Shamrock Bowl

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

SportAmerican football
Awarded forPlayoff champion of American Football Ireland (AFI)
CountryRepublic of Ireland, Northern Ireland
First award1986
Shamrock Bowl
SportAmerican football
Awarded forPlayoff champion of American Football Ireland (AFI)
CountryRepublic of Ireland, Northern Ireland
History
First award1986
First winnerCraigavon Cowboys
Most winsDublin Rebels (10)
Most recentBelfast Trojans (6th)

The Shamrock Bowl is the championship game of the American Football Ireland (AFI), the highest level of American football on the island of Ireland, culminating a season that begins in March of the current calendar season. The Shamrock Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, similar to the Super Bowl.

The reigning champions are the Belfast Trojans, who beat UCD 27-0 at Dubarry Park to win Shamrock Bowl XXXVII.[1]

From 1986 to 1999, the Shamrock Bowl served as the championship game of the Irish American Football League (IAFL). This era was dominated by a handful of teams—namely the Craigavon Cowboys, Dublin Celts, Dublin Tornadoes, and Carrickfergus Knights—with at least one of these four teams appearing in every final and each securing multiple titles.[2]

Following the re-establishment of the competition under the Irish American Football Association (since rebranded as American Football Ireland) in 2001, the landscape of the Shamrock Bowl shifted. This modern era has been defined by the dominance of several programs, most notably the Dublin Rebels, who have secured a record 10 titles, and the Belfast Trojans, who have claimed the championship 6 times.

The format of the American Football Ireland (AFI) playoffs has varied over the years but generally involves the top-ranked teams from the Premier Division competing in a postseason bracket. As of 2025, the current format features a four-team playoff, with semifinal matches hosted at the home fields of the top two seeds. The winners advance to the Shamrock Bowl, which is played at a neutral venue as part of a triple-header championship event that also includes the Division 1 Harp Bowl and the women's flag football Claddagh Bowl.[3][4][5]

