Archive for month: March, 2024

HOCKEY IRELAND WEEKEND DOMESTIC FIXTURES PREVIEW: SATURDAY MARCH 23 AND SUNDAY MARCH 24 

 

This weekend sees the semi-final round of the Men’s Irish Senior Cup and the first semi-final in the Women’s Irish Senior Cup. We also have the semi-finals in the Men’s Irish Hockey Challenge.

All of these matches take place in addition to a full round of fixtures in the EY Hockey League Division 1 and 2 for both Men and Women.

 

SATURDAY. 23 MARCH 2024

 

EYHL MEN’S DIVISION 1

GLENANNE V YMCA 13:30 ST. ANDREW’S COLLEGE

THREE ROCK ROVERS V LISNAGARVEY 14:00 GRANGE ROAD

MONKSTOWN V BANBRIDGE 14:20 RATHDOWN SCHOOL

INSTONIANS V CORINTHIANS 14:30 SHAWSBRIDGE

UCD V ANNADALE 14:45  NATIONAL STADIUM UCD

 

EYHL WOMEN’S DIVISION 1

PEGASUS V UCD  12:45 QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY SPORTSGROUNDS

CATHOLIC INSTITUTE V OLD ALEXANDRA 12:45 ROSBRIEN

PEMBROKE WANDERERS V LORETO 12:45 SERPENTINE AVENUE

CORINTHIANS V MONKSTOWN 13:15 ST.COLUMBA’S COLLEGE

ULSTER ELKS V RAILWAY UNION 14:30 ULSTER UNIVERSITY SPORTGROUNDS JORDANSTOWN

 

EYHL  MEN’S DIVISION 2 POOL A

PEMBROKE WANDERERS V BANGOR. 15:00 SERPENTINE AVENUE

AVOCA V BANDON. 14:30. NEWPARK SCHOOL

 

EYHL MEN’S DIVISION 2 POOL B

RAILWAY UNION V COOKSTOWN. 13:30 PARK AVENUE

CORK HARLEQUINS V CORK CHURCH OF IRELAND 14:45 HARLEQUINS PARK

 

EYHL WOMEN’S DIVISION 2 POOL A

KILKENNY V AVOCA. 12:00 KILKENNY COLLEGE

CORK HARLEQYINS V GREENFIELDS. 14:45 HARLEQUINS PARK

 

EYHL WOMEN’S DIVISION 2 POOL B 

MUCKROSS V ARDS. 13:00  MUCKROSS SCHOOL

UNIVERSITY OF GALWAY V LURGAN. 14:00 DANGAN

 

MEN’S IRISH HOCKEY CHALLENGE SEMI-FINAL

WESTON V PSNI 15:00 GRIFFEEN PARK

CI MEN V  LIMERICK  14:30 CIYMS SPORTS COMPLEX

 

SUNDAY MARCH 24, 2024

 

MEN’S IRISH SENIOR CUP SEMI-FINALS 

LISNAGARVEY V THREE ROCK ROVERS  14:00  COMBER ROAD

BANBRIDGE. V COOKSTOWN 15:00 HAVELOCK PARK

 

WOMEN’S IRISH SENIOR CUP SEMI-FINAL

LORETO V CATHOLIC INSTITUTE 13:40 LORETO BEAUFORT

FRIDAY MARCH 15TH 2024

EY HOCKEY LEAGUE WOMEN’S DIVISION 2 POOL A 

AVOCA 2 KILKENNY 2

Avoca, who lost out on winning the Leinster Women’s Division 1 title on Tuesday last losing to eventual champions Muckross, faced into a must win match on this occasion against Kilkenny on Friday night. Finishing 2^nd in the Leinster Women’s Division 1 may not be enough to secure a place in the 2024/25 EYHL 2 if Monkstown and Corinthians both get relegated from the Women’s EYHL Division 1. Both clubs before this game started, occupied places 9 and 10 in the top Division which of course are automatic relegation spots. As there are only 3 guaranteed places for Leinster Division 1 sides in next season’s competition two of these would be occupied, as things stand, by two current members of the EYHL Division 1 namely Monkstown and Corinthians. This meant that Avoca needed to win the EYHL 2 or at least reach the final to have any chance of getting promoted in the next two years, assuming Monkstown do not avoid relegation.

