THE Donegal/Derry Vipers have just concluded their first season in the Irish American Football League.Playing in IAFL 2, the Vipers won one of their six games, on the final day of the campaign last Sunday when they defeated Galway Warriors 17-6 at St Mary’s College.
Here, Vipers running back Dermot Brown reviews the season. Thanks to Dean Cullen for the excellent images.
Everyone has read about how the team has come together through the tireless work of people like Cathal Curran, Freida Gallagher, the coach Jason Brock, the club chairman Shaun McGrory, Martin McNamee and James Fox .
Game One, April 19th: Donegal/Derry Vipers 0 Belfast Trojans 72
Anticipation grew to fever pitch in the build up to game day and when it arrived it was nothing short of disastrous for the Vipers.
The quarterback situation was adjusted and Minnesota man Nic Young took the reins in the fourth quarter showing glimpses of his skills making a few completions in what was simply a damage limitation quarter for the Vipers.
The Vipers also lost two key players on both sides of the ball during the game – Richard Meenan on the first kick return and Rhys Lewis later in the game. Both men will hopefully be in the trenches next season.
The fallout from this game left everyone deflated and questioning their role in this league.
Was it all for show? How could they hang with the big boys if they couldn’t score points?
In the coming weeks players like Colm Kelly and Paddy McGuire became leaders in the ranks.
Young began figuring how to move the chains with the players at his disposal. Running back Gearoid MacGabhain and fullback Dermot Brown where introduced as the one-two punch that would end up churning out plenty of yards to leave teams quaking.
Game Two, May 17th: Donegal/Derry Vipers 20 Belfast Trojans 53
The lads knew here what it was all about after their opening day baptism of fire.
Belfast opened the scoring, but the Vipers paid no heed. After Belfast’s kick off and MacGabhann’s subsequent return, the Vipers began the drive. Young handed the ball off to Brown, who ran into daylight, taking the ball 17 yards down the pitch, a quick pitch out to MacGabhann on the left side straight after this took the ball a further 40 yards.
Young threw a completion to the tight end, Mark Grey, who gladly picked the ball out of the air and scored the Vipers first ever touchdown.
The Vipers MacGabhann into the far corner.
The play from Young was outstanding throughout the game, a far cry from the stagnant play in the first game.
He hit receivers Thomas Comiskey and Eugene McLaughlin with ease in the second half for long gains and kept a cool head in the pocket provided to him by the revitalised offensive-line.
However, it was the more polished Trojans who took the win.
Game Three, May 24th: Donegal Derry Vipers 26 South Kildare Soldiers 54
The game started fast and furious and a field goal from the soldiers put the first points on the board.
An onside kick and recovery by the Soldiers followed by a touchdown took the Vipers by surprise.
Vipers recorded touchdowns with receiver Gary Melly being hit on a quick route across the middle, by McGabhann, assisted in the run game by Johnny Lynch at fullback and Young, who scored two rushing touchdowns on the day.
High hopes brought into the game from the Belfast game were wiped out as some tough lessons were learned.
Game 4 June 7th: Donegal/Derry Vipers 7 South Kildare Soldiers 12
The Vipers were revitalised by returning players John Laverty and Eamonn Quinn in defence along with Brown in offense.
Both teams struggled to get any kind of offence going this time around and it was the defences that came up big.
Another pick from defensive captain Maguire set up the offense to score, with Young again on the score sheet for another touchdown.
An unbelievable catch from a Soldier receiver in the end zone was all that stopped the Vipers from winning.
The game was marred by an incident in which Viper centre Barry O’Kane was hit late sustaining a severe knee injury, the third Viper to do so. O’Kane will make a full recovery.
This was a game in which we all knew that things were changing and the win was coming.
It was only a matter of time…
Game 5 June 21st: Donegal/Derry Vipers 15 Galway Warriors 21
Quarter-back Young got the offense rolling with some quick runs up the gut with MacGabhann and Brown on form as well as tight ends Grey and Kelly.
The defence was at full capacity for the first time.
Tackles on third down where recorded by safety Coilin McGinley and corner back Eamonn Quinn.
Niall Lyons put his body on the line stopping the Galway running back for big money in the corner.
The Warriors got a score in the first quarter and third quarters running the ball often and keeping the ball out of Nic Young’s hands.
Galway kicked off after their last score, which was returned by Melly who fumbled, but corner back Liam Doherty fell on the ball.
This set up a 70-yard drive where the line dominated the Galway defence and finished with Brown pounding it in from five yards.
When the offensive took over and, on second down, Young hit receiver Comiskey on a 45-yard hook up for the next score with Young adding two points after.
After another outstanding display from Laverty and Lyons on the D-Line, the offense took off on another inspired clock management drive towards the Galway end zone, but the clock was against them as Galway hung on.
This game was by far the most complete and inspired performance of the season so far for the Vipers.
Game 6 July 12th: Donegal/Derry Vipers 17 Galway Warriors 6
A now polished team on both sides of the ball went to work quickly with ruthless runs up the gut from Brown and scathing bursts of speed from MacGabhann around the outside taking the ball 60 yards on the first drive.
Here, Melly converted a field goal from 45 yards.
Defensive end Niall Doherty made consecutive tackles to stop Galway on downs giving the ball back to the offence in the next phase.
Offensive line newcomer and Florida native Jonbrad Duncan stood up well to the onslaught of a full size Galway defensive line.
Brown took the big hits over the middle giving Young time to make the completions the biggest being to the tight end Grey on a 3rd and 15 extending the drive.
This drive was run in from 50 yards after great work from Duncan and Mc Grory brought the score to 10-0 at the half.
Galway brought the score to within three points at the end of the third quarter, but the Vipers stuck to the game plan.
Brown made the tough yards up the middle and MacGabhann ran another long one in after Johnny Ferguson parted the Galway defence.
MacGabhann finished the day with over 150 yards rushing and two scores, while Brown made a respectable 55.
The Vipers now only had to run down the clock down for the win – and they did just that.
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