Louth Mavericks
| Sport | American Football |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2012 |
| First season | 2014 |
| League | American Football Ireland |
| Based in | Dundalk, County Louth |
| Home ground | Mill Road, Dundalk R.F.C. |
| Colours | Gold, Black, White |
| Head coach | Ty Henry |
| League titles | IAFL-1 Bowl - 2017 |
| Website | louthmavericks |
The Louth Mavericks are an American football club located in Dundalk, County Louth, Ireland. Founded in 2012, the team is a part of American Football Ireland (AFI) and play their home matches at Mill Road, the home ground of Dundalk R.F.C. As of 2025, the club is competing in AFI Division 1, the second tier of Irish American Football.[1]
History
The Louth Mavericks American football team was established in 2012 as the Dundalk Mavericks by a group of students at Dundalk Institute of Technology (DKIT) who shared a passion for the sport. Initially formed as a college club, they soon transitioned into an independent team associated with DKIT.[2]
After spending 2013 training, the Mavericks joined the Irish American Football League (IAFA) Division 2 in 2014, achieving a 4–2 record in their debut season and reaching the Bowl game, where they were narrowly defeated by the Tyrone Titans. In 2015, following the disbandment of the nearby Drogheda Lightning team, the club rebranded as the Louth Mavericks in order to expand their recruitment to the entire county.[2] The team subsequently competed in the IAFA's Division 1.[2][3][1]
In 2017, they secured promotion to the Premier Division after winning the Division 1 Bowl against the Craigavon Cowboys,[4] ultimately to be relegated back to Division 1 the following year.[2] After two cancelled seasons in 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 Pandemic, the Mavericks were voluntarily demoted to Division 2 in 2022, and were promoted to Division 1 for the 2023 season, where they play as of 2025.[2]
Beginning in 2025, the Mavericks launched a youth development team for players ages 15–18 [5] as well as a women's flag football team that competes in AFI's Claddagh League.[6]
Honours
- AFI Division 1 Bowl Champions - 2017
- AFI Division 1 Bowl Finalists - 2023
- AFI Division 2 Bowl Finalists - 2014, 2022[3]
Season by season records
Note: W = Wins, L = Losses, T = Ties
| Year | W | L | T | Finish | Playoff Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2nd IAFL Division 2 | Lost Division 2 Bowl 20-7 (Tyrone Titans) |
| 2015 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 5th IAFL Division 1 | Did not qualify |
| 2016 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 2nd IAFL Division 1 North | Did not qualify |
| 2017 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 3rd IAFL Division 1 North | Won Division 1 Bowl 23-18 (Craigavon Cowboys) |
| 2018 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 8th IAFL Premier Division | Did not qualify - Relegated to IAFL Division 1 |
| 2019 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 5th IAFL Division 1 | Did not qualify |
| 2020 | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | ||||
| 2021 | Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | ||||
| 2022 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 1st AFI Division 2 | Lost AFI Division 2 Bowl 22-0 (Antrim Jets) |
| 2023 | 7 | 1 | 0 | 2nd AFI Division 1 | Lost AFI Division 1 Bowl 6-2 (UL Vikings) |
| 2024 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2nd AFI Division 1 | Lost Harp Bowl Semi-Final 16-14 (West Dublin Rhinos)[3] |
References
- ^ a b "Division One - American Football Ireland". americanfootball.ie. Retrieved 11 May 2025.
- ^ a b c d e Bravender, Anthony (2024-12-27). "Louth Mavericks rise from college beginnings to national contenders". Dundalk Democrat. Retrieved 2025-05-11.
- ^ a b c "Team History". Louth Mavericks. 24 April 2024. Retrieved 11 May 2025.
- ^ "Louth Mavericks Clinch Championship". Dundalk Democrat. Archived from the original on 9 August 2019. Retrieved 6 September 2020.
- ^ "Louth Mavericks form new youth team". Dundalk Democrat. 2025-05-15. Retrieved 2025-05-17.
- ^ "Louth Mavericks Women's Flag Football: 2025 Season Preview". Louth Mavericks. 25 February 2025. Retrieved 11 May 2025.