{{Short description|Irish American football championship game}} {{About|the current AFI Championship Game|the historical AAFC game|All-America Football Conference All-Star Game}} {{EngvarB|date=June 2018}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}} {{Infobox sports award | name = Shamrock Bowl | image = | image_size = | alt = | caption = | sport = American football | competition = | givenfor = Playoff champion of American Football Ireland (AFI) | sponsor = | country = Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland | first = 1986 | last = | firstwinner = Craigavon Cowboys | mostwins = Dublin Rebels (10) | mostrecent = Belfast Trojans (6th) | url = }} The '''Shamrock Bowl''' is the championship game of the American Football Ireland (AFI), the highest level of American football on the island of Ireland, culminating a season that begins in March of the current calendar season. The Shamrock Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, similar to the Super Bowl.
The reigning champions are the Belfast Trojans, who beat UCD 27-0 at Dubarry Park to win Shamrock Bowl XXXVII.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The 2025 champions have been decided |website=American Football Ireland |url=https://www.americanfootball.ie/the-2025-champions-have-been-decided/ |date=2025-07-14 |access-date=2025-07-19}}</ref>
==History== From 1986 to 1999, the Shamrock Bowl served as the championship game of the Irish American Football League (IAFL). This era was dominated by a handful of teams—namely the Craigavon Cowboys, Dublin Celts, Dublin Tornadoes, and Carrickfergus Knights—with at least one of these four teams appearing in every final and each securing multiple titles.<ref name="JourneyToThirty">[https://www.americanfootball.ie/journey-to-thirty/ Journey to Thirty – American Football Ireland]</ref>
Following the re-establishment of the competition under the Irish American Football Association (since rebranded as American Football Ireland) in 2001, the landscape of the Shamrock Bowl shifted. This modern era has been defined by the dominance of several programs, most notably the Dublin Rebels, who have secured a record 10 titles, and the Belfast Trojans, who have claimed the championship 6 times.
The format of the American Football Ireland (AFI) playoffs has varied over the years but generally involves the top-ranked teams from the Premier Division competing in a postseason bracket. As of 2025, the current format features a four-team playoff, with semifinal matches hosted at the home fields of the top two seeds. The winners advance to the Shamrock Bowl, which is played at a neutral venue as part of a triple-header championship event that also includes the Division 1 Harp Bowl and the women's flag football Claddagh Bowl.<ref>{{cite web |title=2025 AFI Season Preview |url=https://gaelicgridiron.com/2025/02/19/2025-afi-season-preview/ |website=Gaelic Gridiron |date=2025-02-19 |access-date=2025-05-12}}</ref><ref name="UCPRoadToAthlone">[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mv5bTI-5LUY UCP | AFI Weekly | The Road to Athlone is Set! – YouTube]</ref><ref name="GaelicGridironChamp2025">[https://gaelicgridiron.com/2025/07/14/afi-championship-preview-2025/ AFI Championship Preview – Gaelic Gridiron (14 July 2025)]</ref>
