SHAMROCK BOWL XVIII

Last modified on 2009-09-08 17:01:09 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

DUBLIN REBELS WIN CLOSEST EVER SHAMROCK BOWL
Posted 2nd Sept 2004
By IAFL
DUBLIN REBELS 24 – 22 CARRICKFERGUS KNIGHTS
Sunday 29th August 2004
Venue: Greystones Rugby Club.

THE 2004 SHAMROCK BOWL CHAMPIONS

SCORERS:
1st Quarter: CAR: Paul McKillop 74yard pass from Stephen McDowell (0-6); DUB: Carl Faichney 75yd reverse, Brian Dennehy 2xpt (8-6); CAR: David Wright 2yd run, Paul McKillop 2xpt (8-14).
2nd Quarter: CAR: Paul McKillop 5yd pass from Stephen McDowell, David Wright 2xpt (8-22).
3rd Quarter: DUB: Brian Dennehy 17 yard pass from Andrew Dennehy, Mark Kelly 2xpt (16-22).
4th Quarter: DUB: Mark Kelly 17yd pass from Andrew Dennehy, Brian Dennehy 2xpt (24-22).

REPORT:
The Dublin Rebels won Shamrock Bowl XVIII, the closest in IAFL history, with a 24-22 victory over the Carrickfergus Knights. The Knights nearly clinched victory with only 1:06 left in the fourth quarter, but had a successful 40 yard field goal cancelled by a penalty for having twelve men on the field at the time of the kick. The game, which was played at Greystones Rugby Club also attracted the largest crowd in many years and featured a half time show for the first time ever.

RECORD ATTENDANCE

The Rebels won the coin toss and opted to receive the opening kick-off. However, they turned the ball over on downs to the Knights. The Knights scored almost immediately when Paul McKillop caught a 74 yard pass from Stephen McDowell on their first series on offense – McKillop scored a similar 80 yard touchdown in last years Shamrock Bowl. The Rebels fought back straight away. After returning the kick-off, receiver Carl Faichney scored a touchdown on a 75 yard reverse run which was followed by a Brian Dennehy 2 point conversion. On their next possession, the Knights looked strong. A first down reception by Spencer McDowell put them in scoring range and David Wright ran the ball in from 2 yard out. Paul McKillop’s 2 point conversion gave them a 14-8 lead. An interception by Knights cornerback David Worbey stopped the Rebels on their next drive, however, they failed to convert the turnover into points and turned the ball over on downs. The Knights defense stopped the Rebels on their next possession , partially due to a couple of knocked down passes by Knights cornerback Mark Pollock. The Knights then put together a nice drive which resulted in a 5 yard touchdown pass from Stephen McDowell to Paul McKillop. A David Wright conversion gave them a 22-8 lead. The Rebels managed to get a first and goal on their final possession of the half, but a fumble on the Knights 2 yard line on the final play of the half was recovered by Alastair Best to give the Knights a 22-8 halftime lead.

THE REBELS DEFENSE IN ACTION

The Rebels came back at the Knights early in the third quarter. Receptions from Carl Faichney and Simon Mackey set up a 17 yard touchdown pass from Andrew Dennehy to Brian Dennehy in which Brian Dennehy showed his experience by just getting his feet down in the endzone after a very difficult catch near the sideline. The Rebels defense, led by Sean Shanahan and Paul Smyth then began to get into the game, stopping the Knights offense on their next possession by causing a fumble which was recovered by Marcus Naylor on the Knights 22 yard line. However, the Knights defense, led by Mark Harris was equally strong, causing the Rebels to turn over the ball on downs. As the game moved into the fourth quarter, both defenses seemed to dominate. The Knights Darren Montgomery recovered a fumbled handoff and then the Rebels defense stopped the Knights. Towards the end of the half, the Rebels put together one last drive, with some good runs by Brian Dennehy and Mark Kelly. With less than 2 minutes to go in the game, Mark Kelly tied the game when he caught a short reception out of the backfield and ran in a touchdown. Veteran running back Brian Dennehy got what would turn out to be the game winning score by carrying in the 2 point conversion to give the Rebels a 24-22 lead. However, the game wasn’t quite over.

