Ey Hockey League Round 4 Recap

Round 4 of the EY Hockey League.

Here’s everything you need to know from Round 4:

 

Friday 7th October

MEN
Instonians v Cookstown 2-0

Goals (Instonians: M Watt, T Orr)

On Friday night Instonians welcomed Cookstown at Shawbridge. A tight first half saw both teams level with no scores on the board. Instonians then opened the gap in the third quarter with goals from Michael Watt and Tommy Orr.

 

Saturday 8th October

MEN

Three Rock Rovers V YMCA 3-2

Goals (Three Rock Rovers: H McMahon, A Haughton, J Walker; YMCA: A Walker, S Hyland)

Ben Whelan’s last-minute penalty stroke save saw Three Rock Rovers hold on to win their third game in four outings in the men’s EY Hockey League this season.
It denied YM an equaliser in the closing moments as they came close to snatching a point in a big comeback. The Y had led in the first minute when Adam Walker put his side in front from a penalty corner.
Harry MacMahon equalised when his corner push found its way through the goalkeeper to make it 1-1 at half-time. Rovers then went in front courtesy of a lovely team move which ended with Josh Gill’s diagonal cross getting a touch in mid-circle from Ali Haughton to put the Grange Road hosts 2-1 up.
James Walker added another with a powerful shot after another well-worked move and it looked like Rovers were on course for the points. YM, though, created many chances with Whelan required to make a series of brilliant saves while the cover defence also scrambled away several chances off the goal line.
They got one back with four minutes to go via a Sam Hyland penalty stroke after the corner shot hit a body on the line. And, in the last minute, Hyland had another chance from the spot in similar circumstances but Whelan read his intentions to make a massive save to take all three points this time.

Glenanne V Monkstown 0-2

Goals (Monkstown: G Cole, S Cole)

Monkstown took the lead early on against Glenanne with a goal from G Cole in the first quarter. A penalty stroke in the third quarter put Monkstown 2-0 up.

Annadale V Banbridge 0-6

Goals (Banbridge: C Rowe, J Moffett, J Rowe, P Brown, A Tinney, J McKee)

Luke Roleston got his clean slate for Banbridge against Annadale. The first quarter saw two goals to give them the lead from C Rowe and J Moffett. Annadale held strong for the second quarter and put the pressure back on Banbridge. J Rowe put another score on the board with Banbridge 3 up. The final quarter gave them their final push where Banbridge finished 6-0.

Pembroke Wanderers V Lisnagarvey 1-6

Goals (Pembroke: C Hynes; Lisnagarvey: A Williamson x 2, O Kidd x 2, A Edgar, D Nelson) 

Lisnagarvey opened the game with a goal from A Williamson but was quickly equalised by C Hynes for Pembroke. Lisnagarvey came out strong in the second half putting them up 4-1 at halftime. With no scores in the third quarter, we went into the final quarter where Lisnagarvey put two more in the back of the net to see them finish 6-1.

WOMEN

Loreto Hockey Club V Catholic Institute 0-1

Goals (Catholic Institute: E Ryan)

Loreto welcomed Catholic Institute to Rathfarnham for a tight game. The first quarter saw a good fight for both teams trying to convert but not until the second quarter did Catholic Institute put one past Loreto to go 1-0 up. The score stayed the same till full-time for Catholic Institute to take the win.

Pembroke Wanderers V Railway Union 0-1

Goals (Railway Union: A Bourke)

Pembroke Wanderers hosted Railway Union in a close game but a reverse stick deflection 2 mins into the second half saw Railway Union take the win.

Ards V UCD 3-3

Goals (Ards: Z Malseed x2, E Robinson; UCD: L O’Shea, E Paul x2)

UCD started strong in Londonderry Park scoring two penalty corners in the first quarter. Ards weren’t far behind and levelled it all 2-2 after the second quarter, gaining another goal in the third quarter making it a hard fight in the last quarter. UCD managed to sneak the ball into the back of the net with a final score of 3-3.

Belfast Harlequins V Old Alex 1-6

Goals (Belfast Harlequins: C Whiteside; Old Alex: D Duke x2, M Power, R Heatherington, A Russell, A Heatherington)

Deirdre Duke opened it up strong for Old Alex with a goal but Quins followed close by to end the first quarter 1-1. But Duke put another goal into the back of the net to lead them into the third quarter. Old Alex made the most of their PC to finish the game 6-1.

Pegasus V Monkstown 6-2

Goals (6-2Pegasus: S McCay x2, H Craig x2, Eva Wainwright, S McDowell; Monkstown: C Mena, C Watkins)

Shirley McCay scored the opening goal that saw Pegasus lead going into the second quarter. By halftime, Monkstown and Pegasus had levelled the playing field with goals from C Mena and C Watkins. Pegasus pushed back in the last quarter where we saw 3 more goals for them to take the win.