To be fair to the home side they did get off to a good early start and took the lead through a Sorcha McCooey goal from open play in the 9^th minute. Avoca were awarded a penalty stroke and captain Anna Richardson made no mistake in the 27^th minute to give Avoca a seemingly comfortable 2-0 lead in the 27^th minute. Just before half time Kilkenny got on the scoresheet through captain Paula Farrell who converted a penalty corner in the 33^rd minute to leave the half time score 2-1 to Avoca. Niamh Spratt-O’Shea converted a penalty corner to give the Marble City side an equalising goal in the 47^th minute and that turned out to be the final score Avoca 2 Kilkenny 2.

 

SATURDAY MARCH 16TH 2024

GREENFIELDS 2 CORK HARLEQUINS 5

Yvonne O’Byrne opened her account for Cork Harlequins in this EYHL  Women’s Division 2 Pool A clash at Dangan, in the 16^th minute with a goal from open play. Greenfields equalised when Zara O’Toole scored from open play in the 20^th minute to make the score 1-1. Yvonne O’Byrne added a second from a converted penalty corner in the 27^th minute to restore Harlequins lead 2-1. She added a third from open play in the 33^rd minute and a fourth in the 52^nd minute to leave the Corkwomen 4-1 ahead.  Zara O’Toole got her second of the match for Greenfields in the 62^nd minute to make it 4-2 to Harlequins and Harlequins captain Michelle Barry added a fifth goal to secure a 5-2 win for Quins.

EYHL MEN’S DIVISION 1 

CORINTHIAN 1 GLENANNE 3

Glenanne fresh from their dramatic 5-5 draw with defending champions Banbridge last Sunday, got out of the blocks and were 1-0 up through a goal from open play by Jason Rogan in the 20^th minute. Shane O’Donoghue opened his account in the 39^th minute, converting a penalty corner. A 51^st minute penalty stroke converted by Shane O’Donoghue marked his second of the game and put the visitors 3-0 up in the 51^st minute. Corinthians got on the scoresheet a minute later when a Max Neill penalty corner left the final score Corinthians 1 Glenanne 3.

 

BANBRIDGE 2 THREE ROCK ROVERS 2 

Three Rock Rovers took on defending champions Banbridge in the fortress that is Havelock Park. They took the lead in the 7th minute through a goal by Alistair Empey from open play. It was 1-0 to the visitors at the end of the first quarter.  Banbridge got back on terms through Louis Rowe in the 28th minute also from open play and another goal by Matthew McKee had the home side leading 2-1 by half-time. Just when it looked like the League leaders had done enough to win the match Ben Johnson got a late equalising goal for the visitors when he converted a 68^th minute penalty corner to leave the final score 2-2.

 

LISNAGARVEY  2  YMCA 3

Lisnagarvey in 2^nd place at the start of play failed to capitalise on leaders Banbridge dropped points when they lost a 5 goal battle to visitors YMCA.

Ross Henderson gave the Dubliners the lead in the 24^th minute. They led 1-0 at half-time. Tevin Kok increased their lead in the 36^th minute with a goal from open play. Ross Henderson got his second of the game in the 45^th minute from open play to leave YM leading by 3-0. Garvey eventually got on the scoresheet through Matthew Nelson’s converted penalty corner in the 52^nd minute.

 

ANNADALE  2 MONKSTOWN 4

Annadale hosted Monkstown at UUJ in this EYHL Men’s Division 1 game. David Vincent opened the scoring for the visitors in the 3^rd minute from open play. Geoff Cole increased Monkstown’s lead in the 20^th minute. David Vincent got his second of the game to make it 3-0 to Monkstown in the 28^th minute. Annadale responded through Adam McAllister 42^nd minute from open play. Spencer Pinion added a second goal for Annadale in the 51^st minute to make it 3-2 to Monkstown and Sam Hohn’s 63^rd minute converted penalty corner secured the win for Monkstown on a scoreline of Annadale 2 Monkstown 4.