Results

No.YearDateWinnerResultRunner-upVenueMVPPositionReferences
I19865 October 1986 Craigavon Cowboys6–2Dublin CeltsSt Mary's RFC Templeville road DublinNigel TrimbleRunning back[6][7][8][9]
II1987 Dublin Celts43–25Craigavon CowboysNorth RFC Belfast[6][7]
III1988 Dublin Celts34–6Belfast BlitzersTerenure College RFC[6][7]
IV19895 November 1989 Dublin Celts7–6Antrim BulldogsMusgrave Park Belfast[6][7][8]
V[note 1] 1990 11 August 1990 Craigavon Cowboys 31–6 Belfast Spartans Goodyear sports and conference centre, Craigavon [10]
1 September 1990 Dublin Celts 40–0 Craigavon Cowboys Goodyear sports and conference centre, Craigavon [6][7][10]
VI1991 Dublin Celts44–0Antrim BulldogsDrogheda RFC Drogheda Co. Louth[6][7]
VII1992 Craigavon Cowboys14–6Antrim BulldogsCooke Rugby Club, Belfast[6][7]
VIII1993 Dublin Tornadoes22–2Dublin CeltsIveagh Grounds[6][7]
IX1994 Dublin Tornadoes21–15Carrickfergus KnightsPat Jennings Park, Newry, Co Down[6][7]
X1995 Dublin Tornadoes34–12Carrickfergus KnightsIslandbridge, DublinTornadoes offensive line (shared)Offensive line[6][7][8]
XI1996 Dublin Lightning26–8Dublin TornadoesSt. Marys RFC, Dublin[6][7]
XII1997 Carrickfergus Knights21–0Dublin BullsQueens University Belfast[6][7]
XIII199830 August 1998 Carrickfergus Knights22–14Dublin TigersWoodburn Playing Fields, Carrickfergus[6][7]
XIV199929 August 1999 Dublin Tigers22–6Carrickfergus KnightsSportslink, Santry, Dublin[6][7]
—2000not played[6][7]
XV200116 December 2001Dublin Rebels28–7Carrickfergus KnightsWoodburn Playing Fields, CarrickfergusBrian DennehyRunning back[6][7]
XVI200216 June 2002 Carrickfergus Knights66–0UL VikingsUniversity Bowl, Limerick[6][7]
XVII200310 August 2003 Dublin Rebels24–12Carrickfergus KnightsJJ McDowell Memorial Ground, DublinBrian DennehyRunning back[6][7][8]
XVIII200429 August 2004 Dublin Rebels24–22Carrickfergus KnightsDr. Hickey Park, Greystones[6][7]
XIX200528 August 2005 Dublin Rebels26–19Belfast BullsGrafton Arena, Deramore Park, BelfastAndrew DennehyQuarterback[6][7]
XX200620 August 2006 Dublin Rebels44–12UL VikingsSportslink, DublinRoss McCooeyLinebacker[6][7]
XXI200729 July 2007 UL Vikings22–14Cork AdmiralsUL Sports Ground, LimerickSeamus HoganRunning Back/Safety[6][7][8]
XXII200810 August 2008 UL Vikings14–12Dublin RebelsCIT Stadium, CorkAdrian GarveyRunning Back[6][7][8]
XXIII20099 August 2009 UL Vikings9–6(OT)Dublin RebelsCooke Rugby Club, BelfastAdrian GarveyRunning Back[6][7]
XXIV20107 August 2010 Dublin Rebels15–0UL VikingsTallaght Stadium, DublinBrian CarterSafety[6][7]
XXV201131 July 2011 Dublin Rebels14–13UL VikingsMorton Stadium, DublinMarcus NaylorSafety[6][7]
XXVI201214 July 2012 Belfast Trojans16–14UL VikingsTallaght Stadium, DublinNeil MongomeryFullback[6][7]
XXVII201320 July 2013 Belfast Trojans48–18Dublin RebelsTallaght Stadium, DublinNeil MontgomeryFullback[6][7]
XXVIII201410 August 2014 Belfast Trojans7–0Trinity CollegeTallaght Stadium, DublinConnor WhitlaLinebacker[6][7]
XXIX20159 August 2015 Belfast Trojans28–14Trinity CollegeDalymount Park, DublinDave ColvinRunning Back[6][7]
XXX20167 August 2016 Dublin Rebels12–7Belfast TrojansTallaght Stadium, DublinConrad CookLinebacker[6][7]
XXXI201713 August 2017 Dublin Rebels12–6Carrickfergus KnightsTallaght Stadium, DublinWellington OmorodionRunning Back[6][7]
XXXII201819 August 2018 Cork Admirals18–16Dublin RebelsTallaght Stadium, DublinHarris MonaghanLinebacker[6][7]
XXXIII20194 August 2019 Belfast Trojans24–10South Dublin PanthersEnergia Park, Donnybrook, DublinThomas MorrisWide receiver[6][7]
—2020not played[6][7]
—2021not played[6]
XXXIV20227 August 2022 UCD American Football52–24Dublin RebelsKingspan Stadium, BelfastTom DonovanWide receiver[6][11]
XXXV202316 July 2023 Dublin Rebels40–34UCD American FootballMTU Stadium, CorkTy HenryQuarterback[6][12]
XXXVI202428 July 2024 UCD American Football36–14Dublin RebelsDubarry Park, Athlone, WestmeathTom DonovanWide receiver[6][13]
XXXVII202519 July 2025 Belfast Trojans27–0UCD American FootballDubarry Park, Athlone, WestmeathRayshawn BoswellRunning Back[5][14][15]

Appearances by team

Appearances Team[note 2] Wins Losses Season(s)[note 3]
16 Dublin Rebels 10 6 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022, 2023, 2024
10 Carrickfergus Knights 3 7 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2017
8 UL Vikings 3 5 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
7 Belfast Trojans 6 1 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2019, 2025
7 Dublin Celts 5 2 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990[note 1], 1991, 1993
4 Dublin Tornadoes 3 1 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996
4 Craigavon Cowboys 3 1 1986, 1987, 1990[note 1], 1992
4 UCD American Football 2 2 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
3 Antrim Bulldogs 0 3 1989, 1991, 1992
2 Cork Admirals 1 1 2007, 2018
2 Dublin Tigers 1 1 1998, 1999
2 Trinity College 0 2 2014, 2015
1 Dublin Lightning 1 0 1996
1 Belfast Blitzers 0 1 1988
1 Dublin Bulls 0 1 1997
1 Belfast Bulls 0 1 2005
1 South Dublin Panthers 0 1 2019

Notes

References

External links

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