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| Established | 1986 |
|---|---|
| Based in | Craigavon, Northern Ireland |
| Home stadium | Peoples Park, Portadown |
| Head coach | Greg Loughran |
| General manager | Mark Beattie |
| League | Irish American Football League |
| Colors | Orange and Navy |
| League titles | 1986, 1990, 1992 Shamrock Bowl Champions |
| Website | craigavoncowboys |
The Craigavon Cowboys are an American football team playing in Craigavon, County Armagh,[1] who compete in American Football Ireland. They have won the Shamrock Bowl three times in addition to other silverware.
History
[edit]The club initiated play in 1986, competing in the Irish American Football League (IAFL, now AFI).[2] The Cowboys had success in the league in this period, winning the inaugural Shamrock Bowl in 1986 as well as additional championships in 1990 and 1992. This initial iteration of the club experienced a decline that ultimately led to the club folding in the mid 1990s.
The club reformed again in 2005, and initially played in AFI's lower-level competitions, winning the DV8 (Development) League in 2009[3] and Division 1 titles in 2019[4] and 2024.[5] As of 2025, the Cowboys were competing in AFI's Premier Division, having won the inaugural Harp Bowl I in 2024 to secure promotion from Division 1.
Honours
[edit]Senior Kitted
- 3x Shamrock Bowl Winners - I (1986), V (1990), VII (1992)[6][7]
- 1x Shamrock Bowl Finalists - II (1987)[6]
- 2x Division 1 / Harp Bowl Winners - 2019,[4][8] I (2024)[9]
- 2x IAFL 1 Bowl Finalists - 2017, 2018[10]
- IAFL DV8 Champions - 2009 [3]
Junior Kitted
- 2x IAFA Junior League Champions - 2014, 2015[7]
Flag
References
[edit]- ^ "Home". craigavoncowboys.co.uk.
- ^ "AFI Ireland". eirball.ie. Retrieved 2025-07-10.
- ^ a b "IAFA DV8 Development League 2009". eirball.ie.
- ^ a b "Craigavon Cowboys roster & match reports (2019)". eirball.ie.
- ^ "2025 AFI Season Preview". gaelicgridiron.com. 2025-02-19. Retrieved 2025-05-12.
- ^ a b "Shamrock Bowl History". luckyshow.org.
- ^ a b c d "Craigavon Cowboys Club History". craigavoncowboys.co.uk.
- ^ "Cowboys are IAFL 1 Bowl Champions – Craigavon Cowboys (30 July 2019)". craigavoncowboys.co.uk.
- ^ "2025 AFI Season Preview". gaelicgridiron.com. 2025-02-19. Retrieved 2025-05-12.
- ^ "American Football Ireland 1 Bowls 2014–present". eirball.ie.