 

UCD 2 INSTONIANS 2

For both sides in this clash at the National Stadium in Belfield this amounted to a must win fixture. Going into this game UCD were in 9^th place in the League table and Instonians were in 10^th having collected their first League point of the season last week at the 12^th attempt. UCD took the lead in the 10^th minute when player/coach Alan Sothern converted a penalty corner to put the students 1-0 up.  Just on the stroke of half-time Ben Palmer equalised for the Belfast side with a converted penalty corner to leave both sides level 1-1 at half-time. Alan Sothern got his second of the game from another penalty corner in the 56^th minute to put UCD 2-1 up. And just when it looked as if the students had done enough to secure the win, Ben Palmer converted a second penalty corner in the 66^th minute to ensure a share of the spoils for 10^th placed Instonians.

UCD had numerous chances to put this game out of sight and must rue their missed chances. Instonians to their credit kept plugging away and took the opportunities they got.  Newly reappointed coach Stephen Redpath has returned to take up the reins in an effort to pull Instonians out of the mire. And even with 5 games remaining this task might be a bridge too far. But two points from two outings does represent something of an improvement and is definitely a positive turnaround despite the seemingly impossible nature of the task at hand.

 

UCD: Ross Clarke, Samuel Ryder, Kevin O’Dea (C), Josh Filgas, Adam Luke Galbraith, Callum Hewat, Bryan Lyndon, Harry Lynch, Conor Walsh, Mark Collins SUBS USED: Mark Smyth. (6 mins), Sam Walker  (6 Mins), Alan Sothern (7 mins), Benjamin Stewart (10 mins)

INSTONIANS: Finlay Marney, Matthew Steele, Philip Hamill, Ben Palmer, Ross Kelly, Stephen Kelso, Gavin Lecky, Andrew Corry, Gabriel Tenner, John Colville, David Arneill  SUBS USED: Matthew McCord (9 mins), Matthew Martin (10 mins), James Palmer (10 mins), Joshua Kidd (15 mins), Ethan Young (27 mins)

 

EYHL WOMEN’S DIVISION 1

LORETO 4 ULSTER ELKS 1

Loreto are the EYHL Champions for 2023/24 having beaten Ulster Elks by 4-1 and reaching 43 points. Even if Loreto lost all their remaining fixtures and second placed Railway Union won all their remaining fixtures including their game in hand the maximum they could get is 41. Síofra O’Brien converted a penalty corner to give Loreto the lead in the 6^th minute 1-0. Caoimhe Perdue made it 2-0 when she converted a penalty corner in the 23^rd minute. Rachel Kelly made it 3-0 from open play in the 38^th minute. Ulster Elks responded straightaway  when Chloe Stewart scored from open play to make it 3-1. Hannah McLoughlin converted a 54^th minute penalty corner to make the final score Loreto 4 Ulster Elks 1.

 

MONKSTOWN 0 CATHOLIC INSTITUTE 2

Monkstown’s battle against Catholic Institute took an unpromising turn at Rathdown where they lost 0-2 at home to 2022 Irish Senior Cup winners Catholic Institute. The current cup holders found themselves behind in the 15^th minute when Ireland international Naomi Carroll scored from open play. It was still 1-0 at half-time. Despite Monkstown’s best efforts the score remained 0-1 in favour of the Shannonsiders going into the closing stages and Laura Foley added a second goal in the 67^th minute to secure the win for Catholic Institute, by 2-0.

 

CORINTHIAN 1  PEMBROKE WANDERERS 2

Bottom of the table Corinthians took on Pembroke Wanderers at St. Columba’s College and found themselves on the wrong end of a 2-1 scoreline. Hannah Irwin scored for Pembroke Wanderers in the 5^th minute from open play to give the visitors a 1-0 lead. Isobel Field increased the visitor’s lead in the 8^th minute to leave Pembroke 2-0 ahead and they led by this margin at half-time. There was no scoring in the third quarter and just when it appeared Pembroke might have kept a clean sheet, Lynne Pomeroy scored for the hosts in the 67^th minute from open play to leave the final score Corinthians 1 Pembroke Wanderers.

