Belfast Harlequins RFC input from players excelling across Western Europe on the Belfast Trojans
The Belfast Trojans are Atlantic Cup Champions after two impressive victories this weekend in Dublin.Teams from Ireland, Holland and Belgium played double-headers on Saturday and Sunday at Shamrock Rovers’ Tallaght Stadium.
On Saturday, the Trojans defeated Dutch outfit the Amersfoot Untouchables 30-6 in their semi-final, before a hard fought 26-0 win over fellow IAFL team Trinity College Dublin in the showpiece final.
The Trojans extended their unbeaten streak to 20 games with the double victory and next play the University of Limerick Vikings in the Shamrock Bowl semi-final on Sunday.
Belfast took an early lead against Amersfoot through Alex Newton before some trickery from the Dutchmen on a fake field goal drew the scores level. From there the Trojans took over, moving the ball at will, adding to their lead through Newton’s second, before quarterback James McKelvey found Chris McKeown and David Richardson with two passing scores.
In Saturday’s other semi-final TCD beat the Brussels Tigers 12-10 in an entertaining game, capped by a last minute-winning touchdown from the students.
In Sunday’s all-Irish final, the Trojans defence stepped up another level recording a shut out over the the SBC South Champions.
An early stalemate was broken as running back Neil Montgomery rumbled over from 15 yards, a lead Belfast would not relinquish.
It was 14-0 soon after. Rob Lyttle recovered a fumble to give the offence excellent field position, before McKelvey found David Colvin who came down with a contested ball and crossed for six.
In the second half the Trojans again dominated, the defence preventing TCD from getting in rhythm while the offence began to fire on all cylinders. At the end of the third quarter, the potent tandem of McKelvey and Richardson hooked up once again for another score through the air, before young tight end Callum Leckey hauled in another touchdown grab after a smart interception by linebacker Chris Weir.
The Trojans lifted the Atlantic Cup after a fantastic weekend of American Football in Ireland.
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