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EY League Round 4 Preview

The EY League continues this week.

Last week saw four EYHL Men’s games. Glenanne moves up on goal difference but Three Rock Rover stays close behind. Pembroke and Cookstown ended on an even scoreline at 2-2 as did YMCA and Annadale with a score of 0-0. Monkstown as part of their double header weekend faced off against Instonians with goals from Lee Cole and Theo Kohlmann saw them finish 2-0.

Monkstown also took a 4-0 win against Belfast Harlequins from the women’s side. Mikayla Power’s 6th-minute goal gave a 1-0 win to Old Alex v Loreto. Catholic Institute takes a 1-0 win over Railway Union in a close game. UCD ladies move ahead of Pembroke Wanderers after their match.

Friday 7th October

MEN
Instonians v Cookstown – 20:00 PM At Shawsbridge Sports Complex

Saturday 8th October

MEN

Three Rock Rovers V YMCA – 13:00 PM At Grange Road
Glenanne V Monkstown – 13:30 PM At St Andrew’s College
Annadale V Banbridge – 14:30 PM At Strathearn Grammar School
Pembroke Wanderers V Lisnagarvey – 16:00 PM At Serpentine Avenue

WOMEN

Loreto Hockey Club V Catholic Institute – 13:15 PM At Loreto Beaufort School-Rathfarnham
Pembroke Wanderers V Railway Union – 14:00 PM At Serpentine Avenue
Ards V UCD – 14:30 PM At Londonderry Park
Belfast Harlequins V Old Alex – 14:30 PM At Deramore Park
Pegasus V Monkstown – 16:15 PM At Queens University

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UCC and Munster Hockey Partner to Develop The Next Generation of Irish Hockey Stars

University College Cork will become the primary sponsor of Munster Hockey’s InterProvincial teams after signing a three-year partnership agreement.

The announcement represents a massive coup for Munster Hockey and comes after the province’s under 16 and under 18 Girls teams kicked off their InterProvincial campaigns against Leinster South at the Mardyke Arena.

As part of the partnership, Munster Hockey’s InterProvincial players and management will have access to UCC’s world-class facilities at the Mardyke Arena, along with the University’s cutting-edge expertise in sports science, high-performance, nutrition, and sports psychology.

The partnership will help give the province’s senior and underage sides an edge, as well as acting as a platform to grow the game.

“This new partnership demonstrates the importance and benefits of having a partner who truly shares in our vision of nurturing talented Munster Hockey players”, commented Cliona Fergey, Chairperson of Munster Hockey.

“When playing against the best hockey players in Ireland you need a partner who not only knows the game, but one who can provide top-notch high-performance support to your players, support that will give our team’s an edge over their rivals. This is a very exciting time for Munster Hockey as we look to take the sport to the next level with UCC”.

Morgan Buckley, Head of UCC Sport, said that the partnership will help both Munster Hockey and UCC to develop the next generation of Irish Hockey internationals.

“The popularity of hockey in Ireland is rapidly growing, and we are excited to be part of Munster’s continued rise within the game”.

“By providing them with the very best facilities to both current and rising Munster Hockey stars, we hope to play a key role in the success of Munster hockey players on the International stage.”

His sentiment was shared by the Munster Hockey President, Michael Houghton, who praised UCC’s ambition to help elevate the sport and its desire to contribute to the success of its players, both on and off the field.

“UCC is an innovative, athlete-centered educator and supporter of hockey. In addition to its pitch facilities, the partnership ensures access to a wide range of high-performance services that will contribute greatly to the overall success of our Munster Hockey players on, and off the pitch”.

The partnership will also see Munster Hockey and UCC Sport collaborate on joint marketing initiatives to promote the sport across the province. 

https://munsterirelandhockey.sportlomo.com/munster-hockey-and-ucc-partner-to-develop-next-generation-of-irish-hockey-stars/

​For further information contact Graham Catchpole: pro@munsterirelandhockey.sportlomo.com

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Softco Tricks for Treats Hockey Challenge

The Challenge

Take a video of your best Hockey Trick and send it to us! Extra points for Tricks done in costume for Halloween!

How to Enter

  1. Post your video on Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #softcotricksfortreats and tag @softcogroup on Twitter and softco_life on Instagram.
  2. The Challenge kicks off at 9 am on 5 October 2022 and closes at 6 pm on 28 October 2022.
  3. Each valid entry will receive a Limited Edition SoftCo Training Beanie.
  4. Winners will be announced over Halloween by the Captains of the Ireland Men’s & Women’s Senior Team.

