AFI Championship Weekend Preview
It’s officially bowl season in the world of Irish American football, as the championship game double header returns to Dubarry Park Athlone for another edition on Saturday, July 18th.
First up at 12 noon, the Northwest Vipers and South Dublin Panthers will square off in the Harp Bowl. The Division One title decider will be a tightly contested affair, with both sides boasting high octane offenses and stingy defensive play. The two sides clashed way back in week one, with the Panthers emerging victorious with a 19-0 win. Head Coach of the Dublin side Ian Cahill spoke with pride about what his team have achieved this season, but remains attuned to the job that still remains:
“We are delighted that as a team we have earned the right to play one more week of football” He told Gaelic Gridiron
“As a team we have set internal standards and those standards have kept rising throughout the season. We expect that to continue this weekend. We are expecting a tough battle this weekend from the Vipers who are a well coached, physical team who play for one another as well as their coach.
That being said, we continue to expect our standards to rise as we enter the final game of the season and we are excited to show that in the Harp Bowl”
The Panthers are a side far removed from the depths of hell they endured in their previous Premier Division campaign, largely dominating their way to a 7-1 regular season record and mauling the Minotaurs in a one sided playoff bout. If they can earn a win on Sunday and carry this momentum back to the top flight in 2027 then they could be a force to be reckoned with next season.
For the Vipers, Saturday will be a historic moment in club history, as they aim to unleash the venom in their first major championship game. In fact, their first and only trophy came back in 2016 when they claimed glory against the Wexford Eagles in the Division 2 final.
It’s worth mentioning as well that they previously advanced as far as the semi final in 2018, before ultimately falling to the Rhinos. It was the same team once again who were almost their undoing this time around, pushing them right to the wire in a thrilling final four tilt.
At 4pm then, we have the main event as the Belfast Trojans and Louth Mavericks clash in the Shamrock Bowl.
The Raging Bulls enjoyed unparalleled success in their first year back in the premier division since 2017, with their lone loss coming against the reigning champions in a game that could have gone either way. Their potent offense led by Ty Henry and Fin O’Donovan has been nigh on impossible to slow down, and having previously faced the Trojans they will be fully prepared for this winner takes all showdown.
Belfast likewise cruised through their regular season with relative ease, and rarely needed to get out of third or fourth gear. Their only real challenges came in the aforementioned tilt with the Mavericks, and when UCD gave them a bit of a fright in the semi final.
“Winning a championship is difficult. Defending one is even harder” said club president Hassan Jaafar.
Following last year’s success, there was only one option: improve. Our players, coaches, and Board committed themselves to raising the bar once again
As we entered the playoffs, our message to the team was Leave No Doubt.
Leave no doubt through our preparation. Leave no doubt through our discipline. Leave no doubt through our commitment to one another.”
It’s really too close to call either of these games (especially the Harp Bowl!) and I don’t want to damage any egos, but fan consensus was with the Panthers and Mavericks and that’s all I’ll say on the matter!
Regardless of the outcome on Saturday, each team has undoubtedly earned the right to compete for a championship. It’s going to be a hugely entertaining day of Irish American football, and if you are even remotely interested in the sport, I encourage you to come down and have a look. Tickets are available now from https://americanfootball.ie/secure-your-tickets-for-the-2026-championship-doubleheader/ and I’ll see you all there!