[citation needed] In 2005, the much improved Vikings snapped their three-year, 13-game losing streak with a 26–22 victory over rival Cork Admirals, and narrowly missed the playoffs, finishing with a 3–5 record.

Aided by the return of several former players, UL defeated the Carrickfergus Knights on the road to make the Shamrock Bowl for the second time in the team's short history.

[tone] Winning every game they played (the sole loss coming by way of a forfeit due to field unavailability against Cork) in dominant fashion – their smallest margin of victory being 16 points.

[tone] The Vikings league best defence allowed more than 6 points in a game only once, in a 36–20 road victory over the Cork Admirals, and the offence was equally as dominant,[original research?]

The Vikings entered the playoffs as Shamrock Bowl favourites, but had to get past a 4th-seeded Belfast Bulls team in the semi-finals, eventually winning by a dominating 44–2 scoreline.

The Vikings won a close fought match by a margin of 22–14 courtesy of three rushing touchdowns from game MVP Seamus Hogan to claim their first-ever Shamrock Bowl title.

[citation needed] The 2009 season saw the Vikings return the core of their team from 2008, but lost linemen Jim Davis and Kieran Coen to the Valencia Firebats of the Spanish League.

The Vikings once again relied upon power running and a tough, fast defence to make the playoffs for the fourth year in a row, but they once again fell to the Dublin Rebels, this time 12–7 at home.

The Vikings finished as the number two seed for the third year in a row, and met the physical Carrickfergus Knights at home in the semi-finals, where they welcomed back Davis and Coen, who had helped lead Valencia to victory in the Spanish Bowl.

Leading 20–0 at half time, the game was abandoned shortly after the break when a Knights player was seriously injured, and the Vikings advanced to their fourth Shamrock Bowl in a row.

Helped by the addition of rookies Shane Gleeson at centre and Sean Sheehy at corner back, the team was once again led by a strong running game and a physical defence on their way to a 6–1–1 record.