2022 Irish American Football Highlights
Gaelic Gridiron’s 2022 Football Highlights
It’s hard to believe that 2022 is almost over – it seems like it’s flown by! College Football Playoffs are looming, the NFL isn’t far behind and on the domestic front, teams up and down the country will soon be kicking off their preseason programs, undoubtedly a few pounds heavier after the festive period!
There were many highlights for us here at Gaelic Gridiron, and we’ve picked a few of our favorites to recap below!
What was your football highlight this year? Let us know in the comments section!
UCD win the bowl
A new power emerged in Irish American football this year as UCD claimed their first ever Shamrock Bowl in a dominant display against the Dublin Rebels. UCD had been knocking on the door for the past couple of seasons, but never quite managed to secure a spot in the final. They finally made it to the top of the mountain last August, toppling a strong Rebel side in Belfast’s Kingspan stadium. UCD are a Shamrock Bowl dynasty waiting to happen, so don’t be shocked to see them in the Irish American football final game for years to come.
The Beer Snake
This year’s College Football Classic made the headlines across the pond in America, but not because of what transpired on the field. Instead, it was the distribution of free beer in the stadium, and the resulting multitier “Beer Snake” that garnered international attention. Nothing like good old free booze to reinforce the stereotype that we’re all a bunch of drunks over here. When the WiFi went down mid game, staff had no choice but to hand out pints for free, resulting in borderline pandemonium. And one of the most memorable college football games to take place in Ireland!
Irish Wolfhounds take on Team Spain
It was great to see Team Ireland back on the field after a long hiatus, and despite a defeat to Spain in Madrid back in October the Wolfhounds are without a doubt regaining the momentum they had been slowly building. Under the expert guidance of the legendary Coach Ciaran O’Sullivan, the Irish national American football team are poised to break out in 2023. There is no shortage of young talent coming through and we’re very excited to see what they do in the New Year!
Inside The Ten
One of my personal highlights of 2022 was the rebrand of our podcast Gaelic Gridiron TV, to Inside the Ten. The original Inside the Ten was a predecessor to Gaelic Gridiron, so it was a no brainer to keep the name. We’ve had some great episodes to date, chatting with the likes of John Beam and David Shanahan, and are working hard to get interviews with NFL players and Coaches set up for the New Year and beyond. You can stay up to date with all episodes by subscribing to our YouTube account here.