 

OLD ALEXANDRA 2 PEGASUS 1 

Pegasus came down from Belfast in search of League points to put daylight between themselves and ninth placed Monkstown. The first two quarters were scoreless and it remained 0-0 at half time.  Alex Speers gave Pegasus the lead in the 36^th minute from open play. The lead only lasted six minutes as a 42^nd minute goal from Bethany Russ from open play equalised matters at 1-1. Old Alex completed the turnaround and secured all the points when Elva Kerr scored from open play in the 68^th minute to make the final score Old Alexandra 2 Pegasus 1.

 

UCD 1 RAILWAY UNION 2

Second placed Railway Union took on UCD at the National Stadium in Belfield in this EYHL Division 1 clash. Former student Niamh Carey opened the scoring for Railway Union  in the 6^th minute. Railway had the lion’s share of possession and chances in the first half . The vistors still led by a soiltary goal at half time. UCD couldn’t convert a number of penalty corners in the third quarter and Railway Union increased their lead in the 64^th minute when Emma Smyth scored from open play. What the Railway captain was capable of doing was replicated by Ireland international Sarah McAuley who scored from open play for the students to leave the final score UCD 1 Railway Union 2. Railway Union will most likely secure second place in this Division but Loreto are the Champions and have secured the first automatic semi-final place in the Champions Trophy. The second placed team in the Division also get an automatic semi-final spot so it’s anything but a consolation price as the post season race for an  EYHL place hots up.

UCD: Erika Gallagher, Aine Naughton, Katie-Jane Marshall, Caoimhe Byrne, Ali Griffin, Sarah McAuley, Sophia Cole, Lauren Moore,  Mikayla Power, Emma Paul (C), Anna McCarthy  SUBS USED: Sydney Weir McErlean (5 mins),  Leah O’Shea (6 mins), Florence Maughan (6 mins), Lauren Jonston (6 mins)

RAILWAY UNION: Emma Buckley, Sarah Patton, Niamh Carey, Michelle Carey, Lisa McCarthy, Aebhfinn Burke, Kate Mullan, Emma Smyth (C), Sarah Hawkshaw, Orla Fox, Lily Lloyd, Jenny Long, Kate Dillon, Niamh Shaw, Clodagh Ferry, Saoirse Griffin

THURSDAY MARCH 7 2024

 

EY HOCKEY LEAGUE MEN’S DIVISION 1

THREE ROCK ROVERS 1 – 1 YMCA 

The postponed game from the previous Saturday went ahead on Thursday night at Grange Road. Tevin Kok gave the visitors, YMCA the lead in the 31^st minute with a goal from open play. Ben Johnson equalised with a converted penalty corner in the 57^th minute to secure a share of the spoils for Three Rock Rovers.

 

SATURDAY  MARCH 9 2024

 

BANBRIDGE 3-2 LISNAGARVEY

This Ulster derby was also the clash of the top two teams in the table at Havelock Park.  Lisnagarvey went ahead in the 6^th minute through a Matthew Nelson goal from open play.

Jake Rowe equalised for Banbridge in the 18^th minute scoring from a converted penalty corner to make it 1-1. Jonny McKee gave Bann the lead in the 35^th minute from open play.

Matthew McKee increased the lead for Banbridge with a 61^st minute goal from open play to leave Bann 3-1 ahead  . Lisnagarvey grabbed a late consolation goal when their captain Andrew Williamson converted a late penalty corner in the 70^th minute to make the final score Banbridge 3 Lisnagarvey 2.

 

GLENNANE 4-0 UCD 

Glenanne had  UCD as visitors to St. Andrew’s College in the EYHL Division 1 on Saturday.  Brad Venter gave the hosts the lead in the 24^th minute from open play. Gary Shaw increased Glenanne’s lead in the 37^th minute with a goal from open play.  Two late goals for the hosts sealed the win. Jason Rogan made it 3-0 in the 58^th minute and Taylor Kelly-Stack made it 4-0 in the 59^th minute.

