The University of Limerick Vikings American football team continued their unbeaten season in the Shamrock Bowl Conference on Sunday with a 28 – 22 win away to the defending champion Dublin Rebels.
The Vikings got the perfect start scoring off the opening drive after a rushing touchdown from running back Adam O’ Mahony but failed to convert the 2 point conversion to leave the score at 6-0. The Rebels made an immediate reply and scored a touchdown of their own to level the score.
The battle of the offences continued as the Vikings scored their second touchdown of the game with a pass to to H-Back Richie Cronin in the corner of the end zone and another failed 2 point conversion left the scores at 12 – 6. The Vikings defence ended on a high blocking a field goal attempt to kept their lead into the break.
Vikings defence started the second half with the same intensity and manage to turnover the play with an interception by defensive Lineman Darren Gleeson. The Vikings offence took full advantage of the turnover with a rushing touchdown by quarterback Raymond Burke and a rushing 2 point conversion also by Burke.
The Rebels weren’t willing to give up their unbeaten run without a fight and were quick to respond as they scored their second touchdown of the game and with the 2 point successful the score was now 20-14.
With the game in the melting pot Vikings scored again with another rushing touchdown from Raymond and with a 2 point conversion pass to Wide Reciever Sean Goldrick, the Vikings were up by 14 coming into the 4th quarter.
As was the theme of this titanic match up the Rebels didn’t give up as a late score kept them in the game. However the rebels were unsuccessful in getting that illusive touch down. The Vikings offence go the ball back and with the score being too close the Vikings decided to kneel the ball and close out the game.
Both these teams will face off on the final day of the season in Limerick but all focus now goes to the Vikings next game away to the Belfast Trojans on June 11th where they aim to make it 6 wins from 6
