Scoreboard

Shamrock Bowl Playoffs

Northern Ireland American Football Association Standings

A League on Paper only the NIAFA of 1986 counted Regular season Games among the Northern Ireland members of the Irish American Football League.

Northern Ireland American Football Association Results

All-Ireland Championship (Knockout Cup) Results

Also known as the Knockout Cup

Capitol Bowl Results

Another Competition on Paper only the Capitol Bowl featured two matches between the Dublin Celts and Belfast Blitzers – the first a preseason match which was the first ever game played in Ireland between two fully kitted Irish American Football teams – and the return leg a Regular Season match which was the first time the Celts had ever been beaten. The Celts won 66-31 on Aggregate over the two legs but Belfast Blitzers also won a Trophy for the 2nd Leg victory.

Report

The Irish American Football League played its first season in 1986, with a preseason game in Shane Park, Lurgan between Craigavon Cowboys and Belfast Blitzers being the first ever full contact kitted game between two Northern Ireland teams, and possibly the first between two Irish teams. Belfast Blitzers won that match 46-0 and went on to become the first team to ever beat the Dublin Celts, 24-20 in the 2nd Leg of the Capital Cup, and although they lost the Cup on aggregate having lost the 1st leg 46-7 in Dublin, they were happy with the result of being the first team to ever beat the Celts.

Carrickfergus Cougars joined later on in the season, borrowing kit from Craigavon Cowboys to play their first ever full contact kitted game against Belfast Blitzers as part of the Carrick Festival, losing 6-55. Londonderry YMCA saw the last game of the regular season as Coleraine Chieftains lost 0-33 to Craigavon Cowboys. The first season was an ad-hoc scheduled season, and teams arranged their own fixtures.

Belfast Blitzers defeated Dublin Celts 7-0 thanks to a touchdown by Glentoran Soccer player George Neill in the All Ireland Championship Final in Belfast in August, but the season did not end there as another match was organised by sponsors Jack Daniels to be played in Dublin, called the Shamrock Bowl. It was to be invite only and Belfast Blitzers, having won both the League and All Ireland Championship declined to enter as they considered themselves already Champions. Craigavon Cowboys took their place and triumphed 6-2 thanks to a late rushing touchdown by Nigel Trimble.

Belfast Blitzers also won the NIAFA Championship – a league on paper only featuring only the regular season matches played in the NIAFA Championship.

The History books however record the Craigavon Cowboys as the first Shamrock Bowl Champions, after an amazing turnaround under new American Coach Chuck Ebron, who was brought in halfway through the season. They Won Shamrock Bowl I 6-2 versus Dublin Celts thanks to a late Touchdown by Nigel Trimble.

Map of Ireland (2022 Counties, Boroughs and Districts) Showing 1986 IAFL Teams

MAP REFERENCES

[20] Vector — Labeled Color Map of Districts of Northern Ireland, United Kingdom Copyright: lara2016 [Internet] Available from: https://www.123rf.com/photo_144615978_labeled-color-map-of-districts-of-northern-ireland-united-kingdom.html?vti=lnoo9k86jx77fg2u6b-1-21 [Accessed 10 January 2022] Superimposed on Vector — Map of Ireland administrative divisions on counties level Copyright: lesniewski [Internet] Available from: https://www.123rf.com/photo_51580818_map-of-ireland-administrative-divisions-on-counties-level.html?vti=lnoo9k86jx77fg2u6b-1-1 [Accessed 10 January 2022] Combined with 1987 Irish American Football Team Logos by Enda Mulcahy for Eirball.ie [10 January 2022]

REFERENCES

Newspapers

[1] Anon. (1986) “Stylish motors take to the roads” Belfast Telegraph. Saturday, May 31, 1986. pg. 22. [Past Copies of the Belfast Telegraph are available to view online at: https://www.irishnewsarchive.com/ ]

[2] Miriam Lord (1986) “Crunch: but could they handle Moss Keane?” Irish Independent. Monday, March 17, 1986. pg. 7

[3] BritballNow (2017) British and Irish sides Friendly results against foreign opposition [Internet] Available from: http://www.britballnow.co.uk/History/UKClubsForeignOppo.html [Accessed 16 November 2017]

[4] James Mulcahy (1986) “Savage Celts” Irish Independent. Thursday, March 27, 1986. pg. 9.

