Dublin University American Football Club
Encyclopedia
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.
under the name Trinity Thunderbolts for one season but soon folded due to lack of numbers and interest.
. 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.
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. 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.
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.
At the beginning of the 2010–2011 season, Dublin University American football team competed in college championships. The competition was won by Trinity, 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.
Regular Season
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
team of Trinity College
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
, the sole constituent college of the University of Dublin
University of Dublin
The University of Dublin , corporately designated the Chancellor, Doctors and Masters of the University of Dublin , located in Dublin, Ireland, was effectively founded when in 1592 Queen Elizabeth I issued a charter for Trinity College, Dublin, as "the mother of a university" – this date making it...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. The team will compete in the senior IAFL
Irish American Football League
The Irish American Football League 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...
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.
Dublin University Gridiron Society
The club was first established in the early nineties as the Dublin University Gridiron Society. It went on to play flag footballFlag football
Flag football is a version of Canadian football or American football that is popular worldwide. The basic rules of the game are similar to those of the mainstream game , but instead of tackling players to the ground, the defensive team must remove a flag or flag belt from the ball carrier to end...
under the name Trinity Thunderbolts for one season but soon folded due to lack of numbers and interest.
Trinity Thunderbolts
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 CowboysCraigavon Cowboys
The Craigavon Cowboys are a American Football team playing in Craigavon currently playing in the Irish American Football League. In the 2010 season the Cowboys finished 4-4 and were close to clinching a play-off berth going down to the last game of the season....
. Another loss followed against the Dublin Rebels
Dublin Rebels
The Dublin Rebels are the most successful team in Irish American Football League history with seven National Championships , four league titles, two European crowns and registering the perfect season with no defeats in 2006 and again in 2010.They are members of the IAFL Central division, and have...
, the eventual league winners. The team then scored what would be its only victory of the season against the Dublin Dragons
Dublin Dragons
Dublin Dragons is an American Football team based in Lucan, Dublin, Ireland. They currently compete in the IAFL league, Southern Division....
, in a 51-20 blowout. The Thunderbolts then lost to the Cork Admirals
Cork Admirals
The Cork Admirals are an American Football team that play in the Irish American Football League . The team is based in Bishopstown, Cork in the newly constructed CIT Stadium.The team was formed in 2002, playing along with 4 other teams that year....
and the Rebels again to leave them at 1-5.
Dublin University American football club
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.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
Shutout
In team sports, a shutout refers to a game in which one team prevents the opposing team from scoring. While possible in most major sports, they are highly improbable in some sports, such as basketball....
victories for Trinity. Trinity's only loss of the season came in their second game, against the U.C.D. Sentinels
University College Dublin
University College Dublin ) - formally known as University College Dublin - National University of Ireland, Dublin is the Republic of Ireland's largest, and Ireland's second largest, university, with over 1,300 faculty and 17,000 students...
. 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
Erris Rams
The Erris Rams are an American football team located in the West of Ireland. They compete in the Development 8 league for this 2009 season. They were founded by Michael Kelly in October 2008....
, to leave the team with an unassailable record of seven victories and one loss.
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
Dublin City University Saints
In 2005, Carl Rushe and Maurice Cosgrave founded the Dublin City University American Football Club. With Carl's experience in playing American football and Maurice's experience in running and managing the DCU Sailing Club, they established the club initially as a fanclub, where students could...
, the West Dublin Rhinos
West Dublin Rhinos
The West Dublin Rhinos are a American Football team playing in Castleknock College in Dublin. They currently play in the Irish American Football League. When the Rhinos made their debut in the league, they were called the Dublin Rhinos. Beginning with the 2009 season, they were renamed the West...
, and the league's most successful team, the Dublin Rebels
Dublin Rebels
The Dublin Rebels are the most successful team in Irish American Football League history with seven National Championships , four league titles, two European crowns and registering the perfect season with no defeats in 2006 and again in 2010.They are members of the IAFL Central division, and have...
. 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.
At the beginning of the 2010–2011 season, Dublin University American football team competed in college championships. The competition was won by Trinity, 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.
