The conclusion to the AFI youth season sees the Craigavon Cowboys crowned Setanta Bowl Champions!
In today’s final blitz, we first saw the final consolation games for the teams that did not make the playoffs. With the Belfast Knights not making the trip to the National Sports Campus, the combined Rhinos/Panthers defeated the Louth Mavericks 14-0. The Mavericks then played the Northwest Vipers, with the Vipers prevailing 18-2. Finally, the Rhinos/Panthers beat the Vipers, 46-0.
In the semifinal playoffs, the one seed Craigavon Cowboys took on the four seed Dublin Rebels, and a hard-fought, rainy game saw the Cowboys prevail 14-0 over the Rebels to advance to the championship game.
Meanwhile, the two seed Belfast Trojans battled the three seed Cork Admirals in a similar fashion, with the defense game going to the Trojans, 7-0.
In Setanta Bowl V, the Cowboys and Trojans met to determine 2025’s youth champion. In a game controlled by the Cowboys throughout, the Craigavon boys were able to pull away late to make the final score a comfortable 26-0 and give the Cowboys their second youth championship in their history, last winning in 2015 prior to the establishment of the Setanta Bowl. Cowboys QB Conor Traynor was named MVP of the game.
Congratulations to the Cowboys and to all the youth squad that participated this year, promising a bright future for AFI!
