Archive for category: General

Tuesday March 5, Dublin: Ireland Head Coach Sean Dancer has decided to step-away from the Senior Women’s Hockey programme. It comes just over a month after the team narrowly failed to qualify for Paris 2024, losing to GB in Valencia at the Olympic Qualifiers in January.

Dancer joined as Head Coach in May 2019 having moved from his role as Assistant Coach in New Zealand, and his tenure saw the Ireland team reach their first ever Olympic games, one World Cup and most recently finishing 5^th in Europe, equalling the team’s best ever result.

Commenting on the announcement, Sean Dancer said:

“I would like to thank Hockey Ireland, Sport Ireland, Sport Northern Ireland, and all the sponsors for providing me the support and opportunity to lead and drive the Women’s programme over the last 6 years. As a team there have certainly been some ups and downs, but I am extremely proud of the team’s consistency competing and performing at three Europeans, a World Cup and an Olympic Games. 

“It has been an amazing experience for me and my family getting to understand the unique Irish sporting culture and skills. But more importantly it was an honour getting to know each individual of our special group. I wish the players and staff all the best for the future, and look forward to the opportunity of cheering from the stands with the great Green Army Family”.

Hockey Ireland High Performance Director Lisa Jacob, also commented:

“We wish Sean the very best as he steps away from the programme and seeks new opportunities. He has made a huge and positive contribution to the development of the team, and the results and successes bear testament to that. On a personal note, Sean has been a true professional and a pleasure to work with and on behalf of all the players and the staff, I want to recognise that and thank him for his contribution.”

On the occasion of his stepping away from the Senior Women’s team, we had the chance to speak with Sean and ask some questions.

Regarding the reasons for joining as Head Coach initially:

“In 2019 I was working for the Black Sticks and watched Ireland at the World Cup, so I had awareness of the group and potential.

But the two factors for me coming to Ireland where:

Firstly the opportunity to create a semi-pro program – 3 days a week in a new country. The team had earnt the right from their 2018 WC and deserved a more complete program.

It took me three years to get the program to a position that I felt had a good balance for everyone. Athletes now have key training days Mon & Tues, with regional work end of the week. Club is supported Thurs & Sat. And players can work and/or study part-time Wed / Thurs / Fri. With everyone being free for family on Sunday’s. There is a healthy balance for athletes, that also allows for their high achievements in other areas of their lives.

Secondly it was the personal challenge to qualify a team for the Olympics. 2018 put the team in a good position, but there was certainly no guarantee of Olympic qualification. And when arriving in Ireland it was immediately clear how much mental pressure there was around qualification, and how my role had to move the group passed that stress point.”

Regarding the biggest achievement while in charge:

“The biggest achievement was qualifying and leading the team to the Tokyo Olympics. To be part of not only the first every Ireland’s Women’s Hockey team, but also the first ever Ireland Women’s Sporting teams to compete at the Olympics was something special and made me extremely proud.

Also part of that was the back-up post-Olympic. Within 8 weeks the team had to compete in a cut throat, winner takes all WC qualifier. To be able to regather + prepare + produce a winning performance I think was one of the toughest challenges the group had to get through in my time here.”

Regarding the January Olympic Qualification Tournament:

“We didn’t get the end result and fell short. But the performance was easily the best showing of the group over the last two years. Not only did our key focus areas reviewed from the Europeans dramatically improve. We drew against Belgium, who I feel will be certainly competing for a medal at Paris. We comfortably beat Korea, who are ranked above us and we dominated Spain in the semi, with our goal keeper not touching the ball in 60 minutes of hockey. Unfortunately, as a team we didn’t make the most of our opportunities including goal shots, PC’s and a shootout. Our final game v GB was the best performance against them at a major in my time with the team. I am extremely proud of our January performance, and I do hope that at some stage people can look back and see the quality of it”.

The Head Coach role will be filled on an interim basis from within the current coaching set up, until a successor for Dancer is found.

EY HOCKEY LEAGUE MEN’S DIVISION 1

THREE ROCK ROVERS  V YMCA

This game failed an early morning pitch inspection, there was ice and residual snow still on the field, so the game was postponed. It will be rescheduled for another date in due course.

 EYHL WOMEN’S DIVISION 1

RAILWAY UNION 1  LORETO 1

This top of the table clash could potentially have crowned the new champions of the EYHL Women’s Division 1 had Loreto managed to maintain their 100% record by winning this game at Park Avenue. However, Railway Union can claim the distinction of forcing Loreto to drop their first two points of the season and in so doing postpone their ascent to the throne as it were for another week at least.

