SHAMROCK BOWL XV

Last modified on 2009-08-20 23:50:57 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Posted 20th December 2001
By Andy Dennehy
CARRICKFERGUS KNIGHTS 07-28 DUBLIN REBELS
Sunday 16th December 2001
Venue: Woodburn Road, Carrickfergus.

REPORT:
Running Back Brian Dennehy returned the opening kick-off 90 yards for a TD without being touched by a Carrickfergus player until the 1-yard line. He then ran in a two-point conversion. The Knights never recovered.

Rebels QB Paddy Blood played the game of his life, returning from an injury-forced absence to marshal his troops admirably. After a fired-up defence gave him the ball back Blood drove his offence the length of the pitch, sweeping behind a solid O-line and bruising FB Mark Kelly. He topped off the drive with a 20-yard pass into the back corner of the endzone to legendary TE Paraic Reddington after a playaction fake sucked in the Knights defence. The conversion was unsuccessful.

The Knights answered by recovering a fumbled punt and driving to the Rebels 10-yard line. From here Knights QB Stephen McDowell connected on an out pattern to WR Ron Smyth for the TD, which was converted to bring the score to 14-7 and the Knights within grabbing distance of the lead.

But that was as close as they came for the rest of the match. The still-fiery momentum was raging on the Dublin sideline, inspiring and incensing them to continue undeterred. They scored on a cheeky HB option just before halftime as RB Dennehy passed to WR Brian Martin for a 30-yard TD. Blood connected with Dennehy for the two-point conversion to make it 22-7.

Comfortable, but not complacent, the Rebels held on. Both teams stepped up a notch on defence, with Michael Finucane and Steve Porteous pummeling Carrickfergus from the d-line and the Knights defence as a unit putting the brakes on Blood’s offence. The Knights QB opted for an aerial attack in the 3rd quarter, completing passes to WRs Smyth and Paul McKillop. Two nail-biting goal line stands by the Rebels, culminating in a crucial acrobatic tackle by Free Safety Marcus Naylor, kept the lead intact.

Late in the third quarter the game was laid to rest in peace. Dennehy swept in from 2-yards after carrying the ball almost exclusively on the 70-yard drive. 28-7, and Dublin just had to hold on for one quarter and they would return home with the coveted Shamrock Bowl. This they did, mainly thanks to an unerring defence.

I DUB THEE SIR WINALOT

Last modified on 2009-08-20 23:50:27 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Posted 28th November 2001
By Andy Dennehy
DUBLIN REBELS 18 – 00 DUBLIN DRAGONS
Date: Sunday 25th November 2001
Venue: Ringsend, Dublin

REPORT:
The Dublin Rebels have extended their unbeaten streak in a tough, hard-hitting local derby between the Dragons and the Rebels. Unlike their previous encounter this season, both teams were at full strength and it showed. A much more physical performance from both teams led to a tiring game, dominated by defence.

Consequently, the first half was largely uneventful. A punt return from Brian Dennehy broke the deadlock and put the Rebels up 6-0. Besides that, neither team was able to get their offence up and running. For the Rebels, this may have been something to do with the foot injury sustained by QB Paddy Blood, who was out of the game early leaving backup QB Andy Dennehy to take the helm. However, while the offences struggled, the defences grew in stature and magnificence. Matching each other blow for bone crushing blow, the two Dublin teams battled valiantly like jousting-fools at a maniac party. Hardnosed defence was required to quench the raging fire in the Dragon’s gullet, and LB’s Paraic Reddington, Mickey Finucane, Andy Flynn and Brian Dennehy were on hand to provide their own blend of gridiron Rennie: targeting painful areas and… erm, relieving bloating.

Dragons LBs Ulli Zinnecker and the big defensive line deftly stuffed the Rebels running game. The passing game was the only option for the Rebels. An erratic QB Dennehy managed to capitalise on a turnover deep in Dragons territory at the end of the first half, throwing a slant pattern to WR Jason Show for a touchdown. 12 points ahead, but by no means guaranteed victors.

In the second half, presumably due to fatigue, both defences softened up somewhat. The Rebels running game opened up, with Brian Martin and Marcus Naylor making yards up the middle. The Dragons alternated between their standard backfield and a power formation that included LB Zinnecker as FB. Sterling tackling from Rebels Safety Marcus Naylor and CB Middleton stopped the Dragons from putting points on the board. Well, that, and the fact that they turned in vain to the pass just as their running game was building momentum.

RBs Naylor and Dennehy carried the ball on a 4th quarter drive from the Rebels, who seemed to have just a little more puff left in them than the heart-burned Dragons. They moved the ball from their own 30-yd line to a touchdown courtesy of a 10-yd carry from Dennehy to leave the game at 18-0 and another shutout for the Rebels defence.

