| Current season or competition: IAFL 2011 Season |
|
| Sport | American Football |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1984 in Dublin, Ireland |
| Inaugural season | 1986 |
| No. of teams | 11 |
| Country(ies) | Ireland |
| Most recent champion(s) | Dublin Rebels (7th title) |
| Most titles | Dublin Rebels (7 titles) |
| TV partner(s) | Setanta Sports |
| Official website | IAFL.com |
The Irish American Football League (IAFL) is a fully kitted American football league in Ireland. Founded in 1984, it consists of 14 teams, with 2 having joined the league in 2010. The league generally runs from March through to August, ending with two teams competing for the Shamrock Bowl. The Dublin Rebels are the current champions winning Shamrock Bowl XXV.
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The Shamrock Bowl is Ireland's championship game of the IAFL. The first Shamrock Bowl game was played in 1986 between the Craigavon Cowboys and the Dublin Celts
During 2000, plans were made to resurrect the IAFL. The only fixture to be played in Ireland that year was an Irish selection against a visiting high school team - Mount St. Josephs from Maryland USA. In 2001, the Carrickfergus Knights, Dublin Dragons, Dublin Rebels and University of Limerick Vikings played a full league season of football. The Dublin Rebels defeated the Carrickfergus Knights in Shamrock Bowl XV, which was played in Carrickfergus.
All four teams participated in the reformation of the Irish American Football League (IAFL). A new league structure and administration was put in place and the IAFL helped form the Irish American Football Association (IAFA) - the new national governing body for the sport. During 2002, the sport found a new lease on life in Ireland. Again, four teams contested the league with the Carrickfergus Knights defeating the UL Vikings in Shamrock Bowl XVI. However, during the course of the year there were some significant developments. Firstly, three development teams applied to join the league for 2003. Secondly, an Irish team won an International club competition for the first time ever. In June, the Dublin Rebels travelled to Belgium and won the Charleroi Trophy against the Charleroi Cougars and two French teams - Reims Champs and Forbach Taupes. The season finished on a high note with the visit of Team Canada, the Canadian U21 team. The Carrickfergus Knights played Team Canada in Dublin and performed well in a 34-6 defeat.
2003 turned out to be one of the best years ever for Irish American football. Three more teams - Cork, Belfast & Craigavon joined the IAFL bringing the total up to seven. The Carrickfergus Knights, Cork Admirals, Dublin Dragons and Dublin Rebels played in Division 1. The Belfast Bulls, Craigavon Cowboys and UL Vikings played in Division 2 which was created to help development teams get competitive game experience.
Membership in the IAFL increased significantly and the standard of play was higher than in previous years. In June 2003, the Dublin Rebels returned to Belgium to defend their Charleroi Trophy title. They were joined in Belgium by the Carrickfergus Knights. The Rebels won the Charleroi Trophy, defeating local team, the Charleroi Cougars in the Tournament final. The Knights came third, ahead of French team, Celtes de Mitry.
The Knights finished first in the league to qualify for the Shamrock Bowl. The Rebels beat the Cork Admirals in the semi-final and then defeated the Knights 24-12 in a spectacular Shamrock Bowl XVII, played at Suttonians RFC in Dublin. The game attracted a large crowd and some media attention - highlights were broadcast on TV3 in Ireland and Sky Sports throughout Europe. The Belfast Bulls won the Division 2 title. The season finished with the first ever IAFL Allstar game in which the North defeated the South 7-0.
During the 2003/2004 off-season, Coach Phil DeMonte (ex-Oxford University Cavaliers) was appointed as the Head Coach of the Irish National Team and IAFL Allstars. Coach DeMonte will also help with the education of coaches throughout Ireland. 2004 promised to be the best season ever for Irish American football both on and off the field and did not fail to deliver. 6 teams played a full competitive league schedule and the standard of play was higher than at any time in the previous 10 years. IAFL membership reached an all time high of more than 300 registered players. All teams had bigger rosters and most of the rookies were in the 17-21 age group. The Dublin Rebels defeated the Carrickfergus Knights 24-22 in Shamrock Bowl XVIII. The game, which attracted a record attendance for an IAFL game, is regarded as the best ever Shamrock Bowl. 2004 also saw the return of the Ireland team. The team played two fixtures including the inaugural Celtic Classic against John Carroll University from Ohio, USA.
In 2005 the same six teams competed for the Shamrock Bowl. Again the Rebels ran out victorious with a tough fought win against the Belfast Bulls in the big game. The 2006 season saw the addition of new teams the DCU Saints and Dublin Marshals to the IAFL making the total number of competing teams, 8, the highest it had been in many years. The UL Vikings faced the Rebels in the Bowl game, which the Rebels won, making it their fourth consecutive Shamrock Bowl win.
The 2007 season was contested by nine teams, following the addition of the Belfast Trojans and the Tallaght Outlaws to the league. The 2007 Shamrock Bowl was won by UL Vikings.
After the 2008 season, the Tallaght Outlaws decided to stop playing in the league, after playing two full seasons in the league. The Outlaws had an overall record of 0-16, the worst record in the IAFL.