==Results== {| class="wikitable" !No. !! Year !! Date !! Winner !! Result !! Runner-up !! Venue !! MVP !! Position !! References |- | I || 1986 || 5 October 1986 | Craigavon Cowboys ||style="text-align:center;"| '''6–2''' || Dublin Celts || St Mary's RFC Templeville road Dublin || Nigel Trimble || Running back || <ref name="LuckyShowShamrock">{{cite web |title=Shamrock Bowl |url=http://www.luckyshow.org/football/Shamrock%20Bowl.htm |website=Luckyshow.org |access-date=2025-05-23}}</ref><ref name="EirballShamrockBowls">{{cite web |title=American Football Ireland Shamrock Bowls 1986–Present |url=https://eirball.ie/american-football-ireland-shamrock-bowls-1986-present/ |website=Eirball.ie |access-date=2025-05-23}}</ref><ref name="EirballShamrockBoxScores">{{cite web |title=Shamrock Bowls Box-Scores and Match Reports 1986–Present |url=https://eirball.ie/shamrock-bowls-box-scores-and-match-reports-1986-present/ |website=Eirball.ie |access-date=2025-05-23}}</ref><ref name="CraigavonCowboysHoF">{{cite web |title=Craigavon Cowboys Hall of Fame |url=https://www.craigavoncowboys.co.uk/hall-of-fame.html |website=Craigavon Cowboys |access-date=2025-05-23}}</ref> |- | II || 1987 || | Dublin Celts ||style="text-align:center;"| '''43–25''' || Craigavon Cowboys || North RFC Belfast || || || <ref name="LuckyShowShamrock"/><ref name="EirballShamrockBowls"/> |- | III || 1988 || | Dublin Celts ||style="text-align:center;"| '''34–6'''{{0}} || Belfast Blitzers || Terenure College RFC || || || <ref name="LuckyShowShamrock"/><ref name="EirballShamrockBowls"/> |- | IV || 1989 || 5 November 1989 | Dublin Celts ||style="text-align:center;"| '''7–6''' || Antrim Bulldogs || Musgrave Park Belfast || || || <ref name="LuckyShowShamrock"/><ref name="EirballShamrockBowls"/><ref name="EirballShamrockBoxScores"/> |- | rowspan="2" | V<ref group=note name=c>The 1990 Shamrock Bowl is disputed between the Craigavon Cowboys and the Dublin Celts. In 1990, the Celts elected to play in the second tier of the BAFL as well as playing unofficially against Irish teams. Meanwhile, the Cowboys won the Irish league competition, defeating the Belfast Spartans 31-6 in the final on August 11. At the end of the season, a match was organised between the Cowboys and Celts, which the Celts won 40-0.</ref> | rowspan="2" | 1990 | 11 August 1990 | Craigavon Cowboys | 31–6 | Belfast Spartans | Goodyear sports and conference centre, Craigavon | | | <ref name="Eirball1990">{{Cite web |title=Irish American Football Association Irish League and League of Ireland 1990 |website=Eirball |publisher=Eirball.ie |url=https://eirball.ie/irish-american-football-association-irish-league-and-league-of-ireland-1990/ |access-date=17 September 2025}}</ref> |- | 1 September 1990 | Dublin Celts | 40–0 | Craigavon Cowboys | Goodyear sports and conference centre, Craigavon | | | <ref name="LuckyShowShamrock"/><ref name="EirballShamrockBowls"/><ref name="Eirball1990" /> |- | VI || 1991 || | Dublin Celts ||style="text-align:center;"| '''44–0'''{{0}} || Antrim Bulldogs || Drogheda RFC Drogheda Co. Louth || || || <ref name="LuckyShowShamrock"/><ref name="EirballShamrockBowls"/> |- | VII || 1992 || | Craigavon Cowboys ||style="text-align:center;"| '''14–6'''{{0}} || Antrim Bulldogs || Cooke Rugby Club, Belfast || || || <ref name="LuckyShowShamrock"/><ref name="EirballShamrockBowls"/> |- | VIII || 1993 || | Dublin Tornadoes ||style="text-align:center;"| '''22–2'''{{0}} || Dublin Celts || Iveagh Grounds || || || <ref name="LuckyShowShamrock"/><ref name="EirballShamrockBowls"/> |- | IX || 1994 || | Dublin Tornadoes ||style="text-align:center;"| '''21–15''' || Carrickfergus Knights || Pat Jennings Park, Newry, Co Down || || || <ref name="LuckyShowShamrock"/><ref name="EirballShamrockBowls"/> |- | X || 1995 || | Dublin Tornadoes ||style="text-align:center;"| '''34–12''' || Carrickfergus Knights || Islandbridge, Dublin || Tornadoes offensive line (shared) || Offensive line || <ref name="LuckyShowShamrock"/><ref name="EirballShamrockBowls"/><ref name="EirballShamrockBoxScores"/> |- | XI || 1996 || | Dublin Lightning ||style="text-align:center;"| '''26–8'''{{0}} || Dublin Tornadoes || St. Marys RFC, Dublin || || || <ref name="LuckyShowShamrock"/><ref name="EirballShamrockBowls"/> |- | XII || 1997 || | Carrickfergus Knights ||style="text-align:center;"| '''21–0'''{{0}} || Dublin Bulls || Queens University Belfast || || ||<ref name="LuckyShowShamrock"/><ref name="EirballShamrockBowls"/> |- | XIII || 1998 || 30 August 1998 | Carrickfergus Knights ||style="text-align:center;"| '''22–14''' || Dublin Tigers || Woodburn Playing Fields, Carrickfergus || || || <ref name="LuckyShowShamrock"/><ref name="EirballShamrockBowls"/> |- | XIV || 1999 || 29 August 1999 | Dublin Tigers ||style="text-align:center;"| '''22–6'''{{0}} || Carrickfergus Knights || Sportslink, Santry, Dublin || || || <ref name="LuckyShowShamrock"/><ref name="EirballShamrockBowls"/> |- | {{n/a}} || 2000 ||colspan="7" style="text-align:center;"| ''not played'' || <ref name="LuckyShowShamrock"/><ref name="EirballShamrockBowls"/> |- | XV || 2001 || 16 December 2001 || Dublin Rebels ||style="text-align:center;"| '''28–7'''{{0}} || Carrickfergus Knights || Woodburn Playing Fields, Carrickfergus || Brian Dennehy || Running back || <ref name="LuckyShowShamrock"/><ref name="EirballShamrockBowls"/> |- | XVI || 2002 || 16 June 2002 | Carrickfergus Knights ||style="text-align:center;"| '''66–0'''{{0}} || UL Vikings || University Bowl, Limerick || || || <ref name="LuckyShowShamrock"/><ref name="EirballShamrockBowls"/> |- | XVII || 2003 || 10 August 2003 | Dublin Rebels ||style="text-align:center;"| '''24–12''' || Carrickfergus Knights || JJ McDowell Memorial Ground, Dublin || Brian Dennehy || Running back || <ref name="LuckyShowShamrock"/><ref name="EirballShamrockBowls"/><ref name="EirballShamrockBoxScores"/> |- | XVIII || 2004 || 29 August 2004 | Dublin Rebels ||style="text-align:center;"| '''24–22''' || Carrickfergus Knights || Dr. Hickey Park, Greystones|| || || <ref name="LuckyShowShamrock"/><ref name="EirballShamrockBowls"/> |- | XIX || 2005 || 28 August 2005 | Dublin Rebels ||style="text-align:center;"| '''26–19''' || Belfast Bulls || Grafton Arena, Deramore Park, Belfast || Andrew Dennehy || Quarterback ||<ref name="LuckyShowShamrock"/><ref name="EirballShamrockBowls"/> |- | XX || 2006 || 20 August 2006 | Dublin Rebels ||style="text-align:center;"| '''44–12''' || UL Vikings || Sportslink, Dublin || Ross McCooey || Linebacker || <ref name="LuckyShowShamrock"/><ref name="EirballShamrockBowls"/> |- | XXI || 2007 || 29 July 2007 | UL Vikings ||style="text-align:center;"| '''22–14''' || Cork Admirals || UL Sports Ground, Limerick || Seamus Hogan || Running Back/Safety ||<ref name="LuckyShowShamrock"/><ref name="EirballShamrockBowls"/><ref name="EirballShamrockBoxScores"/> |- | XXII || 2008 || 10 August 2008 | UL Vikings ||style="text-align:center;"| '''14–12''' || Dublin Rebels || CIT Stadium, Cork || Adrian Garvey || Running Back || <ref name="LuckyShowShamrock"/><ref name="EirballShamrockBowls"/><ref name="EirballShamrockBoxScores"/> |- | XXIII || 2009 || 9 August 2009 | UL Vikings ||style="text-align:center;"| '''9–6(OT)''' || Dublin Rebels || Cooke Rugby Club, Belfast || Adrian Garvey || Running Back || <ref name="LuckyShowShamrock"/><ref name="EirballShamrockBowls"/> |- | XXIV || 2010 || 7 August 2010 | Dublin Rebels ||style="text-align:center;"| '''15–0'''{{0}} || UL Vikings || Tallaght Stadium, Dublin || Brian Carter || Safety || <ref name="LuckyShowShamrock"/><ref name="EirballShamrockBowls"/> |- | XXV || 2011 || 31 July 2011 | Dublin Rebels ||style="text-align:center;"| '''14–13''' || UL Vikings || Morton Stadium, Dublin || Marcus Naylor || Safety || <ref name="LuckyShowShamrock"/><ref