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Dublin Demons aim to retain title

Thursday, 19 March 2009

AS the 2009 Australian Rules Football League of Ireland (ARFLI) begins, it is the Dublin Demons who will be training hardest in an effort to retain their 2008 ARFLI Aussieproperty.com Premiership title.  In 2008 the Demons won their third premiership title after a gap of seven years, and they will be anxious not to wait as long for title number four. The 2008 season was good one for the Demons. The year started well with a strong showing at the pre season tournament in Limerick. They were beaten by Cork based Leeside Lions who went on to win the title, beating the South Dublin Swans in the final.  In April, the Demons travelled to Glasgow to compete in the Haggis Cup. The Demons performed well in the group stage with comfortable wins over the Cardiff Panthers, the Glasgow Sharks and the Brussels Saints.  After finishing top of the group the Demons faced the Edinburgh Bloods in the Grand Final.  Injuries robbed the Demons of some key players and they went on to lose to the strong Bloods by a score of 06.09 (45) to 02.05 (17).  As always the tournament was a very enjoyable weekend and a trip that the Demons hope to make for years to come. Hopefully, this year the team can win the tournament they last won in 2006. The Demons lost their opening game of the Aussieproperty.com Premiership to the South Dublin Swans but went on a four-game winning streak before once again losing to the Swans in Blanchardstown. These two defeats proved to be the only defeats the Demons were to suffer for the season as they finished a comfortable second in the premiership table behind the Swans.  A semi final against the Midland Tigers was their reward, and with a comfortable 80-point win, the Demons progressed to their first Grand Final in three years.  The Grand Final was played at the Breaffy House sports complex in county Mayo.  The Demons came up against the formidable Leeside Lions who had contested the last three grand finals and won two of them.  It would be a tough task to beat a team containing nine international players.  The first three quarters of the game were neck and neck and the Demons went into the third quarter break with a slender advantage. In the huddle before the final quarter, the history of the Demons was relayed to the players. Not since 2001 had the Demons won the Premiership. It was something that had to change and no man would disappoint. The final score was Dublin Demons 14.17 (101), Leeside Lions 09.03 (57). Three days after the Grand Final eight members of the Demons were on international duty as they jetted out to Melbourne to compete in the 2008 Australian Rules International Cup.  This is also a big year for the club as it celebrates its 10th birthday.  In 1999, following an appearance on the RTE programme ‘Breaking Ball’ and a recruitment drive throughout the city, a meeting was held at the Australian embassy where the core of the first team attended.  Ten years on and the club is still going strong and aims to celebrate during the year with a gala dinner. New players are always welcome at the Dublin Demons and coaching staff will teach everything to know about Aussie rules.  Dublin Demons are currently training every Saturday morning in the Phoenix Park. All calibres of players are catered for so go along and have a go! For further information visit www.dublin-demons.com and www.affli.com