 

MONKSTOWN 4-1  INSTONIANS 

Lee Cole opened and closed Monkstown’s account in this EYHL Men’s Division 1 clash at Rathdown School.  He scored in the 16^th minute from a converted penalty corner to give Monkstown an early lead. Monkstown led 1-0 at half time. Two goals from Jeremy Duncan put the hosts 3-0 ahead. His first was a converted penalty corner in the 40^th minute and his second of the game was from open play in the 58^th minute. Lee Cole got his second goal of the game , from another penalty corner in the 66^th minute to leave Monkstown 4-0 ahead going into the closing stages of the game. Ross Kelly’s 70^th minute converted penalty corner proved a very late consolation goal for Instionians. The match ended Monkstown 4 Instonians 1.

 

THREE ROCK ROVERS 4-1 ANNADALE 

Ben Johnson was on the mark for all of Three Rock Rovers goals in this win over Annadale at Grange Road .His converted penalty corner in the 9^th minute made it 1-0 to Rovers. Ben Johnson added a second from open play in the 20^th minute. Peter Corrie put the visitors on the scoresheet in the 29^th minute from open play. Ben Johnson restored the two-goal margin in the 38^th minute to make it 3-1. He converted a penalty corner in the 43^rd minute to leave the final score 4-1 to Three Rock Rovers and in the process scoring 5 goals in 3 days over two games for Three Rock Rovers.

 

YMCA 6-1  CORINTHIANS 

Tevin Kok got his second goal in three days for YMCA to open the scoring in this EYHL Men’s Division 1 tie at Wesley College to put YMCA 1-0 ahead. A Grant Glutz goal from open play in the 20^th minute increased the lead for YMCA to make it 2-0.   Corinthians got on the score sheet through a converted penalty corner by Max Neill in the 44^th minute to reduce the deficit to a single goal. YMCA led 2-1 at this point. Ben O’Grady’s  converted penalty corner in the 49^th minute restored the two-goal margin to 3-1. Ross Henderson made it 4-1 from open play in the 53^rd minute. Sam Hyland  made it 5-1 in the 63^rd minute.

Ross Henderson made it 6-1 with his second goal of the game from a converted penalty corner in the 70^th minute and that was the final score.

EYHL MEN’S DIVISION 2 POOL A

BANDON 2-4  PEMBROKE WANDERERS 

Leinster Men’s Division 1 side  Pembroke Wanderers returned home with a full set of points from Bandon Grammar School in this EYHL Men’s Division 2 Pool A clash. Bandon took the lead when Karl Smyth converted a penalty corner in the 2^nd minute. Pembroke Wanderers were level in the 14^th minute when they were awarded a penalty stroke converted by Dechlan Bennett and it was 1-1 at half-time. Ross Breytenbach gave the visitors the lead in the 48^th minute from open play and Jack Flanagan made it 3-1 to Pembroke Wanderers with another open play goal on 50 minutes. David Lynch made it 4-1 for Pembroke Wanderers a minute later and Karl Lynch’s second goal of the game proved a late consolation goal for Bandon when he converted a penalty corner in the 55^th minute. It finished Bandon 2 Pembroke Wanderers 4.

 

QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY  1-2  AVOCA 

Darragh Grogan gave the visitors Avoca the lead at the Queen’s University Grounds in Belfast in the 7^th minute 1-0 to Avoca. Hayden Vaitekenas increased their lead in the 30^th minute from open play 2-0 for Avoca. Harry Scott responded for Queen’s University in the 34^th minute from open play and it was Queen’s 1 Avoca 2 at half-time. There was no further scoring in either the 3^rd of 4^th quarter and Avoca went home having won 2-1.

