Westmeath Minotaurs (AFC)

The Westmeath Minotaurs are an American football club located in Mullingar, County Westmeath, Ireland. They are a part of American Football Ireland (AFI) and play their home matches at Shay Murtagh Park, which is shared with Mullingar RFC. The club fields both Senior and Youth teams for tackle football and also supports teams in the flag football division.

Westmeath Minotaurs
SportAmerican Football
Founded2011
First season2013
LeagueAmerican Football Ireland
Based inMullingar
Home groundShay Murtagh Park
ColoursPurple, White, Black
     
Divisions
  • Senior Kitted: Premier Division
  • Flag: Premier Division
League titles
  • Flag: 2015
Division titles
  • Senior Kitted: 2022
  • Flag: 2015, 2015-16, 2022
Playoff berths
  • Senior Kitted: 2016, 2018, 2019, 2022
  • Flag: 2014-15, 2015, 2015-16, 2017, 2022
Websitewestmeathminotaurs.com

The Minotaurs were established in 2011[1] and commenced Senior kitted football in 2013[2] as part of American Football Ireland’s Division 1. In 2022, they secured promotion to the Premier Division after winning the Division 1 Bowl against the University of Limerick Vikings.[3]

The flag football team began competing in 2014 and won the inaugural Emerald Bowl, becoming the Irish flag football champions in 2015.[4] In 2022, they claimed victory in Glas Bowl III, earning promotion back to the Flag Premier Division.[5] The club celebrated its tenth anniversary competitive season in 2022.[6]

In 2022, the Senior Kitted Team defeated the Philadelphia Blue Flame by a score of 15-8 in an international friendly.[7][8] Then in 2023, they won their first ever game in the Premier Division, the highest level division in AFI, over the Craigavon Cowboys, 38-0.[9]

Seasons

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Senior Kitted

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Legend
Pct The team's winning percentage for the season
Shamrock Bowl champions
Division 1 champions
* Division championship appearance
^ Playoff appearance
Westmeath Minotaurs Senior Kitted record by season
Season League Division Regular season Postseason results Head coach Refs
Finish W L T Pct
2013 AFI Division 1 7th 1 6 1 .188 Paddy Lally
2014 AFI Division 1 3rd 4 4 0 .500
2015 AFI Division 1 6th 0 8 0 .000
2016 AFI Division 1 4th^ 4 4 0 .500 Forfeited Semifinal (at Admirals) Diarmaid Hyland
2017 AFI Division 1 5th 3 5 0 .375 Paddy Lally
2018 AFI Division 1 3rd^ 6 2 0 .750 Lost Wild Card (Rhinos) 13-3 Conor Brennan
2019 AFI Division 1 2nd* 6 2 0 .750 Won Semifinal (Eagles) 27-22

Lost IAFL-1 Bowl (vs. Cowboys) 28-27

2020 AFI Division 1 - - - - - Bill Dougherty [A]
2021 AFI Division 1 - 2 0 0 1.000 [B]
2022 AFI Division 1 1st 7 1 0 .875 Won Semifinal (Vipers) 41-6

Won Division 1 Bowl (vs. Vikings) 16-13

[C]
2023 AFI Premier Division 6th 2 6 0 .250
2024 AFI Premier Division 8th 0 8 0 .000 Adam Corcoran
Totals 39 49 1 .444 All-time regular season record (2013–2024) [10]
3 3 .500 All-time postseason record (2013–2024)
42 52 1 .447 All-time regular & postseason record (2013–2024)

Flag

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Legend
Pct The team's winning percentage for the season
Emerald Bowl champions
Glas Bowl champions
* Championship appearance
^ Playoff appearance
Westmeath Minotaurs Flag record by season
Season League Division Regular season Postseason results Refs
Finish W L T Pct
2014-15 AFI Midlands^ 1st^ 9 1 0 .900 Lost Semifinal (Rebels) 25-15
2015 AFI South 1st 6 2 0 .750 Won Semifinal (at Cowboys) 37-31

Won Summer Final (at Eagles) 27-25

Won Emerald Bowl I (vs. Eagles) 19-13

[D]
2015-16 AFI Midlands* 1st* 8 0 0 1.000 Won Wild Card (Elks) 39-7

Won Semifinal (Reapers) 27-19

Lost Emerald Bowl III (vs. Cowboys) 36-0

2016-17 AFI West 2nd 4 4 0 .500
2017 AFI Premier Division 2nd^ 5 2 1 .688 Lost Semifinal (at Eagles) 41-26

Won 3rd Place Game (Cowboys)

2018 AFI West 2nd 6 4 0 .600
2019 AFI Premier Division 9th 4 4 0 .500
2020 AFI Premier Division - - - - - [E] [F]
2021 AFI Division 1 South 5th 4 2 0 .667
2022 AFI Division 1 South 1st 8 2 0 .800 Won Divisional Final (Crusaders) 45-18

Won Glas Bowl III (vs. Knights) 46-12

[G]
2023 AFI Premier Division South 5th 1 9 0 .100
Totals 66 33 1 .665 All-time regular season record (2014–2024) [10]
8 3 .727 All-time postseason record (2014–2024)
74 36 1 .671 All-time regular & postseason record (2014–2024)

Notes

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  1. ^ Season cancelled due to Covid-19 pandemic.
  2. ^ Season cancelled due to Covid-19 pandemic. Two friendly games were scheduled when restrictions were lifted.
  3. ^ Promoted to Premier Division after season.
  4. ^ For this season, the winners of the Winter and Summer finals played each other in the Emerald Bowl.
  5. ^ Season cancelled due to Covid-19 pandemic.
  6. ^ Relegated to Division 1 after the season.
  7. ^ Promoted to Premier Division after season.

References

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  1. ^ "Westmeath Minotaurs AFC". American Football Ireland. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  2. ^ "History of the Westmeath Minotaurs - Westmeath Minotaurs". westmeathminotaurs.com. 2021-12-19. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
  3. ^ "Westmeath Minotaurs claim first championship victory". Westmeath Examiner. 2022-08-03. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
  4. ^ "EBC2014". American Football Ireland. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  5. ^ "divone22". American Football Ireland. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  6. ^ "Westmeath Minotaurs mark tenth anniversary season". Westmeath Independent. 2022-01-05. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  7. ^ English, Jimmy (2022-03-04). "Minotaurs to face Philly First Responders". Gaelic Gridiron. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  8. ^ "Minotaurs defeat Blue Flame 15-8 - Westmeath Minotaurs". westmeathminotaurs.com. 2022-03-19. Retrieved 2024-09-04.
  9. ^ "American football round-up: Ty Henry leads Rebel revolt as Minotaurs run riot". Irish Independent. 2023-03-27. Retrieved 2024-09-05.
  10. ^ a b "Schedule - Westmeath Minotaurs". westmeathminotaurs.com. 2023-09-09. Retrieved 2024-09-02.
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