Age Group Categories

U10 Girls & Boys
U12 Girls & Boys
U14 Girls & Boys
U16 Girls & Boys
U18 Girls & Boys

Prizes

Winners of each category will get an exclusive SoftCo “Bag of Treats” including an official signed Ireland Jersey, a Hockey Ireland Hoodie, SoftCo Backpack, & €100 SoHockey Voucher.

The Top 5 winners Club or School will win an unique opportunity for a training & Q&A session with players from the Ireland Women’s & Men’s Hockey Team at an agreed date.

Challenge Terms & Conditions

  • Winners of each of the 5 categories will receive an exclusive SoftCo “Bag of Treats” including an official signed Ireland Jersey, a Hockey Ireland Hoodie, SoftCo Backpack, & €100 SoHockey Voucher.
  • Also the Top 5 winners Club or School will win an unique opportunity for a training & Q&A session with players from the Ireland Women’s & Men’s Hockey Team at an agreed date. (subject to Government COVID-19 Guidelines).
  • Each Participant will receive an Exclusive SoftCo Hockey Beanie Hat *subject to availability.
  • Challenge is only open to residents of the Republic of Ireland & Northern Ireland.
  • Competition Entries are open from 9:00 GMT 05/10/22 and close at 18:00 GMT 28/10/22.
  • Only one entry per person allowed.
  • The winners in each age category is not subject to review or appeal by any entrant or by any third party.
  • SoftCo’s decision in relation to selection of prize winner(s) is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
  • In the event of any dispute regarding the rules, conduct or the results of a competition the decision of SoftCo will be final.
  • SoftCo competitions are not open to staff of SoftCo Group.
  • Prizes are non-transferable and will only be awarded to the winner.
  • No cash alternative will be awarded in lieu of stated prize(s).
  • If, due to circumstances beyond its control, a prize becomes unavailable SoftCo reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal value.
  • Unless otherwise stated, all taxes, insurance, fees and surcharges on any prize are the sole responsibility of the winner.
  • SoftCo reserves the right to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend a competition and/or vary competition rules at any time without prior notice.
  • Prizes not claimed within specified time limit will be deemed to have been forfeited and SoftCo may dispose of such prizes without any liability to the winner.
  • SoftCo reserves the right to disqualify any contestant for any reason whatsoever in its sole discretion.
  • Participation in SoftCo competitions denotes acceptance of these terms and conditions and any additional competition specific terms and conditions which may be advertised.
  • SoftCo does not accept any responsibility whatsoever for any technical failure or malfunction or any other problem in any network, system, server, provider, or otherwise which may result in entries being lost or not properly registered or recorded and contestants hereby waive any claim whatsoever for any losses, costs, damages and expenses arising from any such problems.
 
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Upcoming Fundamentals of Umpiring Module 1 Q&A sessions – 21st February, 22nd March and 18th April

The Fundamentals of Umpiring Module 1 Q&A sessions of the new hockey season are coming up.

International Umpire Alison Keogh will be taking the online Q&A session on the Tuesday 21st February at 7.30pm

International Umpire Gillian Garrett will be taking the online Q&A session on the Wednesday 22nd March at 7.30pm

International Umpire Tanja Schafer will be taking the online Q&A session on the Tuesday 18th April at 7.30pm

To take part in this online Q&A session you must have fully completed your Fundamentals of Umpiring Module 1 through our eLearning Hub https://hockeyirelandhub.ie/

You also need to take part in a Q&A session to complete the practical module 2 session.

To book onto this online Q&A session please email niamh.fahey@irelandhockey.sportlomo.com

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EY League Round 3 Recap

Week 3 of top hockey was action packed.

Here’s everything you need to know from Week 3:

 

Wednesday 28th Sept

WOMEN

Monkstown V Old Alex 0-4

Goals (Old Alex: M Power x 2, A Russell, R Heatherington)

Saturday 1st October

MEN

Three Rock Rovers V Glenanne 1-3

Goals (Three Rock Rovers: A Empey; Glenanne: G Shaw, J McCormack, B Cleak)

Cookstown V Pembroke Wanderers 2-2

Goals (Cookstown: C Anderson, M Kerr; Pembroke: E Albers, C Hynes)

YMCA V Annadale 0-0

Monkstown V Instonians 2-0

Goals (Monkstown: L Cole, T Kohlmann;)

This week saw four EYHL  Men’s games as Lisnagarvey competed in the EHL competition in Hamburg. With action both abroad and at home it was an exciting weekend for Men’s hockey. Three Rock Rovers welcomed a strong Glenanne side to Grange Road with the first quarter showing how even the two teams were. Good build up from both sides but no numbers on the scoreline with only one penalty corner for Glenanne coming to nought. Quarter two again was an even showing with Glenanne taking the lead when Gary Shaw fired home from a Sam O Connor pass. But this was a short lived lead with Three Rock Rovers finding the back of the net with a sliding deflection from Ali Empey managing to connect to a ball from James Walker. In quarter three things started to stretch out a bit more with Glenanne retaking the lead with a deflection goal by Jonathan McCormack. Still everything was left to play for in the final quarter until a turnover by Glenanne with a few quick passes led to a counter attack and a Brynn Cleak goal. This scoreline sees Glenanne to the top of the table on goal difference but Three Rock Rover stay close behind.