The game was a little slow to get going early on and that might have been due to what was at stake. Loreto will no doubt be crowned champions eventually, but Railway Union did take a step towards claiming second spot in the table and the second bye to the semi-final of the Champions Trophy play offs, which will take place as soon as the regular League campaign ends. Loreto probably shaded the first half in terms of scoring opportunities, but they capitalized on the first penalty corner they were awarded in the match. Sarah Torrans scoring in the 25^th minute to give the league leaders a 1-0 lead. The game got more energy almost straightaway and while Loreto led 1-0 at half time the closing minutes of the first half had a lot more incident than the previous 24. Railway created more chances. Sarah Patton almost scored following a penalty corner and the parsimonious Loreto defence got in telling blocks as well as goalkeeper Liz Murphy whose saves helped preserve Loreto’s lead. Both sides had key figures absent.

For Railway Union, the experienced Holly Jenkinson remains sidelined with a broken hand, but they did welcome Katie Mullan back to action following international duty alongside colleagues Sarah Hawkshaw, Niamh and Michelle Carey. Loreto were minus former international Hannah Mathew’s who is sidelined following a cut eyebrow that required stitches. Despite these losses their replacements stood tall, and the second half was very engaging. There were incidents in both goalmouths, and it was no surprise when Railway Union equalised through Lily Lloyd in the 55th minute. Railway Union pressed ahead in search of a winner but the next time the ball hit the backboard Síofra O’Brien’s effort was disallowed. The game ended with both sides getting a share of the spoils , but Railway Union took an important step towards clinching a bye to the playoffs semi-final. 

RAILWAY UNION: Emma Buckley, Sarah Patton, Orla Patton, Orla Fox, Katie Fearon, Niamh Shaw, Sarah Hawkshaw, Michelle Carey, Emma Smyth (C), Niamh Carey, Lisa McCarthy,  Aebhfinn Bourke, Jenny Long, Lily Lloyd, Saoirse Griffin, Katie Mullan

LORETO: Liz Murphy, Ella Pasley, Aisling Murray, Lisa Mulcahy, Katie Dunne, Síofra O’Brien, Mia Jennings (C), Grace McLoughlin, Caitlin Sherin, Yasmin Pratt, Caoimhe Perdue, Sarah Torrans, Grace Donald, Chritina Hamill, Hannah McLoughlin, Rachel Kelly;

EYHL MEN’S DIVISION 2 POOL A 

PEMBROKE WANDERERS 2 QUEENS UNIVERSITY 4

The visitors took the lead in the 8th minute, Conor Irwin converting a penalty corner. Pembroke equalised through a Jack Flanagan goal from open play in the 16th minute. Harry Scott restored the lead for Queen’s with a 29th minute penalty corner. Cian Murphy scored from a converted penalty corner in the 48th minute to bring the sides level, this time at 2-2.  Harry Scott scored from open play in the 49th minute to restore the lead for Queens at 3-2 and Conor Irwin converted a penalty corner in the 63rd to secure a 4-2 win. 

BANGOR  2 BANDON 2 

Clinton Sweetnam opened the scoring for Munster Division 1 visitors Bandon from a converted penalty corner. Callum Duncan equalised for the hosts Bangor in the 18th minute from open play. Clinton Sweetnam scored from a converted penalty corner again on 29 minutes to restore the lead for Bandon. 

Samuel McMillan ensured the Ulster Premier league side had a share of the spoils with a converted penalty corner in the 58th minute to make the final score 2-2. 

EYHL MEN’S DIVISION 2 POOL B 

CORK HARLEQUINS 4 SOUTH ANTRIM 1

Sean Curtin opened the scoring for Harlequins with a 15th minute goal from open play. Ryan West got the Ulstermen back on level terms with a 22nd minute equaliser. 1-1 at half time. Cork Harlequins went for the jugular after the break. Andrew Dale restored the lead from open play on 37 minutes. Sam Dale made it 3-1 for Harlequins in the 59th minute and Julian Dale got the fourth from open play to seal a 4-1 win. 

CORK CHURCH OF IRELAND 3 COOKSTOWN 4

The Ulstermen won a seven goal thriller at Garryduff. Ryan Millar put them 1-0 up in the 3rd minute from open play. Rob Olden equalised in the 15th minute for Church of Ireland. Scott McCabe restored the Northerners lead in 26th minute. And C of I captain Ian Balding restored parity with a converted penalty corner on 30 minutes. It was 2-2 at half-time. Cookstown got two in  front, Greg Allen from a converted penalty corner in the 47th minute and Paul Watt from open play on the hour mark. 4-2 to Cookstown. A late Jonathan Baldwin converted penalty corner in the 67th minute left the final score Cork Church of Ireland 3 Cookstown 4.