[5] BritballNow (2017) Newcastle Senators [Internet] Available from: http://www.britballnow.co.uk/History/Britball%20Teams/NEWCASTLESENATORS.htm [Internet] [Accessed 25 June 2021]

[6] Irish American Football League (2002) Other Events [Internet] Available from: http://americanfootball.ie/iafl/otherevents02.htm [Accessed 20 March 2018]

[7] Anon. (1986) “Cowboys into Shamrock Bowl” Belfast Telegraph. Monday, September 29, 1986. Pg. 18.

Past Copies of the Belfast Telegraph are available to view online at: https://www.irishnewsarchive.com/

[8] Anon. (1986) “American Football comes to Dublin” Irish Press. Wednesday, November 12, 1986. Pg. 11. [Past Copies of the Irish Press are available to view online at: https://www.irishnewsarchive.com/ ]

[9] Anon. (1986) “Today’s sport” Irish Press. Wednesday, Friday, November 28, 1986. pg. 22 [Past Copies of the Irish Press are available to view online at: https://www.irishnewsarchive.com/ ]

[10] Anon. (1986) “Marlboro on the march” Irish Press. Wednesday, Friday, November 28, 1986. pg. 17 [Past Copies of the Irish Press are available to view online at: https://www.irishnewsarchive.com/ ]

[12] Sean Moloney (1986) “Shamrocks from USA are playing to win” Evening Herald. Saturday, November 29, 1986. pg. 6.

WEBSITES

[13] 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]

[14] Britball Now (2008) UK Clubs Against Foreign Opposition [Internet] Available from: http://www.britballnow.co.uk/History/UKClubsForeignOppo.html [Accessed 16 November 2008]

[15] Semi-Pro Football (2017) Eastern Football League Champions [Internet] Available from: http://www.semiprofootball.org/minor/champs/eastfl.htm [Accessed 16 November 2017]

Social Media

[16] Belfast Blitzers Facebook Page (2019) Post, August 12, 2019 at 1:31 PM [Internet] Available from:  https://www.facebook.com/belfastblitzers/posts/2244208692356940?notif_id=1565921781157641&notif_t=comment_mention [Accessed 17 August 2019]

SOURCES

[17] Kevin Sharkey (2020) “The Dublin Celts” Word Document shared by John Gunning on Facebook Messenger with permission.

REFERENCES

[18] Anon (1986) “Crunch: but could they handle Moss Keane?” Irish Independent. Monday, March 17, 1986. pg. 7

Past copies of the Irish Independent are available to view online at: https://www.irishnewsarchive.com/

WEBSITES

[19] Britball Now (2016) Results Section [1986] [Internet] Available from: http://www.britballnow.co.uk/history-index/results-section.html [Accessed 23 March 2017]

[20] Britball Now (2016) Bangor Buccaneers [Internet] Available from: http://www.britballnow.co.uk/History/Britball%20Teams/BangorBuccaneers.htm [Accessed 23 March 2018]

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

[22] Britballnow.co.uk (2019) 1986 Results [Internet] Available from: http://www.britballnow.co.uk/history-index/results-section.html [Accessed 17 August 2019]

INTERNET ARCHIVES

[23] Craigavon Cowboys | Wayback Machine (2017) Charles ‘Chuck’ Ebron Interview [Internet] Available from: http://web.archive.org/web/20170514064407/http://www,craigavoncowboys.co.uk:80/news [Accessed 10 October 2018]

SOCIAL MEDIA

[24] Belfast Blitzers | Facebook (2019) Comments on Post by David Turner, August 12-17, 2019 [Internet] Available from: https://www.facebook.com/belfastblitzers/posts/2244208692356940 [Accessed 17 August 2019]