Pembroke Wanderers travelled up to Cookstown for their round 3 match  which saw both teams leave the pitch with a point each after a showing of some fine hockey skills. Pembroke were the first on the scorecard with Cillian Hynes scoring from a penalty corner in the 11th minute. For the next 34 minutes each team tested the other and there were some excellent moments of neat stickwork and cross field passes but it wasnt until the 45th minute that Cookstown broke through the Pembroke defence with Callum Anderson finding the back of the net. This meant all was left to play for with just over a quarter of playing time left. For the rest of the third quarter the scoreline stood 1-1 making for a big 17.5 minutes in the final quarter and the teams didnt disappoint the spectators. Pembroke taking the lead with a goal from play by Ewout Albers but after a big celebration they didnt hold the lead long when two minutes later Michael Kerr evened the scoreline at 2-2. A draw but a great game of hockey.

YMCA v Annadale was the match in Wesley this weekend and with the tweets by the home club possibly more exciting = than the fixture itself the two teams came away with a point after a 0-0 draw. The middle two quarters of the pitch saw the majority of the action in the first quarter with Annadale having the only bit of pressure but that was well shut down by the YMCA defence. The second quarter saw a YMCA penalty corner saved by the Annadale keeper Benjamin Simms. YMCA took a few chances in this quarter ending with a counter attack as the half time whistle blows but nothing too pressurising on the Annadale defence. So it stood 0-0 at half time. A shot on goal from Annadale kick started the action in the third quarter but it went just wide, YMCA responded well and the ball flashed across the goal with no one managing to get a stick to it for a deflection. And that was the end of the action for the third quarter. The final quarter saw a green card for Annadale and YMCA tried to take advantage of the uneven number with a goal on target but the goalkeeper stood strong and cleared it. Annadale probably had the strongest chance of the match so far with a penalty corner strike saved off the line by Scott Ruttle, then another green card saw the home team down to 10. Some tense moments around a penalty corner saw YMCA go close to 1-0 up but the chances didnt quite get there. Full time score 0-0.

Monkstown as part of their double header weekend faced off against Instonians in Rathdown School. The half time whistle saw the score line remain 0-0 but the second half saw the main action of the game. In the 43rd minute Lee Cole added to his score tally for the season with a goal from a well won Monkstown penalty corner and Theo Kohlmann followed suit with his own penalty corner goal in the 59th minute. Monkstown showing the work on their set pieces pulling off with the three points for the match keeping them in the middle of the table. Two wins from the double header for Monkstown Men and Women saw for a great day of action for the Monkstown supporters.

 

WOMEN

Catholic Institute V Railway 1-0

Goals (Catholic Institute: M Barrett)

UCD V Pembroke Wanderers 2-0

Goals (UCD: N Carey, E Paul)

Old Alex V Loreto 1-0

Goals (Old Alex: M Power )

Monkstown V Belfast Harlequins 4-0

Goals (Monkstown: O Brady, E Kealy, S Moore, S Twomey)

 

Monkstown met Old Alex in a midweek fixture on the 28th September with the goals coming in quick succession by the travelling side. Mikayla Power opened the scoring at the start of the second quarter, Monkstown held off the onslaught for rest of the first half but that was when Old Alex got into their stride, with goals scored on the 41st, 51st and 61st minutes by Mikayla Power, Abbie Russell and Robyn Heatherington it was a half of 10 minute plays.

Old Alex then went on to meet a stronger Loreto opposition on Saturday. Starting off strong Mikayla Power scored again this time in the 6th minute from a neat piece of open play, slotting the final shot past goalkeeper Lorna Bateman. Loreto held strong in defence after that with Old Alex trying again and again but not getting past the backline to score that wished for second goal. Tensions started to rise in the third quarter with a flurry of cards on both sides but neither team able to take advantage of the numbers. A settled final quarter didnt see too many chances to change the scoreline and Old Alex took the three points for the weekend.

Monkstown however went on to face Belfast Harlequins and found an opportunity to get some scores on the board. A goal in each of the first two quarters coming from Sara Twomey and Olivia Brady, both from open play, set the tempo for the match. Belfast Harlequins tried to get on the score line but the Monkstown backline didnt bow to the pressure and the third quarter saw the final two goals coming from Monkstown sticks. Emily Kealy in the 47th minute and almost on the whistle Sophie Moore slotted the last goal past the Belfast Harlequins keeper. Monkstown will be feeling more confident after that match going into the fourth round.