(See also IAFL Hall of Fame)
The IAFL consists of eleven established teams and six development teams. 3 of the 5 cities in the Republic of Ireland have established teams.
Since the 2011 season, the teams have been aligned as follows :
| Team | City/Area | Stadium | Founded | Joined | Head Coach |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IAFL Northern Division | |||||
| Belfast Trojans | Belfast, County Antrim | Malone RFC | 2006 | 2007 | Brandon Cook |
| Carrickfergus Knights | Carrickfergus, County Antrim | Woodburn Playing Fields | 1993 | 1994 | Mark Harris |
| Craigavon Cowboys | Craigavon, County Armagh | Craigavon Leisure Centre | 1983 | 1984 | Greg Loughran |
| IAFL Central Division | |||||
| Dublin Rebels | Santry, County Dublin | Sportslink | 1995 | 2002 | Marcus Naylor |
| Trinity College | Dublin, County Dublin | Trinity Sports Ground | 1993 | 2010 | Darrin O'Toole |
| West Dublin Rhinos | Castleknock, County Dublin | Castleknock College | 2008 | 2008 | Mark Lawless |
| IAFL Southern Division | |||||
| Cork Admirals | Cork, County Cork | CIT Stadium | 2002 | 2003 | Chris Gaughan |
| Dublin Dragons | Lucan, County Dublin | Lucan Community College | 2000 | 2001 | Rob Olwill |
| UL Vikings | Limerick, County Limerick | UL Sports Gound | 1999 | 2001 | Ciaran O'Sullivan |
| UCD | Belfield, County Dublin | UCD Bowl | 2007 | 2007 | John Collins |
As of 2011, the IAFL season includes:
Format
In 2007, to cope with the growing number of teams, a divisional format was introduced to replace the old league format. In it, the existing teams were divided into three divisions, Northern, Central and Southern, three teams in each. The idea of the divisional format is that any new teams, such as the up-coming development teams, will easily fit into the divisional format without dramatically increasing the length of the season, which currently runs from February/March to Early August. The top team from each division all go into the play-offs and the two second placed team with the highest amounts of points playing a wildcard game for the 4th spot. The winners of the playoffs battle it out for the Shamrock Bowl.
| Northern Division | Central Division | Southern Division |
|---|---|---|
| Belfast Bulls | Dublin Rebels | UL Vikings |
| Belfast Trojans | Dublin Dragons | Cork Admirals |
| Carrickfergus Knights | DCU Saints | Tallaght Outlaws |
The 2007 IAFL season, complete with new divisional format was due to begin on March 4 with the College Championship game between DCU Saints and UL Vikings, but the game was delayed due to rain, so the season proper began on March 25 when the Cork Admirals beat the Belfast Bulls, the UL Vikings beat the Tallaght Outlaws and Dublin Rebels (then Shamrock Bowl Holders) beat the DCU Saints. The season continued throughout April and May, with the IAFL College Championship Game eventually been rescheduled on June 3, with the UL Vikings beating the DCU Saints 50-2.
During the course of the regular season, two non-league games were played against foreign opposition, with CMS College Stags beating the Tallaght Outlaws 67-0 and, in the Claddagh Classic on June 2, the Team USA All-Stars beat the Carrickfergus Knights 26-0.
Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties
Northern Division
| Position | Team | W | L | T | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Belfast Bulls | 4 | 3 | 1 | 9 |
| 2 | Belfast Trojans | 3 | 3 | 2 | 8 |
| 3 | Carrickfergus Knights | 3 | 4 | 1 | 7 |
Central Division
| Position | Team | W | L | T | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dublin Rebels | 7 | 1 | 0 | 14 |
| 2 | Dublin Dragons | 2 | 6 | 0 | 4 |
| 3 | DCU Saints | 2 | 6 | 0 | 4 |
Southern Division
| Position | Team | W | L | T | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | UL Vikings | 7 | 1 | 0 | 14 |
| 2 | Cork Admirals | 6 | 2 | 0 | 12 |
| 3 | Tallaght Outlaws | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
The play-off positions were decided on the last day of the regular season, with the Belfast Bulls, Dublin Rebels and UL Vikings securing their respective Divisional titles and the Belfast Trojans and Cork Admirals as the wildcard teams. Cork Admirals won the wildcard game and set up a play-off tie with the Dublin Rebels, strongly fancied to retain the Shamrock Bowl for the 5th consecutive time. However, Cork mangaged to win a close fought 8-6 victory and secured their first ever bowl appearance against UL Vikings, who beat the Belfast Bulls 44-2 to set the stage for the first ever all-Munster Shamrock Bowl. The UL Vikings won a close game 22-14 to win Shamrock Bowl XXI and claim their first ever title.
An AGM held on the 25th of November decided the format for the 2008 season. It was decided to gradually phase out under 18 kitted players and start a junior (i.e. 16-18 age group) league. It was also decided to run a DV-8's league, where development teams and entrants from already established teams can field rookies in 8 a side matches. This would also help teams who are just starting out to get some playing time and reduce the pressure to find new players, which has plagued new IAFL teams in the past.
