DUNDALK, Ireland – Ireland celebrated its first ice hockey championship after the Dundalk Bulls won the playoffs with a 6-3 victory against the Dublin Rams.

The Bulls won the playoffs of the inaugural Irish Ice Hockey League (IIHL) following a thrilling victory over the Rams at the Dundalk Ice Dome. The Bulls took the win in a game that could have easily gone either way.

It was an action packed first half as both netminders saw their fair share of the puck. Bulls goalie Christian Anesjo made a point blank save from the Rams’ Andrew Moriarty but it was the Rams who struck first as Thomas Pacinta scored six minutes in.

The Bulls hit back with two goals before the end of the first period. But the second period proved to be the difference in the game. The Bulls increased the lead to 4-1, which was followed by another pair of goals from Robert Grochowicz and Mats Anesjo as their team took full control of the game.

The Rams put in a push towards the end of the period and hit the net again with Andrew Moriarty scoring to give the Dublin side some hope. But despite playing some excellent hockey, a comeback never materialised for the Rams. There was to be no more scoring and the Dundalk Bulls capped a memorable first season to win the inaugural IIHL Playoffs.

Tony Griffin, Dundalk Bulls manager, was delighted with the achievement of his players. “This has been a great year for us. To lose just one game all season was a fantastic achievement. It was a great game tonight, with brilliant skill and plenty of heart on show from both sides so it was a super spectacle for the fans. But the lads are delighted and hopefully we can raise the bar higher next year,” Griffin said after the final.