THE DONEGAL-DERRY VIPERS got their IAFL 2 season off to a winning start at Drumahoe last Sunday against the Razorbacks Football NI.
Donegal-Derry Vipers 27-0 Razorbacks Football NI
Report: Derm Brown
So the first game is complete and it was an interesting one to behold, one team full of eager rookies aiming to plant their own flag this season the other team full of seasoned veterans who knew more and in the end it came down to a war of attrition which went in the Vipers favour.
Photo caption: Donegal-Derry Vipers running-back Derm Brown celebrates the team’s victory on the opening day of the IAFL2 season against Razorbacks Football NI at Drumahoe in Derry last Sunday. All Photos: Dean Cullen
The game started slow, an early injury scare for elusive Viper Running Back Gareth Gavin set the pace for the first ten minutes of the game, he was taken off to receive treatment but would later return.
The Donegal-Derry Vipers before their season opener last Sunday in Derry
Both teams headed into quick three and outs, the Viper offense sputtered out of the gates having a 40-yard run by Full Back Derm Brown brought back for a holding penalty and the Hogs Offense being quickly stamped on by the newly beefed up Vipers defence.
The Vipers scored on their second possession, Kyle Mc Ananey, standing in at running back for the banged up Gareth Gavin took a crisp handoff from Quarterback Nic Young to pound it in from five yards.
The Donegal-Derry Vipers and the exchange pleasantries last Sunday with their opponents, Razorbacks Football NI
The Viper defence dominated at the line of scrimmage, the defensive line had standout performances from Darren Quinn and Peter Pharell who where never far away from the Razorback’s QB.
Kyle Mc Ananey and Niall Lyons at Linebacker where constantly disrupting play and laid out more than enough players for the rest of the team combined.
The Vipers where on top in all three phases of the game, this being the ground game, through the air and special teams, the ground game was headed by Fullback Brown with over 100 yards rushing and a score although the patched up Gavin was close behind him a score of his own.
Black Swan of the Donegal-Derry Vipers in the endzone for his team last Sunday
QB Nic Young was able to hit four different receivers for 80 yards, a quiet day for the Minnesota native, however with a strong smash style running game he could rest that cannon arm of his.
The Hogs coughed the ball up too many times and punished accordingly, at least four fumbles and a gallant leap from Viper Safety Stephen Henderson on an interception lost the lads from Belfast the chance to put points up on this, their baptism of fire in the IAFL 2.
QB Nic Young used the QB sneak trick play to score, Maitis Mac Ceallabhui, the youngest Viper on the field and perhaps the bravest in one on one tackling, showed time and again guys much bigger and heavier than him how to make big plays on the defence.
All in all the Hogs are a new team, very raw but they have a few playmakers in there that will bring them some success in the future, they can only be blamed for the turnovers, the rookie mistakes and trying to take on a better drilled team in the Viper pit.
The Vipers have a few things to work on now in the next few weeks before their grudge match with the Galway Warriors, the O-line needs some tightening and with better modes of communication set up, good things are not that far away for this group, the defence is a mean machine that looks set to take the team as a whole forward this season. Roll on May for the red and gold.
