Ireland: Trojans triumph in Battle of Belfast, Rebels blank Vikings in 2nd round action

12 Irish American football teams were in action this weekend around the country, and the boys and girls of Gaelic Gridiron were flat out bringing you closer to all the action with dedicated content and coverage!

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Without further ado, here is your American Football Ireland week 5 roundup!

Louth Mavericks 42 – Cork Admirals 00

A last minute venue change saw Irish American football return to Drogeda for the first time in almost 13 years, as the Drogheda Lightning descendant Louth Mavericks hosted the Cork Admirals in St.Olivers Community College. Having attended the school and founded the Lightning, it was a strange experience for me being back there, but luckily the home side prevailed and in dominant fashion as well. A rushing touchdown from Ty Henry set the tone for the afternoon, as Fin O’Donovan (x2) Alan Minto and Brandon Poulin all crossed the whitewash within the first 3 quarters giving the Mavs a 34 point advantage.

It could have been more as well, only for some inconsistencies on their offense towards the end of the game – back to back 4 and outs saw them squander easy points. A Brendan Simms touchdown catch and two point conversion sealed the game in the fourth quarter – and his following interception ensured that a brave but ultimately lacklustre Cork side would not mount a comeback. The Leesiders battled well all game long and did cause some problems for their hosts, but never really seemed to threaten. This Louth team is for real, and it’s hard to see who, apart from the reigning champs, will be able to slow them down – if they can get out of their own way!

Antrim Stags 16 – Wexford Eagles 14 

A blustery Antrim Coat was the setting for this intriguing Division One matchup, with the scoreline making you wonder how the standings are going to unfold when we start talking playoffs in a few weeks time. Both sides had very different outcomes in their respective previous outings, and could well meet in a semi final down the line. The Wexford Eagles actually led 14-8 at halftime in this one, overcoming an early deficit but just couldn’t do enough to hold on in the end. Scores for the visitors came from the ever reliable Terry Carey doing his thing on the ground – a strong running game a necessity when conditions are less than favourable for passing. Jason Beattie put the hosts ahead first, with the conversion coming from Scot McClean, while Sean Twaddle was driven across the line by his teammates for the second score. McClean added the two pointer on a toss to Joey Howe, and that was that. With an equal record of 1-1, either of these teams could make a case for the post season. They will need a bit more firepower however!

Westmeath Minotaurs 34 – Causeway Giants 6

Two weeks removed from their scoreless outing against the Rhinos, Westmeath got back into their flow at home in Mullingar with a dominant display against the Giants. Joe Kinahan was on fire throughout, slinging touchdowns all over the field to give his side a 27 zip advantage at the half courtesy of a Jack Lynch hattrick of scores and another from Cathal Dunne. Kinahan then delivered the final blow himself in the fourth quarter with a rushing touchdown to put the tilt out of reach. A Paul Shiels passing TD to Tony McCloskey averted a complete shut out for the Giants, who fell to 0-2 on the season as a result of the defeat. On their day, this Westmeath side is capable of beating anyone in their division, as long as they can maintain consistency!

South Dublin Panthers 19 – West Dublin Rhinos 08

It must be weird losing at home, even though you were technically the away side. This was the exact scenario experienced by the Rhinos on Saturday, as pitch availability issues saw the Panthers taking to the field in Castleknock as the de facto “home team”. Despite playing their third game away from home on the bounce, the Panthers continued their excellent run of early form, and now sit top of their division just one or two wins away from securing a spot in the playoffs. Conor Hoskins was the driving force behind this victory, powering his way to a hat trick of touchdowns – adding three more scores to his already mounting tally on the season.

The Rhinos were no pushover however, scoring a touchdown of their own on the ground thanks to Chris Kalemba. Their defence intercepted Conor Murphy three times as well – two for Karl McGlynn and another for Kaan Akkaya, while Cristóbal Castro had one of three sacks. It’s a slight improvement on their last outing, but the Rhinos still have lots to do if they want to play competitive football this season.

Belfast Trojans 36 – Belfast Knights 06

The much anticipated Trojans season opener against the Knights billed as the “Battle of Belfast” was a rather one sided affair in the end. In total, five different Trojans found the endzone on Sunday, as the hosts crossed the goal line 5 times to win this encounter in dominating fashion. Quarterback Dom Lynn connected with Michael Ferris, Rayshawn Boswell, Mo Ramadan and Chad Higgins through the air, while Kevin Sungo earned himself a rushing score to boot. Brandon Falconer also earned himself a pair of sacks on defense.

Despite being outmatched and overpowered throughout, the neighboring Knights did eventually manage to get on the board late in the game – rookie Jude Burns hauling in his first touchdown.  An honorable mention is due to Harry Salt as well as Isaac Searle who moved the ball well on offense with big time runs and catches. On the defensive side of the ball, Robbie Alexander, Spencer McDowell, Ian Donnell and Isaac Searle all lead the team in tackles, giving an excellent account of themselves despite the scoreline. Is it too early to predict a Trojans – Mavericks Shamrock Bowl? As of right now there are less than a handful of teams who can slow down the Green Machine when they get rolling.

Dublin Rebels 20 – UL Vikings 00   

The Dublin Rebels are quietly 2-0. Two trips to Munster in recent weeks has seen them collect two convincing wins, and after recently dispatching the Rebels in Cork  – they went on the road to Limerick and did exactly the same thing to Limerick. Joe Krause got the scoring underway for the visitors with a rushing TD, before Sam Doran connected with Tadgh Fitzsimmons and Jason Kolokithas. Doran also converted a 2 point attempt, but the other two went begging. In the end however it didn’t matter, as the Rebels pitched a shutout to go joint top of the table. Mike Massari nabbed himself an interception on the defense, snuffing out any chance of a Vikings comeback. This is the exact format the Rebels should be following: work and win in silence and continue to become a silent threat to the other teams in the league!