Galway Warriors aiming to thrive in American football

Talking Sport with Stephen Glennon

There is just something compelling about American football. For some in this country, the dynamics of the game is what appeals but, for most, it’s the razzmatazz that accompanies these occasions which captures the imagination. It’s what makes the annual Super Bowl one of sport’s great spectacles.

While American football down at The Claddagh or on the grounds of GMIT – both where the newly formed Galway Warriors ply their trade – may be a far cry from Detroit’s Ford Field or MetLife Stadium, their zest for the game is no less.

One of those to the forefront of promoting the sport west of the Shannon is John Griffin, a Galway City native who grew up in Cork but has since returned home to his roots and has got involved in what some would argue is an unlikely venture.

This is not the first attempt to initiate American football in the City – the Galway Sea Devils were the precursor to the Warriors – but Griffin says with players coming and going and with no games to nurture interest, “people were getting fed up just training – there is only so much training you can do”.

As a result, the Sea Devils ran aground but the attraction to the sport remained and with a new committee it was decided to give it another go. “We had to go through a long process [to get into the League] because a few years ago there were a couple of teams who had gone under.

“So, they (IAFL) were being cautious with letting new teams in. That hurt us with numbers. We are in the league now, in our first season. We have played two games. We played Tyrone [Titans] away in the first one and it was an absolute new experience for everyone in the team. We lost 36-nil.”

Aside from the fact that this was their very first competitive outing, one of the underlining reasons for the defeat was that Tyrone had a bigger squad. “We didn’t have the same rotation that they had,” says Griffin, who outlines they travelled up North with just 18 of their 24 players for that game.

Although there are only 11 players from each side on the field at any one time, an American football squad is made up of 45 players, ranging in size, speed and their roles within the team. So, as squads go, the Galway Warriors panel of 24 is a small pool to be working off.

In any event, Griffin says that rather than become discouraged by the Tyrone drubbing, the Warriors quickly realised they had to address the weaknesses in their game. “From the Tyrone match to the Kildare match, the massive improvement in our defence was ridiculous,” continues the club’s treasurer.

For more, read this week’s Galway City Tribune.