VETERAN RINNING BACK MARK KELLY

After receiving the kick-off, Knights receiver Clinton McDowell and Rebels cornerback Kevin Finnegan both came down with a joint possession on a long pass from Stephen McDowell which, by rule, gave the Knights a first down deep in the Rebels half. A couple of plays later, with just over a minute left on the clock, Stephen McDowell of the Knights kicked the aforementioned field goal which was cancelled by a penalty to give the Rebels a 24-22 victory and the Shamrock Bowl title. This secured the double for the Rebels who had also clinched the league title earlier in the month.

REBELS WIN SEMI-FINAL

Last modified on 2009-07-25 12:29:01 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Posted 17th Aug 2004
By IAFL

DUBLIN REBELS TO FACE THE KNIGHTS IN FINAL
DUBLIN DRAGONS 12 – 38 DUBLIN REBELS
Sunday 15th August 2004
Venue: Greystones Rugby Club.
SCORERS:
1st Quarter: No scoring.
2nd Quarter: REB: Marcus Naylor 4yd pass from Andrew Dennehy, Brian Dennehy 2xpt (0-8); REB: Carl Faichney 12yd run, Brian Dennehy 2xpt (0-16).
3rd Quarter: Conor Ryan 54yd pass from A. Dennehy, B. Dennehy 2xpt (0-24); REB: Brian Dennehy 66yd run (0-30).
4th Quarter: DRA: Matt Quinn 2yd run (6-30); DRA: Matt Quinn 6yd run (12-30); REB: Marcus Naylor 4yd pass from A. Dennehy, B. Dennehy 2xpt (12-38).

REPORT:
The Dublin Rebels will join the Carrickfergus Knights in Shamrock Bowl XVIII in what will be a rematch of last years final. The Rebels defeated cross-town rivals, the Dublin Dragons in the semi-final at Greystones RFC. Neither team got on the scoreboard in the first quarter as the defenses led by Lez Connolly of the Dragons and Kenny Hudson of the Rebels held firm. The Rebels opened the scoring in the second quarter with a 4 yard pass from Andrew Dennehy to Marcus Naylor which was converted by Brian Dennehy. Rebels receiver, Carl Faichney scored a touchdown later on in the same quarter when he scored on a 12 yard reverse run. The Dragons nearly got on the scoreboard just before halftime, but were intercepted while on the 3 yard line by Kenny Hudson.

The game opened up in the second half with both teams combining for 6 touchdowns. Rebels receiver Conor Ryan scored the first touchdown on the half with a 54 yard pass from quarterback Andrew Dennehy. The veteran running back, Brian Dennehy scored on one of his trademark breakaway runs – this time from 66 yards out. The Dragons began to get back into the game in the fourth quarter. Matt Quinn scored on a 2 yard run and then after stopping the Rebels on their next possession, Quinn scored again, this time a 14 yard run, to bring the Dragons within range of the Rebels. The Rebels then sealed the game with a 4 yard pass from Dennehy to Marcus Naylor. The Dublin Rebels now meet the Carrickfergus Knights in Shamrock Bowl XVIII which will be played at Greystones RFC. It will be the first ever Shamrock Bowl played at the venue.

REBELS WIN LEAGUE TITLE

Last modified on 2009-08-20 23:59:44 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Posted 9th Aug 2004
By IAFL

DUBLIN REBELS 28 – 14 BELFAST BULLS
Sunday 9th August 2004
Venue: Danny Blanchflower Sports Grounds, Belfast
SCORERS:
1st Quarter: No scoring.
2nd Quarter: DUB: Brian Dennehy 5yd run, Simon Mackey 2xpt (8-0); DUB: Carl Faichney 19yd run, Brian Dennehy 2xpt (16-0).
3rd Quarter: BEL: Kevin Downs 54yd run (16-6).
4th Quarter: DUB: Brian Dennehy 2yd run (22-6); DUB: Brian Dennehy 23yd run (28-6); BEL: Mark Helferty 18yd pass from Kevin Downs + 2xpt (28-14).

