first ever game! – Blitzers D” [Internet] Available from: https://www.facebook.com/belfastblitzers/photos/ms.c.eJw9zdENADEIAtCNLqgQ7f6LXWprP19AobQQIcpRro9teRt1zZUlGjl5tWP6hbbFdcKsksrx6dvr1~;6f6ceE7RzrOY4x7nvUvad7~;8fz2cPdY6j7qslX74X9xRwwhw~-~-.bps.a.455903324520828/455904087854085 [Accessed 12 October 2018]
[3] Steve Stacher (1987) “AN OFFICIAL HISTORY OF AMERICAN FOOTBALL IN IRELAND” Receiver, 1987. pg. 25.
[4] Anon. (1985) “MEET THE ‘TYRONE TORNADOES'” Ulster Herald. Saturday, April 6, 1985. pg. 4. [Past editions of the Ulster Herald are available to view online at: https://www.irishnewsarchive.com/ ]
[5] Anon. (1985) “AMERICAN FOOTBALL” Strabane Chronicle. Saturday, May 11, 1985. pg. 9 [Past editions of the Ulster Herald are available to view online at: https://www.irishnewsarchive.com/ ]
[6] Neil Johnston (1985) “Introducing Tyrone’s Tornadoes…” Belfast Telegraph. Saturday, March 2, 1985. pg. 1.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Thanks to David Turner (Belfast Blitzers)
ABOUT THIS DOCUMENT
Researched, compiled and written by Enda Mulcahy for the
Eirball | Irish North American and World Sports Archive
Last Updated: 5 September 2021
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