 

EYHL MEN’S DIVISION 2 POOL B

COOKSTOWN 2-2 CORK HARLEQUINS 

Sam Dale opened the scoring for Cork Harlequins from open play in the 4^th minute.  Cookstown were level in the 12^th minute thanks to Michael Kerr’s converted penalty corner. it was 1-1 at half-time. Cork Harlequins captain Jack O’Meara restored their lead when he converted a penalty corner in the 62^nd minute to put them 2-1 ahead. It was a lead that would only last 2 minutes as Jack Haycock converted a penalty corner for Cookstown in the 64^th minute to secure a share of the spoils on a final scoreline of Cookstown 2 Cork Harlequins 2.

 

SOUTH ANTRIM 3-3  RAILWAY UNION 

The Ulster Premier League side and their Leinster Division 1A opponents produced a six goal thriller at Friends’ School in Lisburn this afternoon. Ryan West opened the scoring for the home side in the 6^th minute with a goal from open play. Jordan Robinson increased South Antrim’s lead to 2-0 in the 16^th minute when he converted a penalty corner. Kenny Carroll responded for Railway Union with a converted penalty corner in the 22^nd minute. Robert Devlin equalised for Railers  in the 26^th minute with a goal from open play to make it 2-2 at half-time.  Jan Trejbal restored the visitors lead in the 59^th minute from open play. But a converted penalty corner for South Antrim by Peter Mulligan in the 64^th minute secured a share of the spoils and it ended 3-3.

 

EYHL WOMEN’S DIVISION 2 POOL A 

AVOCA 1-2  CORK HARLEQUINS 

Munster Senior League side Cork Harlequins defeated Leinster Women’s Division 1 side at Newpark Comprehensive School in Dublin in the EYHL WOMEN’S DIVISION 2 POOL B.  Yvonne O’Byrne opened the scoring for Harlequins in the 15^th minute from open play. She got her second goal of the game by converting a penalty corner in the 21^st minute.  Cork Harlequins led 2-0 at half-time.  Avoca did get on the scoresheet when Zoe Watterson converted a penalty corner in the 64^th minute but it ended up Avoca 1 Cork Harlequins 2

 

BELFAST HARLEQUINS  7-0 KILKENNY 

Leinster Division 1 side Kilkenny had no answers to a Belfast Harlequins onslaught in the  EYHL Women’s Division 2 Pool A clash at Deramore Park.  Emma Fraser put Belfast Harlequins 1-0 up with a converted penalty corner in the 8^th minute. Ella Lanuske opened her account with  a goal from open play in the 25^th  minute to make it 2-0 . Katherine Welshman made it 3-0 with a converted penalty corner in the  44^th minute.

Ella Lanuske got her second field goal of the game in the 47^th minute to make it 4-0.   Captain Katie Larmour made it 5-0  with a converted penalty corner in the  62^nd minute.  Jenna Henry made it 6-0 in the 64^th minute and Emily Walls rounded off the scoring in the 69^th minute to make the final score 7-0.

 

EYHL WOMEN’S DIVISION 2 POOL B

LURGAN  2-1  MUCKROSS 

Ulster Women’s Premier League side Lurgan hosted Muckross (who are playing for the Leinster Women’s Division 1 title this week against rivals Avoca in their final League match) at Lurgan Junior High School in the EYHL Women’s Division 2 Pool B match and ended up with all the points on offer. Leeanne Thompson opened the scoring for the hosts  in the 29^th minute from open play. Jo-Anne Reid added a second goal for Lurgan in the 61^st minute. Cate Browne  scored for Muckross in the final minute as a last gasp consolation score to make the result Lurgan 2 Muckross 1

 

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK  A  UNIVERSITY OF GALWAY A

This match at the Mardyke was abandoned after 7 minutes due to a serious injury  to a University of Galway player.

 

WOMEN’S IRISH SENIOR CUP

PEGASUS 0-6 RAILWAY UNION  

The remaining quarter-final of the Irish Senior Cup was played at Queen’s University Sportsground on Saturday. Pegasus had no answers to a rampant Railway Union side who ran out 6-0 winners. Their reward for today’s win, a trip to Belfield in the semi-final where they will take on 2020 Senior Cup winners UCD.