2004 IAFL LEAGUE TROPHY
REPORT:
The Dublin Rebels defeated the Belfast Bulls to clinch first place in the final IAFL standings and consequently, the top seeding in next weeks play-off games. Rebels veteran running back Brian Dennehy put in one of his best performances of the season, scoring three touchdowns and going over 100 yards rushing. The game was played in constant rain at the Bulls ground in Belfast. The first quarter was a fairly even affair with neither team getting on the scoreboard, however the Rebels did mange to pick up a few first downs, mostly on Brian Dennehy carries. The Rebels then managed to capitalize on their ground game in the second quarter with Brian Dennehy opening the scoring with a 5 yard run which was converted by Simon Mackey. Some good defensive play by defensive backs Darren O’Toole and Kevin Finnegan helped stop the Bulls on their next possession. The Rebels then moved the ball downfield again, scoring on a 19 yard reverse run by receiver Carl Faichney.

The Bulls defense, led by defensive linemen Erin Wagner and Peter McGurk began to make plays in the third quarter. Then Bulls safety Mark Helferty recovered a Rebels fumble to give them the ball close to mid-field. On the ensuing offensive series, Bulls quarterback Kevin Downs scrambled free, scoring on a 54 yard touchdown run. The Bulls defense then caused a second Rebels fumble later in the same quarter, this time by Andrew Mikhael, but pressure from the Rebels defense, including Al Kelly caused the Bulls to turnover the ball on downs without scoring. As the game went into the final quarter, the Rebels running game began to click again and Brian Dennehy sealed the Rebels victory with two rushing touchdowns – one a 2yd run and the second from 23 yards out, after having picked up most of the yardage in both scoring drives. The Bulls rallied late in the game when Kevin Downs went to the air and scored on an 18 yard pass to Mark Helferty as time expired.

Both games in next weeks Shamrock Bowl semi-final play-offs have matched local rivals with one another. The Dublin Rebels host the Dublin Dragons at Greystones RFC and the Carrickfergus Knights host the Belfast Bulls at Woodburn Road. The winners will meet in Shamrock Bowl XVIII on 29th August.

REBELS HOST CORK

Last modified on 2009-07-25 12:38:33 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Posted 12th July 2004
By IAFL

CORK ADMIRALS 0 – 52 DUBLIN REBELS
Sunday 11th July 2004
Venue: Greystones RFC, Co. WicklowSCORERS:
1st Quarter: Brian Dennehy 7yd run; Simon Mackey 2xpt (0-8); Carl Faichney 39yd pass from Andrew Dennehy (0-14).
2nd Quarter: Fearghal O’Donnchu 8yd pass from Andrew Dennehy + 2xpt (0-22); Brian Dennehy 9yd run (0-28).
3rd Quarter: Brian Dennehy 40yd pass from Andrew Dennehy; Marcus Naylor 2xpt (0-36); Brian Dennehy 45yd pass from Andrew Dennehy; Simon Mackey 2xpt (0-44).
4th Quarter: Carl faichney 3yd run; Travis Lawson 2xpt (0-52).