Railway Union players travelled down the road to Catholic Institute for their third round match which was a tense affair all around with both teams looking for those winning points to get back into the top half of the table. The first half the two teams spent testing each other trying to find weaknesses in two strong defences. Nothing was given on either side until Catholic Institute struck gold with a Penalty corner in the 47th minute that was successfully put past Railway keeper Riona Norton to give the home team the 1-0 advantage. Now they just needed to hold it and that they managed to do. A very equally matched game, the reverse fixture between these two teams will be one to watch.

UCD ladies welcomed Pembroke Wanderers to the Belfield pitch for what was sure to be a spicy game with both teams on even points. The match started after a minutes silence as a mark of respect to the late Brian Mullins who stood as Director of Sport in UCD over recent years. UCD started off the stronger team with the first goal on the 6th minute with a fantastic strike from Katherine Egan beating keeper Aoife Glennon. A number of penalty corners for UCD marked the first quarter with the Pembroke solid defence seeing off any shots on target. In the second quarter Pembroke came close with a shot from Sally Campbell hitting the top post and a short corner just going wide. Pembroke upped the pressure but the half time whistle saw UCD hold on to their 1-0 lead. Early in the second half UCD’s Niamh Carey scored from open play to make it 2-0 to the home team and that was the scoreline that stood until the full time whistle.

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EY League Round 3 Preview

The EY League continues this week where we will see 20 teams go head to head.

Wednesday 28th Sept

WOMEN

Monkstown V Old Alex

20:15 PM At Rathdown School

 

Saturday 1st October

MEN

Three Rock Rovers V Glenanne

13:00 PM V Grange Road

Cookstown V Pembroke Wanderers

14:30 PM At Cookstown

YMCA V Annadale

15:45 PM At YMCA

Monkstown V Instonians

16:15 PM At Rathdown

 

WOMEN

Catholic Institute V Railway

13:00 PM At Rosbrien

UCD V Pembroke Wanderers

13:00 PM At Belfield Water

Old Alex V Loreto

13:30 PM At Alexandra College

Monkstown V Belfast Harlequins

14:45 PM At Rathdown

 

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EY League Round 2 Recap

Week 2 of top hockey was jam-packed.

Here’s everything you need to know from Week 2:

MEN

Banbridge V Cookstown 7-1

Goals (Banbridge: J McKee x 4, J Rowe, C Rowe, P Brown; Cookstown: E Cruickshank)

Lisnagarvey V Monkstown 2-2

Goals (Lisnagarvey: M McNellis, T Chambers; Monkstown:S Cole, L Cole)

Glenanne V YMCA 3-4

Goals (Glenanne: S O Donoghue, TBC x 2; YMCA: G Glutz, H McCarthy, T Kok, R Senderson)

Instonians V Annadale 3-4

Goals (Instonians: B Palmer, M Watt, G Lecky; Annadale: D Tremlett, C Robson, A McAllister x 2)

Pembroke Wanderers V Three Rock Rovers 2-3

Goals (Pembroke: T Butler, C Hynes; TRR: M Romoli, J Hoskings, P Lynch)

Banbridge took on Ulster rivals Cookstown at Havelock park where a flurry of goals saw them come out 7-1 on top. Johnny McKee netted four goals in total from play with Jake Rowe finding the back of the goal from a penalty corner. Charlie Rowe got on the scoreboard in the 23rd minute to make it 4-0 before Johnny KcKee scored his third with some great passing moves to beat the goalkeeper. Peter Brown took his chance with the last goal in the first half which meant that Cookstown faced the dauting challenge of coming into the second half 6-0 down. However they fought hard and held off the Banbridge attack with some strong defending and teamwork only broken once by McKee as his netted his fourth and final goal of the game. A neat bit of play from Cookstown in the Banbridge circle led to a PC in the 46th minute which Cruickshank put away to score Cookstown’s single goal for the match. Wishing Mark Cuddy a speedy recovery after taking a knock in todays game.

Monkstown travelled up the road to face off against Lisnagarvey in a repeat of the 2022 EYHL Champions Trophy Semi Final. Both teams started off strong with the first PC to Garvey in the first few minutes saved by James Milliken. A lot of play in the middle of the field saw some breakout chances for both teams but neither able to find the killer pass to score. More corners on both sides but nothing doing and not too much pressure on the keepers with the defenders on both sides staying strong and it was 0-0 at half time. Finally on the 42nd minute Stephen Cole broke the deadlock and took Monkstown in to the lead 0-1. This goal opened the way for more and Lee Cole slotted the second past the keeper with Monkstown now 0-2 up. But Garvey came back strong with Mark McNellis slamming the ball into the goal to see quarter three end with just a goal in it. Into the final quarter and on the 60th minute Troy Chambers found a driving run and with a super finish made it 2-2. Garvey went down to 10 players with 3 minutes of play and with 90 seconds left a Garvey PC was cleared off the line with the final score staying at 2-2.

