When one thinks of perfection, a clatter of sweaty men bungling around an award-winning boutique bar may or may not be the first thing that springs to mind. But on Saturday night, each of the members of the Dublin Rebels were ready to make that claim; ludicrously generalizing their year of football to apply to their personalities, looks and prospects. With a 15-0 win earlier in the day over the reigning champion UL Vikings, the Rebels celebrated an undefeated, perfect, season for just the second time in league history, having been the first to do it in 2006, the last time they were Shamrock Bowl Champions.

Shamrock Bowl XXIV took place in Tallaght Stadium, a considerable coup for South Dublin County Council, and a terrific boost for the local economy. Over a dozen volunteer jobs were created, while the sandwich and fizzy drink sectors boomed in response to the record attendance of over 1,500 – the biggest showdown in recent IAFL history, and certainly, the scale of the occasion reverberated throughout the ground. From the rumble in the stands to the deafeningly silent changing rooms, to the windswept, trembling grass that awaited the players, there was a notable tension that reflected the magnitude of the final. The stadium, inflated like a balloon, finally burst when Paul Grogan kicked off, popping the outer layer and causing a truly tumultuous whizzing.

The kick off spluttered out of bounds, and the tone was set for an imperfect match, as the Rebels matched dominant defence with some inconsistency on offense. Initially, they took charge, forcing Limerick into a botched punt before taking the lead on their opening drive. After RB Aaron Smith ran for a first down, his subsequent runs were stuffed at the line of scrimmage. On 3rd and 12, QB Andy Dennehy threw his first pass of the day, a TD to WR Barry Flinn. The failed conversion attempt kept the score at 6-0.

The Vikings, offence struggled to gain yards on their ensuing drive, and for the remainder of the game at large. RBs James Twomey and Adrian Garvey ran hard, but couldn’t get through to the second level, while the passing game was shut down under the Rebels‘ fierce pass rush and blanket coverage. UL QB Liam Ryan was quoted after the game as saying that he thought defensive captain Ross McCooey was in their offensive huddle, such was his diagnosis of their play-calling.

The Rebels took some time to build their lead. After a fumble and a number of penalties/including a questionable call that erased a 30-yard TD run – stalled their next drives, it took the running back combo of Smith and Sam Hodgins to settle the game down. Behind Coach Shane Campbell’s herd of heartless hogs, the pair went hell-bent in search of a Bowl, desperate to show what happens when the milk turns chocolatey. Ripping off big gains, the offense followed their swirling currents all the way to the goal line, waiting for the Limerick resistance to fall limp and soggy. Incredibly, their defensive front fortified, forcing the Rebels to try a short field goal. Kicker Ian McDonald scooped it over, bringing the scoreline to 9-0.

The Rebels defence continued to stifle all that came their way. In fact, they took it one further, going on the offensive themselves, racking up interceptions for fun. Game MVP Brian Carter had two from safety, while McCooey snagged a brace likewise and even defensive tackle Andy Flynn found the ball in his hands late on. Firing on all cylinders, the defensive dominance allowed the offence to methodically carve out a victory. The passing game never flourished, with Flinn dropping a sure completion on a big 3rd down and Brendan McCarthy coming down with an interception in the 4th quarter to keep the Vikes alive. In theory at least. In practice, the game had already been won by the dominance of the Rebels D; confirmed by the solid if unpolished offensive showing.

With the clock winding down, the Rebels put the ball in the hands of Hodgins to grind out the remainder. Taking a sweep to the left, he found enough blocking downfield to cross the plane for the game’s final score. Had he downed the ball at the 1, Dennehy could have kneeled it to a close. Instead, the Vikings had a shot at a miracle comeback, but again couldn’t threaten. As they continued to hurry-up in hope, the result was confirmed on the sidelines. The celebrations had already begun, the Gatorade sloshed over the backs of coaches by the saucier squad members and the chorus of delight ringing loudly.

It may not have been a perfect performance overall, but for a Rebels team that had lost the previous two Shamrock Bowls by 2 and 3 points respectively, the result was truly all that mattered. The almost entirely rookie O-Line came into their own; Smith and Hodgins ran with relentless intent, and the defence were simply monstrous. Over the course of the season, the Rebels showed the ability to win through brutality and finesse alike, and for that, their perfect season was deserved.

With Limerick’s win in the Atlantic Cup earlier in the season, Irish football at the top-end looks stronger than ever. With UL stung, and the Rebels unpopular enough already throughout the league, the battle for next year’s championship looks set to be the most vicious yet. As the IAFL continues to grow, the Rebels sit atop the pile, but with eyes staring up at them more steely than ever.

Shamrock Bowl 2010 will broadcast at the following times:

Setanta Ireland
Sunday 22nd August 13:30-14:30
Monday 23rd August 16.30-17:30

Setanta1
Friday 20th August 16:30-17:30
Sunday 22nd August 18:00-19:00
Monday 23rd August 22:30-23:30

Jeff, who is currently part of the Southern Methodist University Mustangs coaching squad, will be delivering coaching clinics to IAFL coaches and players between 19th and 21st July.

Reinebold is well known to most sports fans as one of the pundits on Sky Sports coverage of the NFL.
He won the World Bowl as Head Coach of the Amsterdam Admirals and has coached at University of Hawaii and in the Canadian Football League.

He has also been the NFL’s Senior Manager of International Player Development.

The IAFCA will be arranging a clinic for its members.

There will also be an on-field clinic open to all IAFL players.
Both clinics will be held in Dublin – times/venues will be announced soon.

keep in touch for further information

The Rebels are proud to announce a sponsorship with one of Dublin’s top bars and clubs, Dandelion.

Located on St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2, the venue has become renowned for it’s mixture of great food, delicious cocktails and it’s famous “So-90’s” club nights.

To see for yourself, visit www.welovedandelion.com

The Rebels have announced the sponsorship deal with online poker giant FullTiltPoker.com.

The deal lasting the duration of 2009 season, will the the Rebels backed generously by the online home of some of the most respected poker players in the world.

Designed by the pros, they incorporate the all the best features that make playing and learning a pleasurable experience. Not only do their pros have decades of cumulative experience playing at the poker tables, they also bring a wealth of knowledge about the online poker world.

To visit their site, goto www.fulltiltpoker.com

The Rebels are pleased to announce a one year sponsorship agreement with Austrian company Ben’s Sports/Noah Athletic.

Ben’s Sports will provide the Rebel’s new home and away uniforms for the 2009 season.

To visit their site, go to www.bens.at