Captains
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.
|
2008 season
| Position | Team | W | L | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dublin Rebels Dublin Rebels The Dublin Rebels are the most successful team in Irish American Football League history with seven National Championships , four league titles, two European crowns and registering the perfect season with no defeats in 2006 and again in 2010.They are members of the IAFL Central division, and have... |
5 | 1 | 0 |
| 2 | Craigavon Cowboys Craigavon Cowboys The Craigavon Cowboys are a American Football team playing in Craigavon currently playing in the Irish American Football League. In the 2010 season the Cowboys finished 4-4 and were close to clinching a play-off berth going down to the last game of the season.... |
5 | 1 | 0 |
| 3 | Cork Admirals Cork Admirals The Cork Admirals are an American Football team that play in the Irish American Football League . The team is based in Bishopstown, Cork in the newly constructed CIT Stadium.The team was formed in 2002, playing along with 4 other teams that year.... |
4 | 1 | 0 |
| 4 | Dublin Dragons Dublin Dragons Dublin Dragons is an American Football team based in Lucan, Dublin, Ireland. They currently compete in the IAFL league, Southern Division.... |
2 | 4 | 0 |
| 5 | Trinity Thunderbolts | 1 | 5 | 0 |
| 6 | Edenderry Soldiers | 0 | 5 | 0 |
- April 5: Trinity Thunderbolts 12-45 Craigavon Cowboys
- April 19: Craigavon Cowboys 52-8 Trinity Thunderbolts
- May 4: Trinity Thunderbolts 8-39 Dublin Rebels
- May 11: Dublin Dragons 20-51 Trinity Thunderbolts
- May 18: Cork Admirals 14-0 Trinity Thunderbolts
- May 25: Dublin Rebels 22-0 Trinity Thunderbolts
2009 season
| Position | Team | W | L | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trinity College | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| 2 | U.C.D. UCD American Football University College Dublin American Football is the American football club at University College Dublin. It competes in the South Division of the Irish American Football League .- History :... |
6 | 2 | 0 |
| 3 | Craigavon Cowboys Craigavon Cowboys The Craigavon Cowboys are a American Football team playing in Craigavon currently playing in the Irish American Football League. In the 2010 season the Cowboys finished 4-4 and were close to clinching a play-off berth going down to the last game of the season.... |
6 | 2 | 0 |
| 4 | Dublin Dragons Dublin Dragons Dublin Dragons is an American Football team based in Lucan, Dublin, Ireland. They currently compete in the IAFL league, Southern Division.... |
3 | 5 | 0 |
| 5 | Erris Rams Erris Rams The Erris Rams are an American football team located in the West of Ireland. They compete in the Development 8 league for this 2009 season. They were founded by Michael Kelly in October 2008.... |
2 | 6 | 0 |
| 6 | Edenderry Soldiers | 0 | 8 | 0 |
- March 8: Trinity College 56-0 Edenderry Soldiers
- April 11: U.C.D. 34-13 Trinity College
- April 25: U.C.D. 0-34 Trinity College
- April 29: Trinity College 42-0 U.C.D. Sentinels
- May 10: Trinity College 33-0 Craigavon Cowboys
- May 30: Erris Rams 0-30 Trinity College
- June 6: Trinity College 25-0 Dublin Dragons
- June 20: Trinity College 51-0 Erris Rams
2010 season
| Position | Team | W | L | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dublin Rebels Dublin Rebels The Dublin Rebels are the most successful team in Irish American Football League history with seven National Championships , four league titles, two European crowns and registering the perfect season with no defeats in 2006 and again in 2010.They are members of the IAFL Central division, and have... |
8 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | West Dublin Rhinos West Dublin Rhinos The West Dublin Rhinos are a American Football team playing in Castleknock College in Dublin. They currently play in the Irish American Football League. When the Rhinos made their debut in the league, they were called the Dublin Rhinos. Beginning with the 2009 season, they were renamed the West... |
3 | 1 | 1 |
| 3 | Trinity College | 2 | 5 | 1 |
| 4 | D.C.U. Saints Dublin City University Saints In 2005, Carl Rushe and Maurice Cosgrave founded the Dublin City University American Football Club. With Carl's experience in playing American football and Maurice's experience in running and managing the DCU Sailing Club, they established the club initially as a fanclub, where students could... |
1 | 4 | 1 |
- March 14: D.C.U. Saints 15-28 Trinity College
- March 28: Dublin Rebels 39-6 Trinity College
- April 18: Belfast Trojans 8-42 Trinity College
- April 25: Trinity College 8-17 Craigavon Cowboys
- May 16: Trinity College 0-55 Dublin Rebels
- May 23: West Dublin Rhinos 24-20 Trinity College
- June 6: Trinity College @ West Dublin Rhinos
- June 20: Trinity College @ D.C.U. Saints
2011 Season
Intervarsity Championship- November 20: Trinity College 12-6 UL Vikings
Regular Season
- Trinity College 20 - 16 U.C.D.
- Dublin Dragons 14 - 59 Trinity College
- Trinity College 6 - 20 Dublin Rebels
- West Dublin Rhinos 8 - 13 Trinity College