Sporting excellence continues to be at the forefront at University of Limerick as the UL Vikings American Football team notched up a perfect season for 2023 to secure that all-important return to the Premier Division of Ireland’s fastest-growing sport
While claiming a number of titles along the way, the Vikings went undefeated, winning the Intervarsity’s last November against UCD and Trinity, and then went on 10 game winning streak during the season to finally win the Division 1 Bowl earlier this month in a thrilling defensive match-up against Louth Mavericks played at Garryowen FC.
According to coaching and backroom staff, the season was not a smooth one with the Vikings having to overcome adversity with particularly close games vs the Dublin Rhinos and Louth Mavericks.
However, with the final played in Limerick against the Mavericks, UL Vikings dug deep in what was an extremely tight defensive affair with the teams still scoreless early in the 3rd quarter before the match was interrupted by a lightning delay.
Once play resumed, the break and lightning strike seemed to have energised the Vikings' Offence by allowing quarterback Fin O’Donovan to drive the team down the field with Aidan Maher diving over the line for the only touchdown of the game.
The standout unit of the final was the Vikings Defence, featuring quarterback-sacking Rob Browne, Adam Ward and Adam Keane who were adding to Louth Mavericks' wows by making three key interceptions as a result of the pressure applied by the Vikings.
The game finished 6-2 but was an intense and entertaining battle played out in front of a large and loud home crowd.
With the win, the UL Vikings won promotion to the Premier Division of American Football in Ireland and are aiming to get back to the Shamrock Bowl over the coming years.
Rob Browne will feature in the upcoming European Championship game with the Irish Wolfhounds taking on Turkey in MTU Stadium on August 5next.
Another milestone for the club this year is the participation of Catherine Wallace at Defensive End, the first kitted female participant of the sport for the Vikings.
The coaching staff acknowledged that “Cat has been a great addition to the squad and has contributed hugely to the club both on and off the field. We also held flag football training and games on campus for the first time in years and that saw mixed teams take the field and a big increase in female participation in the club and sport.”
Closer to home and coming up next month is the European Flag Football Championships which UL is hosting from August 18 to 20, featuring the top national men's and women's teams from across Europe.
This will be the largest American Football event hosted in Ireland in the history of the sport.
Flag Football has recently been added to the Olympics so the level of competition will be intense with teams vying for the Championship as well as future Olympic qualification.
A former UL Viking quarterback and graduate of BSc in Applied Maths Raymond Burke is captaining the Irish Wolfhounds Mens Team for the event.
UL Vikings 2023 Roster
Sean Grace, Environmental Science
Adam O'Mahony, Law Plus
Adam Keane, Design and Manufacture Engineering
Josh Ryan, Bachelor of Business
Fin O'Donovan, Bachelor Education with Chemistry and Physics
Cealan O'Neill, Law Plus
Kieran Gilhool, School of Medicine
Daniel Aidan Quilter, MA TESOL
Conor Kelly, Law Plus
Martin Rothschild, LLB Law Plus
Kurt Mackey, BBS
Adam Ward, Aircraft Maintenance and Airworthiness Engineering
Aidan Maher, Construction Management and Engineering
Robert Browne, Aeronautical Engineering
Jake Kelly, Sport and Exercise Science
Cathal D'Arcy, Business Studies w/German
Dennis Wang, Software Development: International Systems
Karl Mallon, Technology Education Engineering
John Cannon, Mechanical Engineering
Christopher O'Mahony, Biomolecular Science
John O'Dwyer, Bachelor of Engineering
Joseph Maguire, Bachelor of Business Studies
James Pelham-Burn, Computer Systems
Eoin Fahey, Financial Maths
Reece Moloney, Financial Maths
Oisin Walsh, Criminal Justice
William Campbell, Sport and Exercise Science
Catherine Wallace, Bachelor of Physiotherapy
Daniel Candon, Law Plus
Coaching Staff
Darragh O'Callaghan, Head Coach
Liam Ryan, Offensive Coordinator
Glen Carr, Defensive Coordinator
Barry O'Connell, Running Backs Coach
Liam Hayes, Linebackers Coach
Rui Almedia, Defensive Backs Coach
Mark Thompson, Offensive Line Coach