REPORT:
Four touchdowns from Brian Dennehy and three interceptions from Kevin Finnegan helped the Dublin Rebels defeat the Cork Admirals at Greystones. The Rebels now leap ahead of the Carrickfergus Knights at the top of the IAFL and have guaranteed themselves a place in the play-offs. The Rebels got of to a good start, scoring on their first possession with a 7 yard run by veteran running back Brian Dennehy. Simon Mackey got the conversion to give them an 8-0 lead. The Rebels defense then forced the Admirals to punt. Cork defensive back Barry Rafferty intercepted a Rebels pass on the 42 yard line, returning it to the 12, but the Rebels defense, led by linebacker Kenny Hudson, prevented the Admirals from converting the turnover into a score. The Rebels replied almost immediately with a 39 yard touchdown pass from Andrew Dennehy to Carl Faichney. The second quarter belonged to the Rebels who scored two unanswered touchdowns. The first was an 8 yard pass from Andrew Dennehy to tight end Fearghal O’Donnchu. The second touchdown was a 9 yard run by Brian Dennehy which was set up when the Rebels recovered a Cork fumble on the Admirals 13 yard line. The Rebels came close to scoring again late in the half after Kevin Finnegan intercepted the Admirals in their own half, but the Admirals managed to stop them on 4th down deep in Admirals territory.

The Admirals managed to pick up some first downs in the third quarter with some runs by Sam Kidd, Keith O’Callaghan and Trevor O’Connell, but the Rebels prevented them from converting and yardage gains into scores. For most of the second half, the Rebels decided to change game plans and used an unconventional run and shoot style offense with either 4 or 5 wide receivers on most plays as opposed to their usual strong ground game. The change appeared to work nonetheless. On their first possession of the half, Brian Dennehy, playing as a slot receiver pulled in a 40 yard touchdown pass from Andrew Dennehy which was converted by Marcus Naylor. The Rebels stopped the Admirals on their second possession of the third quarter when Darren Conway recovered a Cork fumble at midfield. The Rebels scored on their first play after the turnover – a 45 yard pass from Andrew Dennehy to Brain Dennehy which was also Brian Dennehy’s fourth touchdown of the game. The Admirals were then forced to go to the air in order to try to move the ball, but quarterback John Kenny was intercepted two more times by Kevin Finnegan, the second of which was a spectacular catch at the Rebels 10 yard line which almost certainly prevented the Admirals from getting on the scoreboard. The Rebels final score of the game came towards the end of the fourth quarter, when receiver Carl Faichney, who is also one of the Rebels back-up quarterbacks scored on a 3 yard sneak which was set up by first down runs from Dennehy and Sean Shanahan. The Rebels return to the top of the IAFL standings with a 6-1 record. The Admirals drop to 2-5. The Admirals will play their final game of the season next week when they host the Dublin Dragons (3-3) at Pfizer’s Sports Grounds in Ringaskiddy, Cork (kick-off 2pm).

REBELS DEFEAT KNIGHTS

Last modified on 2009-07-25 12:39:36 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Posted 21st June 2004
By IAFL

CARRICKFERGUS KNIGHTS 14 – 26 DUBLIN REBELS
Sunday 20th June 2004
Venue: Greystones RFC, Co. Wicklow

SCORERS:
1st Quarter: DUB: Simon Mackey 36yd run (0-6).
2nd Quarter: CAR: Paul McKillop 5yd pass from Stephen McDowell (6-6); DUB: Fearghal O’Donnchu 10yd pass from Andrew Dennehy (6-12).
3rd Quarter: DUB: Carl Faichney 30 yd pass from Dennehy, Andrew Dennehy 2xpt (6-20).
4th Quarter: DUB: Andrew Dennehy 5yd run (6-26); CAR: Paul McKillop 31yd pass from McDowell, Spencer McDowell 2xpt (14-26)

REPORT:
The Dublin Rebels defeated the Carrickfergus Knights in most eagerly awaiting fixture of the IAFL season so far. Victory for the Rebels now means that both of last years Shamrock Bowl finalists have won their home fixtures against the other ensuring that the race to become the number one seed in the play-offs will not be decided until the final weeks of the regular season. The Rebels scored first, 90 seconds into the game when Simon Mackey took a hand-off from Andrew Dennehy and ran 35 yards for a touchdown. Both teams failed to score on their next possessions, but the Knights evened up the score early in the second quarter with a 5 yard pass from Stephen McDowell to receiver Paul McKillop. The Knights intercepted the Rebels on their ensuing possession, but were stopped on fourth down deep in Rebels territory by the Rebels defense, led by Al Kelly and Kenny Hudson. The Rebels then put together a long drive and scored on a 10 yard pass from Andrew Dennehy to tight end Fearghal O’Donnchu to give them a tight 12-6 lead at halftime.