name="EirballShamrockBowls"/> |- | XXVI || 2012 || 14 July 2012 | Belfast Trojans ||style="text-align:center;"| '''16–14''' || UL Vikings || Tallaght Stadium, Dublin || Neil Mongomery || Fullback || <ref name="LuckyShowShamrock"/><ref name="EirballShamrockBowls"/> |- | XXVII || 2013 || 20 July 2013 | Belfast Trojans ||style="text-align:center;"| '''48–18''' || Dublin Rebels || Tallaght Stadium, Dublin || Neil Montgomery || Fullback ||<ref name="LuckyShowShamrock"/><ref name="EirballShamrockBowls"/> |- | XXVIII || 2014 || 10 August 2014 | Belfast Trojans ||style="text-align:center;"| '''7–0''' || Trinity College || Tallaght Stadium, Dublin || Connor Whitla || Linebacker || <ref name="LuckyShowShamrock"/><ref name="EirballShamrockBowls"/> |- | XXIX || 2015 || 9 August 2015 | Belfast Trojans ||style="text-align:center;"| '''28–14''' || Trinity College || Dalymount Park, Dublin || Dave Colvin || Running Back || <ref name="LuckyShowShamrock"/><ref name="EirballShamrockBowls"/> |- | XXX || 2016 || 7 August 2016 | Dublin Rebels ||style="text-align:center;"| '''12–7'''{{0}} || Belfast Trojans || Tallaght Stadium, Dublin || Conrad Cook || Linebacker || <ref name="LuckyShowShamrock"/><ref name="EirballShamrockBowls"/> |- | XXXI || 2017 || 13 August 2017 | Dublin Rebels ||style="text-align:center;"| '''12–6'''{{0}} || Carrickfergus Knights || Tallaght Stadium, Dublin || Wellington Omorodion || Running Back || <ref name="LuckyShowShamrock"/><ref name="EirballShamrockBowls"/> |- |- | XXXII || 2018 || 19 August 2018 | Cork Admirals ||style="text-align:center;"| '''18–16''' || Dublin Rebels || Tallaght Stadium, Dublin || Harris Monaghan || Linebacker || <ref name="LuckyShowShamrock"/><ref name="EirballShamrockBowls"/> |- |XXXIII || 2019 || 4 August 2019 |Belfast Trojans ||style="text-align:center;"|'''24–10''' || South Dublin Panthers || Energia Park, Donnybrook, Dublin || Thomas Morris || Wide receiver || <ref name="LuckyShowShamrock"/><ref name="EirballShamrockBowls"/> |- | {{n/a}} || 2020 ||colspan="7" style="text-align:center;"| ''not played'' || <ref name="LuckyShowShamrock"/><ref name="EirballShamrockBowls"/> |- |- | {{n/a}} || 2021 ||colspan="7" style="text-align:center;"| ''not played'' || <ref name="LuckyShowShamrock"/> |- |- |XXXIV || 2022 || 7 August 2022 | UCD American Football ||style="text-align:center;"|'''52–24''' || Dublin Rebels || Kingspan Stadium, Belfast || Tom Donovan || Wide receiver || <ref name="LuckyShowShamrock"/><ref name="GaelicGridiron2022PowerRankings">{{cite news |last=English |first=Jimmy |title=Irish American Football 2022 Premier Division Final Power Rankings |url=https://gaelicgridiron.com/2022/08/09/irish-american-football-2022-premier-division-final-power-rankings/ |work=Gaelic Gridiron |date=2022-08-09 |access-date=2025-05-23}}</ref> |- |- |XXXV || 2023 || 16 July 2023 | Dublin Rebels ||style="text-align:center;"|'''40–34''' || UCD American Football || MTU Stadium, Cork || Ty Henry || Quarterback || <ref name="LuckyShowShamrock"/><ref name="GaelicGridiron2024Preview">{{cite news |last=English |first=Jimmy |title=American Football Ireland 2024 Season Preview |url=https://gaelicgridiron.com/2024/02/16/american-football-ireland-season-preview-2024/ |work=Gaelic Gridiron |date=2024-02-16 |access-date=2025-05-23}}</ref> |- |- |XXXVI || 2024 || 28 July 2024 | UCD American Football ||style="text-align:center;"|'''36–14''' || Dublin Rebels || Dubarry Park, Athlone, Westmeath || Tom Donovan || Wide receiver || <ref name="LuckyShowShamrock"/><ref name="AFIShamrockBowlXXXVI">{{cite news |last=English |first=Jimmy |title=Ireland: University College Dublin capture Shamrock Bowl XXXVI with overwhelming win over Dublin Rebels |url=https://www.americanfootballinternational.com/ireland-university-college-dublin-capture-shamrock-bowl-xxxv-with-overwhelming-win-over-dublin-rebels/ |work=American Football International |date=2024-07-29 |access-date=2025-05-23}}</ref> |- |XXXVII || 2025 || 19 July 2025 | Belfast Trojans ||style="text-align:center;"|'''27–0''' || UCD American Football || Dubarry Park, Athlone, Westmeath || Rayshawn Boswell || Running Back ||<ref name="GaelicGridironChamp2025" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=The 2025 champions have been decided |website=American Football Ireland |url=https://www.americanfootball.ie/the-2025-champions-have-been-decided/ |date=2025-07-14 |access-date=2025-07-19}}</ref><ref name="ShamrockBowl2025">{{Cite web |last=Strange |first=Mark |date=2025-07-20 |title=Belfast Trojans win Shamrock Bowl after victory over UCD |website=The Irish News |url=https://www.irishnews.com/sport/belfast-trojans-win-shamrock-bowl-after-victory-over-ucd-ZUA5HHAOPZAGZKOBEHARHD42TE/ |access-date=2025-07-21}}</ref> |- |}
==Appearances by team== {|class="wikitable sortable" !Appearances !Team<ref group=note name=e>Bold indicate currently active team</ref> !Wins !Losses !Season(s)<ref group=note name=f>'''Bold''' years indicate winning seasons, ''italic'' years indicate games not yet played.</ref> |- |align="center"|16 |'''Dublin Rebels''' |align="center"|10 |align="center"|6 |'''2001''', '''2003''', '''2004''', '''2005''', '''2006''', 2008, 2009, '''2010''', '''2011''', 2013, '''2016''', '''2017''', 2018, 2022, '''2023''', 2024 |- |align="center"|10 |'''Carrickfergus Knights''' |align="center"|3 |align="center"|7 |1994, 1995, '''1997''', '''1998''', 1999, 2001, '''2002''', 2003, 2004, 2017 |- |align="center"|8 |'''UL Vikings''' |align="center"|3 |align="center"|5 |2002, 2006, '''2007''', '''2008''', '''2009''', 2010, 2011, 2012 |- | align="center" |7 |'''Belfast Trojans''' | align="center" |6 |align="center"|1 |'''2012''', '''2013''', '''2014''', '''2015''', 2016, '''2019''', '''2025''' |- |align="center"|7 |Dublin Celts |align="center"|5 |align="center"|2 |1986, '''1987''', '''1988''', '''1989''', '''1990'''<ref group=note name=c/>, '''1991''', 1993 |- |align="center"|4 |Dublin Tornadoes |align="center"|3 |align="center"|1 |'''1993''', '''1994''', '''1995''', 1996 |- |align="center"|4 |'''Craigavon Cowboys''' |align="center"|3 |align="center"|1 |'''1986''', 1987, '''1990'''<ref group=note name=c/>, '''1992''' |- |align="center"|4 |'''UCD American Football''' |align="center"|2 |align="center"|2 |'''2022''', 2023, '''2024''', 2025 |- |align="center"|3 |Antrim Bulldogs |align="center"|0 |align="center"|3 |1989, 1991, 1992 |- |align="center"|2 |'''Cork Admirals''' |align="center"|1 |align="center"|1 |2007, '''2018''' |- |align="center"|2 |Dublin Tigers |align="center"|1 |align="center"|1 |1998, '''1999''' |- |align="center"|2 |'''Trinity College''' |align="center"|0 |align="center"|2 |2014, 2015 |- |align="center"|1 |Dublin Lightning |align="center"|1 |align="center"|0 |'''1996''' |- |align="center"|1 |Belfast Blitzers |align="center"|0 |align="center"|1 |1988 |- |align="center"|1 |Dublin Bulls |align="center"|0 |align="center"|1 |1997 |- |align="center"|1 |Belfast Bulls |align="center"|0 |align="center"|1 |2005 |- |align="center"|1 |'''South Dublin Panthers''' |align="center"|0 |align="center"|1 |2019 |}
==Notes== {{Reflist|group=note}}
== References == {{reflist}}
==External links== * [http://www.americanfootball.ie AFI official website]
{{IAFL}}
Category:Shamrock Bowl Category:Irish American Football League Category:Recurring sporting events established in 1986 Category:1986 establishments in Ireland Category:American football bowls in Europe