A minutes silence held in memory of club member Terry Cooney and then Dublin rivals Glenanne and YMCA took to the pitch. YMCA took the strong start to the match scoring twice in quick succession and holding off the Glenanne forwards to hold the lead 0-2 into the second quarter. Remaining firmly in control another goal saw Glenanne enter the second half 0-3 down with the goals coming from Grant Glutz, Harry McCarthy and Tevin Kok. But the second half saw Glenanne come back fighting, a Penalty stroke was converted by Shane O Donoghue and another goal in the fourth corner saw Glenanne come back to 2-3 with all to fight for. Ross Senderson put away a strong strike for YMCA which was very quickly responded to with another Glenanne PC finding the backboard. But YMCA held out and the match ended Glenanne 3-4 YMCA.

Instonians welcomed Annadale for a friday night fixture with a total of 7 goals as well as a smattering of card and some fast paced hockey with plenty of drama for those who came out to watch.  the first quarter passed with no goals but plenty of testing from each team with passing around the back trying to find a way past the strong defences. Instonians were the first to find a way past the defence with Benjamin Palmer scoring from a PC. Annadale found their break in the 30th minutes when David Tremlett scored from  a PC of their own to see the two teams go into the second half even at 1-1. The third quarter saw a lot of action with Instonians again taking the lead with a second goal from a PC this time by Michael Watt and when Callum Robson scored from play to bring it back even there was no waiting around with Gavin Lecky making it 3-2 within two minutes. The final quarter saw tensions rise with a series of cards and two Annadale goals from play in the 59th and 67th minutes both from Adam McAllister. The final score was 3-4 with Annadale going home with the points.

Pembroke closed off their double header this weekend with the men’s team taking on Three Rock Rovers in their opening game of the season. Mateo Romoli got the play underway quickly with the first goal scored in the second minute taking Three Rock Rovers into the lead. A lot of play around the middle saw the two teams scope out each others playing styles and it wasnt until the 31st minute that Three Rock Rovers found a way through again, this time Jody Hosking finding the backboard. Pembroke quickly found their stride and when Three Rock Rovers picked up a yellow card Traoloch Butler completed the PC with a drag flick high into the right hand corner to end the half 1-2. Quarter three passed quickly with some nice play from both teams but it was Three Rock that found added to the score sheet with Peter Lynch scoring from play. With four minutes left on the clock Cillian Hynes scored with a back post deflection but Three Rock held strong in the last minutes to win the match 3-2.

 

WOMEN

Loreto V Monkstown 3-2

Goals (Loreto: R Kelly x 3; C O Reilly, E Kealy)

Old Alex V Catholic Institute 1-1

Goals (Old Alex: A Russell; Catholic Institute: C Moloney)

Railway Union V UCD 1-1

Goals (Railway: L Llyod; UCD: M Carey)

Pembroke Wanderers V Pegasus  2-2

Goals (Pembroke: S Young, L McGuire; Pegasus: E Quinn, L McKee)

Belfast Harlequins V Ards 1-5

Goals (Belfast Harlequins: S McCollum; Ards: E Robinson, Z Malseed x 3, A Carson)

Monkstown started off their 2022-23 season against Loreto where Loreto’s Rachel Kelly started the scoring with a nice bit of play leading to a goal in the 7th minute.  The first quarter ended 1-0 to Loreto but Monkstown had some chances. The Loreto midfield and forward line linked up well throughout the second quarter and with a lot of pressure from the Monkstown front line the defence held strong to keep it 1-0 into half time. A very even game by all accounts until Rachel Kelly really got going, a hat trick scored before Monkstown had a chance to come back. But they did fight hard to do so, with two goals coming in the 63rd and the 66th minute from Claire O Reilly and Emily Kealy.

Catholic Institute travelled up to Old Alex for their first away match of the season with a large crowd of supporters which saw them draw 1-1. Both teams were very even with the defences rarely being tested in the first quarter. Catholic Institute were the first to score from a PC neatly dispatched by Ciara Moloney. Old Alex came back without too much time in between to score from play with the goal going to Abbie Russell. Going down to 10 for four minutes of the third quarter with two green cards in quick succession they defended well with Catholic Institute unable to get back on the score sheet. Some chances on both sides were firmly defending and then in the 67 minute when a yellow card put Catholic Institute down to 10 Loreto tried to take the tempo up a notch but Catholic Institute stayed strong and saw out the last few minutes for a 1-1 draw.