Two consecutive touchdowns in the second half for the Rebels proved to be the difference between them and the Knights. The first was 30 yard pass from Andrew Dennehy to Carl Faichney in the third quarter, which was also converted by Dennehy, the second, a 5 yard run by quarterback Andrew Dennehy gave the Rebels a relatively comfortable 26-6 lead with just over 3 minutes left in the game. The Carrickfergus Knights scored their second touchdown, a 31 yard pass from Stephen McDowell to Paul McKillop inside the two minute warning to make the final score 26-14 to the Rebels. The Rebels now move to 5-1 in the IAFL standings and the Knights drop to 4-1.

The Rebels travel to Belgium next weekend (June 26th/27th), to take on the Charleroi Cougars and French teams Cavaliers d’ Orleans and Lille Vikings, as they attempt to win the prestigious Charleroi Trophy for the third year running.

REBELS SMASH CORK ADMIRALS

Last modified on 2009-07-25 12:41:07 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Posted 14th June 2004
By IAFL

DUBLIN REBELS 88 – 12 CORK ADMIRALS
Sunday 13th June 2004
Venue: Pfizer’s Sports Club, Ringaskiddy, Cork
SCORERS:
1st Quarter: COR: Keith O’Callaghan 12yd run (0-6); DUB: Kevin Finnegan 2xpt return (2-6): DUB: Andrew Dennehy 11yd run (8-6); DUB: Simon Mackey 1yd run (14-6).
2nd Quarter: DUB: Simon Mackey 4yd run, Andrew Dennehy 2xpt (22-6); COR: Sam Kidd 1yd run (22-12); DUB: Andrew Dennehy 1yd run (28-12).
3rd Quarter: DUB: Brian Dennehy 1yd run, Mackey 2xpt (36-12); DUB: Simon Mackey 35yd pass from A. Dennehy (42-12); DUB: Fearghal O’Donnchu 91yd run, Andrew Dennehy 2xpt (50-12); DUB: Brian Dennehy 2yd run + 2xpt (58-12).
4th Quarter: REB: Carl Faichney 35yd run, Brian Dennehy 2xpt (66-12); DUB: Marcus Naylor 8yd pass from A. Dennehy, Darragh Farrell 2xpt (74-12); DUB: Fearghal O’Donnchu 55yd punt return, A. Dennehy 2xpt (82-12); DUB: Brian Dennehy 65yd run (88-12).

REPORT:
Veteran running back, Brian Dennehy and Simon Mackey both scored 3 for the Dublin Rebels in a comprehensive 88-12 victory over the Cork Admirals in Ringaskiddy. The 76 point margin of victory is the most by an IAFL team since the reformation of the league in 2001 and 100 total points is also an IAFL record. The Cork Admirals actually took the lead in the game, scoring on their first possession. A couple of first down runs put them in scoring range and they took the lead with a 12 yard run by Keith O’Callaghan. The Rebels blocked the extra point attempt and cornerback Kevin Finnegan returned the blocked kick 97 yards for a rarely seen 2 point return. The Rebels responded immediately, driving downfield on their opening offensive possession and scoring on an 11 yard run by QB Andrew Dennehy after gaining first downs through Simon Mackey and Brian Dennehy. Simon Mackey scored his first of 3 touchdowns at the end of the first quarter with a 1 yd run. Mackey got his second touchdown of the game on the Rebel s next possession scoring on a 4 yard run after Andrew Dennehy completed passes to both Mackey and Fearghal O’Donnchu. Cornerback Pat Quinn, who had a superb game on defense picked off Cork quarterback John Kenny on the Admirals 40 yard line after the ensuing kick-off. Cork got the ball back shortly afterwards through a John Duggan interception and Sam Kidd turned it into a score with a 1 yard touchdown run. The Rebels scored again, this time a 1 yard quarterback sneak by Andrew Dennehy to lead 28-12 at halftime.