[25] Belfast Blitzers | Facebook (2019) Comments on Post by David Turner, September 7, 2019 [Internet] Available from: https://www.facebook.com/belfastblitzers/posts/2286790341432108?comment_id=2287705898007219&reply_comment_id=2292185984225877&notif_id=1568031304420635&notif_t=feed_comment [Accessed 9 September 2019]

NEWSPAPERS

[26] Anon. (1986) “A cracking good show for grid-iron fans” Belfast Telegraph. Tuesday, September 23, 1986. pg. 24 [Internet] Available online at the Irish Newspaper Archive at: https://www.irishnewsarchive.com/ which is a subscription service.

[27] Anon. (1986) “American flavour” Belfast Telegraph. Friday, August 8, 1986. pg. 26 [Internet] Available online at the Irish Newspaper Archive at: https://www.irishnewsarchive.com/ which is a subscription service.

[28] Anon. (1986) “Cowboys into ‘Shamrock Bowl’” Belfast Telegraph. Monday, September 29, 1986. pg. 18 [Internet] Available online at the Irish Newspaper Archive at: https://www.irishnewsarchive.com/ which is a subscription service.

[29] Anon. (1986) “Cowboys triumph’” Belfast Telegraph. Monday, October 6, 1986. pg. 19 [Internet] Available online at the Irish Newspaper Archive at: https://www.irishnewsarchive.com/ which is a subscription service.

[30] Anon. (1986) “Picture caption’” Belfast Telegraph. Monday, August 11, 1986. pg. 30 [Internet] Available online at the Irish Newspaper Archive at: https://www.irishnewsarchive.com/ which is a subscription service.

IMAGES

[31] Anon. (1986) “Picture by Rick Hewitt’” Belfast Telegraph. Monday, August 11, 1986. pg. 30 [Internet] Available online at the Irish Newspaper Archive at: https://www.irishnewsarchive.com/ which is a subscription service.

[32] Anon. (1986) “Cowboys to meet Celts’”Belfast Telegraph. Saturday September 27, 1986. pg. 24 [Internet] Available online at the Irish Newspaper Archive at: https://www.irishnewsarchive.com/ which is a subscription service.

[33] Anon. (1986) “Blitzers turn the tables”Belfast Telegraph. Tuesday June 24, 1986. pg. 28 [Internet] Available online at the Irish Newspaper Archive at: https://www.irishnewsarchive.com/ which is a subscription service.

[34] Anon. (1986) “Cowboys into Shamrock Bowl’”Belfast Telegraph. Saturday September 29, 1986. pg. 18 [Internet] Available online at the Irish Newspaper Archive at: https://www.irishnewsarchive.com/ which is a subscription service.

[35] Anon. (1986) “Sport in Brief: American Football” Sunday Press. August 17th, 1986. pg. 25.

[36] Anon. (1986) “Dublin Celts are Blitzed” Sunday Press. August 17th, 1986. pg. 25.

MEDIA

[37] BBC Sport NI Facebook (2020) Video, May 20, 2020 [Comment by player at 1:00-1:10] [Internet] Available from: https://www.facebook.com/BBCSPORTNI/videos/693338128160962 [Accessed 30 August 2020]

SOCIAL MEDIA

[38] Belfast Blitzers Facebook Page (2019) Post, August 12, 2019 at 1:31 PM [Internet] Available from:  https://www.facebook.com/belfastblitzers/posts/2244208692356940?notif_id=1565921781157641&notif_t=comment_mention [Accessed 17 August 2019]

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thanks to Jo Buchanan (Craigavon Cowboys), Kevin Sharkey (Dublin Celts) and 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: 15 September 2025. First Published: 3 January 2022

(c) Copyright Enda Mulcahy and Eirball

You may quote this document in part provided that proper acknowledgement is given to the authors. All Rights Reserved. The Logos and Photos used in this article remain the property of the organisations and individuals which own the copyright and are used here for educational and information purposes only.