Railway Unions new pitch saw its first EYHL action this weekend against UCD. A corner for UCD in the 9th minute was not stopped and Railway was quickly onto the counter attack with the home team getting a PC of their own which went wide. An even contest in the first quarter with the only action in the circle being from those two corners. Then in the 22nd minute a goal from play by UCD’s Michelle Carey saw the away team take the lead for two minutes until Railway equalised with a long pass from Emma Smyth finding Lily Lloyd who flicks into the goal past the advancing keeper. Some action in the second quarter saw Ellie McLoughlin make a fine save from a Railway drag flick. A flurry of corners on both sides followed but at half time it remained 1-1. The third quarter remained even with few chances to score so it was all to play for in the final quarter. A yellow card for Railway put them down to 10 but UCD could not find the advantage and the game finished up 1-1.

Pembroke women started off the double header event facing off against Pegasus with a large crowd of supporters cheering for the home team. The first quarter saw some strong play from both teams but Pegasus came out on top with a PC converted by Emma Quinn. A strong chance for Pembroke came when Amy Kate Trevor flashed a shot across the d but no deflections saw the ball go over the back line. The second quarter saw Pembroke with most of the possession and chances and a goal for Sarah Young assisted by Sally Campbell  equalised the match. Two PC for Pegasus were well defended with clears from both the keeper and off the line from the defence. A number of attempts from Pembroke came close but at half time it remained 1-1. Pegasus were quick off the whistle and two corners in a row were defending well by the Pembroke defence but Lucy McKee eventually finds a way past in a PC. The third quarter needed a push from Pembroke and they found it with a second equaliser, this time from Leah McGuire in a PC. With strong chances for both teams in the last 10 minutes neither managed to finish things off and the game ended 2-2.

An Ulster Derby saw Belfast Harlequins meet Ards in a high goal match at Deramore. Quins took the lead after 3 minutes with Susie McCollum finding the goal from play but Ards didnt wait around with Emma Reid creating space from a great pass in the centre and Ellen Robinson finding a way into the circle to make it 1-1. The second quarter saw a lot of pressure from Ards with Suzie Parkes making a great save in goal facing a Zara Malseed reverse stick. The third quarter was fairly evenly contested until Zara was given space to run, a good first save from the keeper but a rebound not cleared gave Malseed another chance to make it 1-2 and in quick succession Carson makes it 1-3 for Ards. Some strong attacking from Quins but nothing came and the ball moved up the other end, a PC for Ards with a straight strike by Malseed and it was 1-4. In the 68th minute with a strong reverse stick Malseed gets the hat trick and Quins found no response. Final score 5-1.

 

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EY League Round 2 Preview

The EY League continues this weekend where we will see 20 teams go head to head.

Friday 23rd September

Men

Instonians v Annadale

20:00 PM At Shawsbridge Sports Complex

Saturday 24th September

MEN

Glenanne V YMCA

13:30 PM At St. Andrews College

Banbridge V Cookstown

14:45 PM At Havelock Park

Lisnagarvey V Monkstown

15:00 PM At Lisnagarvey

Pembroke Wanderers V Three Rock Rovers

16:00 PM At Serpentine Avenue

 

WOMEN

Loreto V Monkstown

13:15 PM At Loreto Beaufort School-Rathfarnham

Old Alex V Catholic Institute

13:30 PM At Alexandra College

Railway Union V UCD

13:30 PM At Park Avenue

Pembroke Wanderers V Pegasus 

14:00 PM At Serpentine Avenue

Belfast Harlequins V Ards

14:30 PM At Deramore Park

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EY League Round 1 Recap

Week 1 of top hockey has gotten underway with a full slate of action.

Here’s everything you need to know from Week 1:

MEN

YMCA V Banbridge 4-4

Goals (YMCA: A Walker, Scott Ruttle, Tevin Kok x2; Banbridge: Jonny McKee x3, Sam Farson)

Cookstown V Lisnagarvey 0-4

Goals (Lisnagarvey: A Williamson, M Aughey x2, O Kidd)

Annadale V Glenanne 1-2

Goals (Annadale: F Gibson; Glenanne: S O Donoghue x 2)

Three Rock Rovers V Instonians 4-3

Goals (TRR: P Lynch 2, A Empey, R Spence; Instonians: R Kelly, S Kelso, T Orr )

An even game the whole way through saw YMCA and Banbridge draw 4-4 in a goal filled fight to the end. The first quarter saw neither team able to find the net but with lots of pressure on both sides it was sure to be the start of an exciting fixture. Both goalkeepers made fine saves with Banbridge putting pressure on with the first couple of Penalty corners but it was Adam Walker whose drag flick finding the back of the goal that started the flurry of scores. The third quarter started 3-2 to YMCA but Banbridge held on and after a one v one with the keeper made it 3-3. Tevin Kok rounded off the final goal for YMCA and with minutes to spare David Finlay scored the last goal to keep it at a draw 4-4.