The Rebels turned up a gear in the second half, scoring a league record 60 points. Brian Dennehy scored his first of four touchdowns with a 1 yard run following first down passes from Andrew Dennehy to both Brian Dennehy and Simon Mackey. Mackey scored his third touchdown on the Rebels next possession on a 35 yard pass from Andrew Dennehy following a fumble recovery by Paul Smyth. Fearghal O’Donnchu scored a 91 yard run on a mis-direction play and Brian Dennehy scored on a 35 yard run to stretch the Rebels lead to 58-12 by the end of the third quarter. The Admirals managed to pick up a couple of first downs early in the fourth through running backs O’Callaghan and Wes O’Regan, but the Rebels defense led by Al Kelly, Kenny Hudson and Pat Quinn kept them out of the endzone. The Rebels next two touchdowns came through a 35 yard run by receiver Carl Faichney, an 8 yard reception by Marcus Naylor. Then Fearghal O’Donnchu scored on a 55 yard punt return before Brian Dennehy got his fourth and best touchdown of the game on a 65 yard run.

The Rebels now move to 5-1 in the league standings and the Admirals drop to 2-4. Next week sees a rematch of Shamrock Bowl XVII when the unbeaten Carrickfergus Knights visit the inform Dublin Rebels at Greystones RFC. The Dublin Dragons host the Belfast Bulls in Lucan CC in the other game on Sunday 20th June (both kick-offs 2pm).

DRAGONS AT REBELS

Last modified on 2009-07-25 12:42:21 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Posted 24th May 2004
By IAFL

DUBLIN DRAGONS 6 – 12 DUBLIN REBELS
Sunday 23rd May 2004
Venue: Greystones RFC

SCORERS:
1st Quarter: DRA: Dave Wheeler 50yd run (6-0).
2nd Quarter: REB: Brian Dennehy 24yd run (6-6).
3rd Quarter: No scoring.
4th Quarter: REB: Sean Shanahan 13yd run (6-12).

REPORT:
The Dublin Rebels defeated cross town rivals, the Dublin Dragons in a very competitive game at Greystones RFC. Both teams punted on their opening possessions. The Dragons, using a newly installed wishbone offense, jumped out to a 6-0 lead on their second possession after running back Dave Wheeler broke free and scored on a 50 yard touchdown run. The Dragons defense then stopped the Rebels on 4th down on the Dragons 14 yard line to preserve their narrow lead. However, after exchanging punts, the Rebels scored mid way through the second quarter when running back Brian Dennehy turned a sweep right into a 24 yard touchdown run. Neither team scored again before halftime.

Both defenses played well in the second half, but the Rebels offense picked up some momentum with quarterback Andy Dennehy completing passes to tight ends Simon Mackey and Fearghal O’Donnchu and running backs Mark Kelly and Marcus Naylor. One such pass in the third quarter would have given the Rebels a first down on the Dragons 15 yard line, but was called back due to a penalty. Brian Dennehy also picked up some first downs on the ground. The Dragons also got some yardage in the second half due through running back Dave Wheeler, but the Rebels defense, led by Al Kelly and Kenny Hudson held firm.

