Irish drop first home game of 2016 to Monarchs

By Eric
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Updated: June 16, 2016

The Airdrie Irish finally get to play at home June 11 when it welcomes the Fort McMurray Monarchs to Ed Eggerer Athletic Park.
File Photo/Rocky View Publishing

Andrew Halipchuk – Airdrie City View – Thursday, June 16, 2016

It wasn’t exactly the homecoming the Airdrie Irish hoped for when it welcomed the Fort McMurray Monarchs to Ed Eggerer Athletic Park June 11.

After dropping its first two games of the 2016 season on the road, the Irish was looking for its first win of the season. But the high-powered offence of the Monarchs was too much to contain, leading to a 44-0 loss.

Despite the loss, head coach Sean Stewart said he was pleased with the effort.

“It wasn’t a bad game. I’m pretty proud of the guys,” he said. “They came in as a big underdog, but the guys shut all that out and played hard.

“Obviously, it’s not the score we wanted, but it’s a good stepping stone for us.”

The Irish gave up a kick return touchdown on the game’s opening kickoff, an interception for a touchdown and a single point from a missed field goal in the opening half.

Down 14-0 at halftime, Stewart said he felt like his team had played the best half of football against one of the toughest teams in the Alberta Football League (AFL).

“You could tell Fort McMurray was getting frustrated because it wasn’t the way the game was supposed to go in everybody’s mind,” he said.

Another special teams return touchdown and a fumble within the Irish’s own 15-yard line resulted in a pair of touchdowns early in the third and put the score well out of reach.

“Some big mistakes cost us quite a few points that they were able to capitalize on,” Stewart said. “If you take away those mistakes, it probably would have been a 21-0 game.”

Stewart said his team’s defence had a strong showing against the Monarchs’ offence, allowing just three touchdowns with none in the game’s opening half.

The Irish needs its offence to start rolling if it hopes to start winning games as the midway point of the season nears.

“We definitely need our offence to start putting some points up and we’re getting there,” Stewart said. “Every game you can tell it is getting better and a little more comfortable.

“It’s a lot easier for a defence to gel quickly than it is for an offence.”

The Irish continue its season with a game against the 0-3 Calgary Wolfpack at Ed Eggerer Athletic Park June 19. Kickoff goes at 3 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the gate for $5 each.

In conjunction with Father’s Day, the Irish will have a giveaway draw for fathers in attendance. Each dad at the game will be entered into a draw for a signed Henry Burris print, which will be drawn for during the game.