from bitter rivals the Carrickfergus Knights. The playoffs would prove a bridge too far though with the Trojans losing a tight wildcard playoff to the Craigavon Cowboys. Playoffs 2012 season Buoyed by the progression in 2011 the Trojans again worked hard at recruiting, numbers again swelled and the Trojans could for the first time boast the largest playing squad in Ireland. Improvements to the playbook and to the work ethic on the training pitch saw the Trojans approach the season with confidence. The regular season could not have gone more to plan with the Trojans topping the Northern Division for the first time since 2008 going unbeaten along the way. Shamrock Bowl Playoffs The first team played a home semi-final against the 2011 Champions the Dublin Rebels proved to be a cagey affair in the first half, but the third quarter saw the Trojans really come into their own and set up a high scoring finale where the Belfast side came out 66–38 winners. Shamrock Bowl XXVI For the first time in the competition's history, two unbeaten teams contested the Shamrock Bowl. Both the Trojans and the UL VIkings had dominated their respective divisions and had won their semi-finals in high-scoring style. The showpiece game in Irish American Football would once again return to Tallaght Stadium. The bowl itself did not reflect the high-scoring natures of the two teams, but it was a hard, tough, smashmouth affair that the Trojans managed to edge in the first two-quarters before finally securing the 16–14 win with a field goal in the final two minutes. DV8's League For the first time in their history the Trojans had a squad so large that it became necessary to enter the IAFL's DV8's development league to ensure playing time for all their players. Typifying the resolve shown by the Belfast outfit in 2012 the Trojans DV8's went 4–0, blowing away the opposition and capping off a fine unbeaten season for the team in green. 2013 season The Trojans added experience to their ranks in the off season after their first championship. In came Conor Leckey from the Carrickfergus Knights and Fu Faapito, Chris Bondi and Gary Carr from the Craigavon Cowboys all boasting experience of playing in the United States. In addition the Trojans brought in Veteran defensive lineman Marty Devlin from the Craigavon Cowboys, Callum Leckey from the Carrickfergus Knights along with Mohamed Ramadan who