EYHL WOMEN’S DIVISION 2 POOL A 

CORK HARLEQUINS 6 BELFAST HARLEQUINS 2

Anything the men of Farmers Cross can do their women can match. In the battle of the Harlequins the Munster women secured bragging rights with a comfortable win at Harlequins Park. Michelle Barry opened the scoring from open play in the 2nd minute. She made it 2-0 for Cork Harlequins with another goal in the 4th minute. Beth Anne O’Farrell added a third goal in the 5th minute. Rachel O’Shea scored a fourth in the 25th minute. Beth Anne O’Farrell got her second of the match in the 32nd minute for Cork.  Belfast Harlequins trailed 5-0 at half-time.  But they began strongly in the second half and two goals in the 40th and 45th minutes respectively by Jennifer McAuley cut the deficit  to three as Cork led 5-2 . Emma Cripps 57th minute Penalty corner for Cork left the Munster women 6-2 up at full time. 

GREENFIELDS 2 AVOCA 4

Caro Theunisz opened the scoring for the visitors at Dangan in the 8th minute. Anna Richardson made it 2-0 to Avoca in the 25th minute. Ellie Browne got the hosts on the scoresheet with a goal in the 28th minute and a third Avoca goal in the 30th minute by Lauren Tracey from a converted penalty corner left the Dubliners 3-1 up at half-time. Alice Keogh scored for Greenfields to reduce the deficit to a single goal in the 46th minute but Sarah Gardiner’s 66th minute goal was enough to secure the win for Avoca by 4-2 

EYHL WOMEN’S DIVISION 2 POOL B

MUCKROSS 2 UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK 2

Nancy Browne opened the scoring for Muckross in the 14th minute from open play.  Robyn Murphy equalised for UCC in the 30th minute to make it 1-1 at half time. Daisy Costello gave Muckross the lead in the 44th minute and Jane Murphy equalised for the visitors in the 53rd minute converting a penalty corner to make the final score 2-2

ARDS 3  LURGAN 1

Lydia McNeill opened the scoring for the visitors at Londonderry Park in only the 3rd minute. 1-0 to Lurgan. Ellen Robinson scored in the 14th minute to level matters. She got her second of the match in the 31st minute to give Ards a 2-1 lead. They sealed the win when Naomi Grundie converted a penalty corner in the 50th minute sealing a 3-1 win.

Sports Pro Travel joins the Hockey Ireland family as Official Travel Partner 

29 February 2024, Dublin: Hockey Ireland are pleased to announce its new partnership with Sports Pro Travel. The partnership presents Sports Pro Travel as the ‘Official Travel Partner” of Hockey Ireland and incorporates the support and provision of travel services for Hockey Ireland’s High-Performance teams.

The partnership also paves the way for the provision of travel services across the wider hockey community including benefits to Clubs and Members, as well as the development of fan travel packages and related products and services.

Commenting on the new partnership, Anne McCormack, Hockey Ireland CEO commented:

“We have been working with Sports Pro Travel for a number of months now and we have been very impressed by their competitiveness, the level of their service, and their knowledge of sport-related travel requirements. We are constantly looking for ways to support the wider hockey community and offer relevant services and benefits, and it therefore made sense for us to move the engagement to the next level and have Sports Pro Travel join us as our travel partner. We look forward to working closely with them to develop relevant travel services and exciting experiences for our hockey community in the years ahead.”

Sports Pro Travel have converted their individual passion for sport into a thriving business with a team focus on managing all aspects of sporting professional’s travel requirements. Offering a 24/7 dedicated in-house service, they are the preferred travel partner for many high profile teams across the UK and Ireland. Through their partner business, Sports Entertainment Tours, there is also a sporting events service for fans and supporters.

As part of the agreement, Sports Pro Travel will also become a sponsor of the Hockey Ireland U21 Men’s and Women’s high-performance teams, bringing their support to the development of hockey talent and the Hockey Ireland pathway programme. The partnership is set out for three years and both parties are focused on building areas of mutual interest.

John Boyde, Sports Pro Travel Managing Director, added:

“We are delighted to be supporting Hockey Ireland and the wider community with their travel requirements. As an agency we take great pride in delivering an end to end service for our sports clients that is entirely bespoke to meet their ever changing needs. Our team are all sports fans and are looking forward to working with Hockey Ireland. We are grateful to them for entrusting their travel requirements to us.”