| Dublin University American Football Club | |||
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| First season | 2010 | ||
| Head coach | Darrin O'Toole | ||
| 2nd year, 3–9–0 (.250) | |||
| Home stadium | Trinity Sports Grounds | ||
| Stadium capacity | n/a | ||
| Stadium surface | Grass | ||
| Location | Dublin, Ireland | ||
| League | IAFL | ||
| Conference | Central | ||
| All-time record | 10–10–0 (.500) | ||
| Postseason bowl record | – | ||
| Colors | Red and Black | ||
| Rivals | University College Dublin | ||
| Website | Dublin University American Football Club | ||
The Dublin University American Football Club (competing as Trinity College; formerly known as the Trinity Thunderbolts) is the American football team of Trinity College, the sole constituent college of the University of Dublin, Ireland. The team will compete in the senior IAFL league in 2010, after finishing with the best record in the IAFL Development League in 2009 (7-1), on their way amassing a league-record seven shutout victories.[1]
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The club was first established in the early nineties as the Dublin University Gridiron Society. It went on to play flag football under the name Trinity Thunderbolts for one season but soon folded due to lack of numbers and interest.[2]
In 2007, the club was reinstated by new club captain Conor O'Shea, once again as the Trinity Thunderbolts. IAFL commissioner Darrin O'Toole was recruited as coach. In their first year of full contact football, the Thunderbolts formed part of the new IAFL DV-8 development league. Their season began with successive losses against the IAFL's oldest team, the Craigavon Cowboys. Another loss followed against the Dublin Rebels, the eventual league winners. The team then scored what would be its only victory of the season against the Dublin Dragons, in a 51-20 blowout. The Thunderbolts then lost to the Cork Admirals and the Rebels again to leave them at 1-5.[2]
Following the conclusion of the 2008 season, the team undertook moves to become an official Trinity College club, as required by college rules, renaming itself the Dublin University American Football Club. After the departure of Darrin O'Toole, injured captain Conor O'Shea became head coach, with James Marron to act as his assistant. The club went on a recruiting drive to increase its squad size, looking to improve on its 1–5 record.[2][3]
The moves proved successful, as in the club's first match of the 2009 season, it defeated the Edenderry Soldiers on a scoreline of 56-0, which would prove to be both the highest margin of victory in the league that season, and the first of seven shutout victories for Trinity.[4] Trinity's only loss of the season came in their second game, against the U.C.D. Sentinels. They followed this quickly with two victories against the Sentinels, followed by victories against the Craigavon Cowboys, the Dublin Dragons, and two against the Erris Rams, to leave the team with an unassailable record of seven victories and one loss.[5]
In 2010, Darrin O'Toole returned as head coach, and the club looked to continue its success in the DV-8 league by moving into the main IAFL league. Trinity was placed in the IAFL Central Division, alongside collegiate rivals the D.C.U. Saints, the West Dublin Rhinos, and the league's most successful team, the Dublin Rebels. The team has so far recorded two victories in its inaugural season at the 11s level and despite a failure to sustain the impressive form of early in the season, the team looks set to build on the foundations that have been laid in 2010.[6]
At the beginning of the 2010–2011 season, Dublin University American football team competed in college championships. The competition was won by Trinity,[7] their first championship after they beat the University of Limerick Vikings, in Limerick. The final score was 12-6 after triple overtime (7 quarters) and 3 hours and 45 minutes of play; an IAFL record for match length. The victory was sealed in the third quarter of overtime with a touchdown from Rob McDowell. Linebacker Stephen Carton was named game MVP.
The Captain of the club is the team's central figure. He, along with the committee, decides team policy and procedure according to the Club's constitution and previous precedents. They appoint the team's Head coach and resign football related matters in the club over to the head coach. The Captain is elected in a separate election to the rest of the committee which takes place in March or April of each year. The current captain is David Barker.
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| Position | Team | W | L | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dublin Rebels | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 2 | Craigavon Cowboys | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 3 | Cork Admirals | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 4 | Dublin Dragons | 2 | 4 | 0 |
| 5 | Trinity Thunderbolts | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| 6 | Edenderry Soldiers | 0 | 5 | 0 |
| Position | Team | W | L | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trinity College | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| 2 | U.C.D. | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| 3 | Craigavon Cowboys | 6 | 2 | 0 |
| 4 | Dublin Dragons | 3 | 5 | 0 |
| 5 | Erris Rams | 2 | 6 | 0 |
| 6 | Edenderry Soldiers | 0 | 8 | 0 |
| Position | Team | W | L | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dublin Rebels | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | West Dublin Rhinos | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| 3 | Trinity College | 2 | 5 | 1 |
| 4 | D.C.U. Saints | 1 | 4 | 1 |
Intervarsity Championship
Regular Season[8]
Intervarsity Championship
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