During the fourth quarter, after Simon Mackey and Mark Kelly had some first down catches, Sean Shanahan scored the winning touchdown from 13 yards out to put the Rebels in the lead with only 4:25 left on the clock. The Dragons failed to convert a fourth down on their next possession and the Rebels ran out the clock thus sealing a narrow 12-6 victory. There were some notable performances in the game, particularly on defense. Steve Wilson, Darragh Farrell and Steve Archibald played well for the Rebels. For the Dragons, defensive backs Franck Hupke and Mark Lawless along with linebacker Charlie Kranz had good games. The Rebels now have a 3-1 record, the Dragons drop to 3-2.

REBELS AT KNIGHTS

Last modified on 2009-07-25 12:43:16 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Posted 10th May 2004
By IAFL

DUBLIN REBELS 14 – 42 CARRICKFERGUS KNIGHTS
Sunday 9th May 2004
Venue: Woodburn Road, Carrickfergus
SCORERS:
1st Quarter: CAR: Ian McIlroy 27yd pass from Stephen McDowell, McDowell 1xpt (0-7).
2nd Quarter: DUB: Conor Ryan 54yd pass from Andy Dennehy (6-7).
3rd Quarter: CAR: David Wright 51yd run (6-13); CAR: David Wright 7yd run, McDowell 1xpt (6-20); CAR: David Wright 68yd run (6-26); DUB: Steve Archibald 52yd pass from Dennehy; Simon Mackey 2xpt (14-26).
4th Quarter: CAR: David Wright 1yd run, McDowell 1xpt (14-33); CAR: David Wright 1yd run, McDowell 1xpt (14-40); CAR: Spencer McDowell safety (14-42).

REPORT:
The Dublin Rebels and Carrickfergus Knights met for the first time since they met in last years Shamrock Bowl. However, this time the Knights came out on top. Knights running back David Wright had a career day, scoring 5 touchdowns and rushing for 200 yards. This is the first time any player in Ireland has scored 5 touchdowns in a game since the resumption of league football in 2001. It is also Wright’s first year as a regular starter with the Knights.

The first half was a tense and close affair, possibly due to the importance of the game. Wide receiver Ian mcIlroy caught a 27 yard touchdown pass from Stephen McDowell in the first quarter and McDowell converted the extra point to give the Knights a 7-0 lead. The Knights got into scoring range again later in the first half, but were stopped when Kevin Finnegan intercepted McDowell in the Rebels endzone to prevent another Knights score. Again the Rebels were forced to punt, but early in the second quarter, they got the ball back thanks to a Darragh Farrell interception. The Rebels drove into scoring range, but were stopped on 4th down on the Knights 17 yard line. The Knights picked up a couple of first downs with running backs David Wright and Bobby Murray, but missed a 26 yard field goal. The Rebels struck back almost immediately with a 54 yard touchdown pass from Andy Dennehy to Conor Ryan to make the score 7-6 at the half.

The Knights jumped to a 26-6 lead in the third quarter, scoring on each of their possessions in the quarter. Less than a minute after the restart, David Wright scored the first of his 5 touchdowns on a 51 yard breakaway run. The Knights scored again on their second possession of the quarter when a 20 yard run by Bobby Murray set up a first and goal and Wright ran the ball in for his second touchdown from 7 yards out. The Rebels came back into the game and got to the Knights 2 yard line with passes to Simon Mackey, Fearghal O’Donnchu and Marcus Naylor, but were stopped when Knights linebacker Spencer McDowell intercepted Andy Dennehy on the goal line. The Knights scored their third touchdown of the quarter shortly afterwards when Wright raced free to score on a 68 yard run. After the ensuring kick-off, the Rebels struck back when Dennehy threw a spectacular 52 yard touchdown pass to Steve Archibald.

The Knights sealed the game in the fourth quarter. The Rebels failed to convert a 4th and 3 in their own half and after Bobby Murray picked up a first down, the Wright scored his 5th touchdown for the Knights from 1 yard out. The Rebels next drive was stopped by a Mark Pollock interception and the final score of the game came late in the quarter when Knights linebacker Spencer McDowell capped a superb came by forcing the Rebels to concede a safety after a fumbled hand-off. The Knights are now the only remaining unbeaten team in the IAFL with a 3-0 record. The Rebels drop to 2-1.