Lisnagarvey took the fixture against Cookstown by the hand from the 10th minute with a penalty corner hammered home by Andrew Williamson. Cookstown fought hard for the next 30 minutes but could not find the opposite goal and in the third quarter Garvey number 19 Oliver Kidd with a great touch made it 2-0. Matthew Aughey finished the match off with two goals in the 48th and 56th minute to see last years Champions first win in this new season.

Annadale faced Glenanne at Lagan in a close fixture where both sides showed their skills. A number of Penalty corners started the match off with Glenanne after a couple of attempts finding the back of the goal from Shane O Donoghue’s strike. Passions struck high with cards on both sides but no more scores in the first half. Passions continued high with O Donoghue converting a penatly stroke giving Glenanne a 0-2 lead which remained until the forth quarter. Annadale had some close chances for a goal but the Glenanne defence held strong until the 62nd minute when Fergus Gibson broke through for Annadale only goal of the match.

Three Rock Rovers won their opening game of the men’s EYHL season as they held off a big late comeback from Instonians to win 4-3. Ali Empey’s sixth minute volley gave Rovers an early lead when he latched onto Matteo Romoli’s long overhead ball down the middle. Peter Lynch – on his return to the club from UCD – notched the next two from close range before setting up Ryan Spencer for a 4-0 advantage in the third quarter. Inst got back in the mix when Ross Kelly scored a stroke with seven minutes left and Tommy Orr and Stephen Kelso both scored in the 67th minute to make it lively but Rovers held on for the points.

WOMEN

Catholic Institute V UCD 1-2

Goals (Catholic Institute: M Barrett; UCD: M Carey x 2)

Pegasus V Railway Union 0-0

Ards V Loreto 1-3

Goals (Ards: A Carson; Loreto: S Torrans, C Sherin, R Kelly)

Pembroke Wanderers V Belfast Harlequins 6-1

Goals (Pembroke Wanderers: C. Moroney, S. Campbell, E. Beatty, O. Macken, R. O’Brien, M. Fulton; Belfast Harlequins: J. Hong)

UCD travelled down to Limerick to face off against last years Irish Senior Cup winners Catholic Institute with the journey proving successful for them taking home a 1-2 win over Catholic Institute. With the first goal coming in the 9th minute, Michelle Carey knocking it in at the back post, the bar was set for a feisty fixture. Carey with a direct shot from the top of the circle made it 0-2 at the end of the first quarter. Another attempt by UCD was blocked and cleared by Laura Foley and then the second quarter became a possession match with no clear scoring opportunities for either team. The third quarter saw a great bit of play by Naomi Carrol saved but Michelle Barrett was in there to follow up the save and score Catholic Institutes opening goal of the season. The rest of the match saw a flurry of long and penatly corners, cards, frees and skills but with no more scores the match finished 1-2 to UCD.

A minutes silence to mark the passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth started the season for Pegasus Hockey Club and Railway Union. A tight game between the two sides saw the match end 0-0, chances on both sides to break the score but strong defences saw off any challenges from the forwards.

The 2022-23 season sees Ards back in the top flight division after winning the EYHL 2 last season. They put up a fight in this first round of the EYHL but Loreto came out the stronger team in the end. Sarah Torrans taking the first goal from play in the first quarter and Caitlin Sherin making it 0-2 from a penalty corner in the second quarter. Rachel Kelly bagged the third goal for Loreto in the 36th minute from play but after a some strong play from Ards with one minute to go in Ally Carson found the back of the goal to make it 1-3 to Loreto.

Pembroke Wanderers, last seasons Champions, welcome Belfast Harlequins to Serperntine Road for the first round of the 2022-23 season.  A strong first quarter for Pembroke saw them take the lead in the 3rd minute with a goal from play by Ciara Moroney. Sally Campbell scored the only goal in the second quarter taking it to 2-0 for Pembroke and then the goals kept coming. Two goals from play in two minutes saw Emily Beatty and Orla Macken, with a stellar backstick, join the score sheet. The final quarter saw a bit of tension with two green cards for Pembroke but then a goal by Rachel O Brien to settle things back down. Belfast Harlequins never gave up though and Jiwon Hong responded almost immediately to score the opening goal of the season for the Ulster club and with a final goal by Milla Fulton the final score was 6-1 to Pembroke. A strong start to the season.

 

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