LIMERICK LONGBOAT SUNK BY REBELS

Last modified on 2009-08-20 23:49:45 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Posted 7th November 2001
By Andy Dennehy
LIMERICK VIKINGS 00 – 34 DUBLIN REBELS
Date: Sunday 4th November 2001
Venue: Limerick University

REPORT:
‘Twas a day of erratic conditions, fluctuating between rain and shine in a bloody typical stroke of late-October Irish weather illogic. The pitch was muddied and the sun was a blinding; truly the worst football conditions. A short delay before the kick-off allowed both dampness and complacency sink into the league-topping Rebels, whose last meeting with the Vikings resulted in a rout. The Vikings, however, suffered not from such a dismissive attitude. Their valiant warrior souls were yearning for vengeance and the fact that this was a home match, with a full-strength squad, offered them a chance to get just that.

The opening half was slow. Defence on both sides of the ball dominated the play, forcing a number of punts and slowing the game’s momentum to a crawl. Penalties made a noticeable contribution to the pace of this match and the lack of success on offence.

However, deep in the 2nd quarter the Rebels broke the deadlock. QB Paddy Blood hit WR Jason Show on a deep-out pattern, exploiting a mismatch in coverage. The two-point conversion was good and the Rebels ended the half 8-0 up.

Something must have clicked during half-time. Offence and Defence employed radical tactic changes for the 2nd half. Back-up QB Andrew Dennehy led the team up the pitch, with Marcus Naylor and Brian Dennehy making consistent ground through huge holes opened by an ever-improving O-line. Brian Dennehy topped off the drive with a rushing TD from 15 yards out to make it 14-0.

But the Rebels defence was most impressive – an awesome sight when aroused. Coming on heavy with an aggressive front, they chopped down the Vikings offence, stuffing the majority of plays in the backfield. An excellent performance from D-linemen Chris Quinn and Mickey Finucane fashioned an edge on the brutal, bludgeoning defensive attack.

Tired and sore, the Vikings kept plugging away. Unfortunately, Brian Dennehy ran in another two TDs in the 4th quarter, aided and abetted by the blocks of trundling FB, Maclean Burke. After one more two-point conversion the score was 28-0. With scant minutes to go QB Blood connected with WR Brad Floyd on an orgasmic, inch-perfect 40-yard throw for another TD, sending the Vikings to Valhalla where countless Scandinavian wenches could tend to their wounds in peace. Final score 34-0 to Dublin.

KNIGHTMARE IN CARRICKFERGUS

Last modified on 2009-07-25 13:53:07 GMT. 0 comments. Top.

Posted 29th October 2001
By Andy Dennehy
CARRICK FERGUS KNIGHTS 12 – 16 DUBLIN REBELS
SUNDAY 28th October 2001
Venue: Woodburn Road, Carrickfergus
REPORT:
Hands down, the best game of the season thus far. Much was at stake: pride, the top spot on the league table, the knowledge that Carrickfergus can be beaten.

Excellent football was seen on both sides of the ball. At first, both defences, who began this match without a score conceded all season, dominated. A 90-yard punt return from Dublin’s Brian Dennehy put the Rebels ahead and changed the momentum of the game very much in their favour. The Knights defence later responded with an interception and returning a fumbled punt snap for a touchdown that wasn’t converted. At the half-time whistle the Rebels still possessed the momentum but both offences needed a severe change of tactics.

So it was that Carrickfergus bludgeoned the ball right up the middle over and over on a perfectly-executed drive in the 3rd quarter ending in a score by Knights FB from fifteen yards out to make it 12-8. Again the touchdown was not converted.

Similar tactics governed the Rebels offence and the game got down and dirty with most of the action happening at the line of scrimmage. QB Paddy Blood settled down and his play-calling took on a more calculated format: running mercilessly up the middle then loosing the odd, unexpected pass to either WR Show or Brian Martin. On one such occasion in the 4th quarter, Martin managed to turn a simple hitch pattern into a 50 yard TD, shrugging off four tackles in an impressive display of the power of individual effort. The Rebels regained the lead with only a few minutes to go.

With less than two minutes left the Knights entered Dublin’s redzone after Knights QB connected on a series of passes to move the ball quickly from their own 20-yard line. Sturdy work from the defensive line and linebackers managed to neutralise the threat and the Rebels regained the ball on their own 2-yard line, needing only to kneel and watch the clock run down.

The end result was Rebels16, Knights 12. This was the first time the Rebels ever beat the Knights and a massive confidence booster. Special mention to the entire Rebels offensive line for some kick-ass blocks, especially in the 2nd half. Paraic Reddington made a big impact in linebacker and deserves a mention for some solid tackles and vision. Brian Martin made that sexy sideline run that signed, sealed and laminated the game for Dublin.