VIKINGS AT REBELS

Last modified on 2009-07-25 12:55:42 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Posted 19th April 2004
By: Marco Polo

UL VIKINGS 0- 50 DUBLIN REBELS
4 April 2004
Venue: Greystones RFC, Wicklow
SCORERS (all Rebels):
1st Quarter: No scoring.
2nd Quarter: Brian Dennehy 28yd run (0-6); Simon Mackey 15yd run, Brian Dennehy 2xpt (0-14).
3rd Quarter: Fearghal O’Donnchu 34yd pass from Andy Dennehy (0-20); Conor Ryan 9yd run; Brian Dennehy 2xpt (0-28).
4th Quarter: Simon Mackey 13yd pass from Andy Dennehy, Brian Dennehy 2xpt (0-36); Chris Massmann 4yd pass from Andy Dennehy, Brian Dennehy 2xpt (0-44); Brian Dennehy 46yd run (0-50).

REPORT:
Reigning National Champions, Dublin Rebels started their 2004 season with a comprehensive 50-0 defeat of the UL Vikings at Greystones RFC. The first quarter was quite an even affair with neither team moving the ball effectively. The Rebels’ offence was slow to start, with handling errors plaguing the backfield, leading to two fumbles – one of which was recovered, but for a loss of 10 yards. The only play of note was an interception of Vikings quarterback Ryan Calvertey by Rebels cornerback Pat Quinn. Calvertey was making his first start of the season in place of Ben Lanser who’s expected to return for the Vikings next game. Patrick Ryan also missed a 44yard field goal for the Vikings.

In the second quarter, the Rebels ground game began to get going and Shamrock Bowl XVII MVP Brian Dennehy scored their first touchdown – a 28yd off-tackle run. The Rebels defense, led by DT Alan Kelly stopped the Vikings on their next possession. Rebels TE/FB, Simon Mackey scored their second touchdown, when he broke free on a 4th and 1 play to covert it into a 15yd touchdown. Brian Dennehy ran in the 2-pt conversion to make it 14-0. The Vikings got a first and goal due to a pass interference penalty by the Rebels on a hail-mary pass on the last play of the half, but failed to convert it into a score.

The Rebels came out strong in the third quarter and dominated on defense. DT Alan Kelly and Linebackers Sean Shanahan and Ken Hudson helped shut down the Vikings running game. Their running game also picked up with Brian Dennehy and Mark Kelly rumbling for substantial yards. TE Fearghal O’Donnchu scored the Rebels 3rd touchdown on a 34 yard reception from QB Andy Dennehy. The Rebels continued to dominate and quickly scored again with a 9-yard reverse run by receiver Conor Ryan. Brian Dennehy scored the 2 points to bring the score to 28-0.

The Vikings were forced to go to the air in the fourth quarter to try and chase the game. They had some success with Calvertey completing passes to Patrick Ryan, Adam Culvertey and Gavin Grace. However, in spite of picking up some first downs, they failed to score. The Rebels began to move the ball with ease on offense as the Vikings tried to chase the game and scored a couple of quick touchdowns – a 13 yard pass from Andy Dennehy to Simon Mackey and a 4yard pass from Dennehy to receiver Chris Massmann. Both were converted by Brian Dennehy to make it 44-0.

Pat Quinn recovered a muffed kick-off return after the Massmann touchdown and the Rebels quickly made it 50-0 with a 46yard run by Brian Dennehy. With only pride at stake the Vikings continued their aerial attack, with a number of receivers making impressive grabs. However, a Fearghal O’Donnchu interception on the Rebels 5-yard line kept the shutout intact and the Rebels kneeled out the clock.

The return fixture in UL next week promises to be a tighter game as the Vikings should have some missing starters back in action.