Irish American Football: Road to Shamrock Bowl XXVIII – Part 3: Trinity College Dublin

| American Football | 07/26/2014

Rob McDowell & Dan Finnamore in action in Santry this season. Photo by Charisse Mae Ducao

[su_dropcap]W[/su_dropcap]ith the first semi final preview done and dusted, we move swiftly  on to the remaining two teams, beginning with the undefeated, Trinity College Dublin. TCD have had a terrific year, winning each of their 8 games and putting up some impressive scores on offense. They have tallied up 270 points this season, averaging over 33 points a game, helping them seal the number 1 seed heading into the playoff’s. With a young, quick and athletic side, Trinity have a squad capable to match anybody and will prove to be the team to beat this year.

REGULAR SEASON

Trinity started with the annual College Bowl game when they defeated rivals, UL Vikings 34-9 in a tough season opener. Hard fought victories against the Rhinos, Knights and Cowboys put TCD in a strong position before their journey up to Belfast to take on the reigning champions, the Trojans. A close encounter was separated by 3 blockbuster touchdowns, by none other than Rob McDowell, who guided Trinity to an 18-0 victory against the current champions. Dominant displays against Waterford Wolves and the North Kildare Reapers put Trinity on pace to top the division and claim the top seeding in the Shamrock Bowl Conference.

KEY PLAYERS

  • RB Rob McDowell: With 16 rushing TD’s, 2 Special Teams TD’s and numerous MVP awards, the newly christened ‘Human Highlight Reel’ had a season to remember!
  • QB Dan Finnamore: Finnamore’s move from Drogheda Lightning transformed Trinity’s offense this year. In his debut season, he topped the passing charts as the highest scoring Quarterback with 18 TD’s.
  • WR Daniel Murphy: Trinity posses several threats at receiver, with Alex Gurnee and David Lunn contributing to numerous scores. However, Murphy finished top out of the TCD receivers with 6 receptions.
  • Offensive Line: The offensive line worked tirelessly all season. They have played a key role in Trinity’s performances, allowing Finnamore consistent time in the pocket and should be credited for their efforts as a unit.

POST SEASON

By clinching the Southern Division, Trinity bypassed the wildcard round and went straight through to the semi final stage. The second game on July 27th will pit two of Dublin’s strongest sides against each other as TCD take on the Dublin Rebels in Westmanstown. After impressing throughout the regular season, there will be a strong belief in the Trinity College camp that they can transfer their good form into the playoff’s, to ensure they reach their first ever Shamrock Bowl final. The Rebels will prove to be a difficult opposition, but if Trinity can perform to the level they have been playing all season, then this game could swing in the students favor.

The game kicks off at 3pm, at Garda RFC in Westmanstown, Dublin.

Scott is an aspiring Sports Journalist who enjoys writing about all things American Football. He is a regular contributor to AFI Review and also writes for both NFL Ireland and Double Coverage, and currently plays for the Belfast Trojans. He also