It was decided to keep the league format the same. The same teams will compete in the same divisions, with the exception of the Dublin Rhinos, a spin-off from the Dublin Dragons, who will replace the Dragons in the IAFL Central. The league for 2008 looks like this.
| Northern Division | Central Division | Southern Division |
|---|---|---|
| Belfast Bulls | Dublin Rebels | UL Vikings |
| Belfast Trojans | Dublin Rhinos | Cork Admirals |
| Carrickfergus Knights | DCU Saints | Tallaght Outlaws |
The Development League (DV8) consists of the following teams.
| DV8 League |
|---|
| Craigavon Cowboys |
| Cork Admirals 2nd |
| Dublin Dragons |
| Trinity Thunderbolts |
| Edenderry Soldiers |
| Dublin Rebels 2nd |
It was decided to continue running the DV-8's league, where development teams could learn and improve on the basics of football in a competitive league setting. This would also help teams who are just starting out to get some playing time and reduce the pressure to find new players, which has plagued new IAFL teams in the past.
The IAFL format was changed to a single division rather than the previous North, South and Central divisions in which each team would play eight matches, seeded to make the league more competitive. the top four teams would go to the playoffs in which the number 1 seeded team would face the number 4 seeded team, and the number 2 seeded team would face the number 2 seeded team. both winners would then play in the shamrock bowl. the league looks like this:
| IAFL |
|---|
| Dublin Rebels |
| UL Vikings |
| Carrickfergus Knights |
| Belfast Trojans |
| Cork Admirals |
| West Dublin Rhinos |
| DCU Saints |
The Development League (DV8) consists of the following teams.
| DV8 League |
|---|
| Craigavon Cowboys |
| UCD |
| Dublin Dragons |
| Trinity College Dublin |
| Edenderry/Midland Soldiers |
| Erris Rams |
For more information on the 2009 IAFL season and results etc., see IAFL 2009 Season
The 2010 IAFL season, has returned to the divisional format. There are now an unprecedented number of teams competing in this fast growing league with a total of 11 teams taking part in the senior IAFL and 3 teams plus a number of rookie teams provided by some of the larger senior teams in the DV-8's. The league format will look like this:
Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties
Northern Division
| Position | Team | W | L | T | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carrickfergus Knights | 6 | 2 | 0 | 12 |
| 2 | Craigavon Cowboys | 4 | 4 | 0 | 8 |
| 3 | Belfast Trojans | 3 | 5 | 0 | 6 |
Central Division
| Position | Team | W | L | T | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dublin Rebels | 8 | 0 | 0 | 16 |
| 2 | West Dublin Rhinos | 3 | 3 | 2 | 8 |
| 3 | DCU Saints | 2 | 5 | 1 | 4 |
| 4 | Trinity College | 2 | 5 | 1 | 4 |
Southern Division
| Position | Team | W | L | T | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | UL Vikings | 6 | 1 | 1 | 13 |
| 2 | Cork Admirals | 5 | 2 | 1 | 11 |
| 3 | UCD | 2 | 6 | 0 | 2 |
| 4 | Dublin Dragons | 0 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
DV8's
| Position | Team | W | L | T | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tullamore Phoenixes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Castlebar/Erris Rams | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 3 | Carlow Chargers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Dublin Rebels 2nd Team | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | UL Vikings/Carrickfergus Knights 2nd Team | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
IAFL 2012 Season
| Year | Winner | Team | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Erin Wagner | Belfast Bulls | Running Back/Defensive End |
| 2006 | Simon Mackey | Dublin Rebels | Running Back/Defensive End |
| 2007 | Seamus Hogan | UL Vikings | Safety/Running Back/Kick Returner |
| 2008 | Jim Davis | UL Vikings | Offensive Tackle/Defensive End |
| 2009 | Liam Ryan | UL Vikings | Quarterback/Safety |
| 2010 | Aaron Smith | Dublin Rebels | Running back |
There are a number of rivalries in the IAFL that are always looked forward to in the regular season, and then in the playoffs.
The Cork Admirals and Dublin Rebels is one of the most interesting rivalry in the IAFL. These two teams have met a good amount of times in the Semi-Finals in the playoffs. The Admirals and Rebels are known for being the elite teams in the league along with the UL Vikings, and having two very good offences. The Admirals have only beat the Rebels once in the Semi-Finals, but usually have success in the regular season.
The UL Vikings and Cork Admiraals play together in the IAFL South and are always in competition with each other to win the division. They are one of the teams in the IAFL.
DCU and the University of Limerick are the only two colleges in the IAFL Main League. The two teams play against each other in the IAFL College Championship game every year. The Saints have never beaten the Vikings in a game yet, but the games are always entertaining.
The Trojans and Knights maintain a heated rivalry. The games are always intense with tempers at boiling point. The Knights have maintained an upper hand in this rivalry recently, since an influx of talent from the Belfast Bulls, the team the Trojans split from in 2006.