31st January 2003 - BSFL Allstars travel to Dublin and win

The BSFL Allstars matched up against the Drimnagh Cycos on a cold, windy day in Phoenix Park (Dublin) on Saturday January 25, 2003. The All-Stars arrived in mixed form for this 7 on 7 contact flag match. QB Nick Michael was nursing a serious knee injury and had limited mobility. The BSFL team choose one player from the Cycos to add to their roster of Vincent Gurrea (Bournemouth Raiders), Abdulmalik Lawal (Bournemouth Raiders), Nick Michael (Bournemouth Raiders), Mark Houston (Bournemouth Raiders), Stephen Wigley (Invicta Coyotes), and two retired players, Hash and Kalid.

Playing with the Irish flag football rules, the BSFL team kicked-off the first half. After several successful running plays, the Cycos were stopped by a strong defensive stand around the Allstars 20-yard line. On the first UK possession, QB Michael threw it straight into the hands of number 55 of the Cyocs. Again, the UK defense stepped up and stopped the Irish team from scoring. The All-Stars than marched own the field with successful running plays by Houston and Lawal only to have the efforts thwarted when QB Michael threw a second interception in the endzone. After a run and gun offense down the pitch, QB Aidan Kelly of the Cycos scored the first TD of the match on a five yard run. The point-after attempt was stopped by a lunging tackle by Wigley. On the first play of the ensuing drive, Michael threw a third interception to number CB 53 who returned the ball for a 30 yard TD. The PAT was stopped when Houston flagged the QB on an option play.

Down 12-0, the Allstars replaced Michael at QB with and the team drove
downfield in the final 2 minutes of the first half with strong running by Lawal and Houston. Before the break, Lawal caught a 10 yard pass from Houston to put the All-Stars on the board. The PAT was unsuccessful as an attempted pass to Gurrea was knocked down. Score at half-time Drimnagh Cycos 12, BSFL All-Stars 6.

To start the second half, playmaker Houston called a no huddle offense on the first play with QB Michael back in the huddle and Houston lining up as receiver. While a couple of players on the Irish side looked at Houston, nobody decided to cover him. Michael completed a 75 yard pass to Houston to tie the game. A spoiled PAT pass to Wigley was unsuccessful. The BSFL team's defense dominated the second half and gave little room to the Cycos on running plays, passing plays, options and trick plays. Vincent Gurrea and Stephen Wigley intercepted passes to stop the Irish attack. The BSFL's offense was very conservative with strong running plays up the middle by Houston and outside by Lawal. Lawal broke away on a 40 yard running play to put the BSFL team up 18-12. After a controversial sack in the endzone, where the teams disputed whether it should be a safety or not, the Irish team kept the ball but on their own goalline. Three plays later, Houston intercepted the ball and returned it 20 yards. The BSFL team could not put the ball in the endzone and the Irish team took over for a final drive. The drive seemed to last forever with the Cycos slowly marching down the field. After 2 unsuccessful attempts in the endzone, the Cycos faced 4th and goal from the 10 yard line.  Aidan Kelly got the ball and rolled out to his right and looked for key receivers #55 and #53 in the endzone, who were closely covered. Kelly circled back and was running to his left where he had an open tight end in the endzone. Just as Kelly was releasing the game tying td pass, Lawal dove to take the flag. The BSFL team won 18-12.