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Men’s Cup Finals Match Reports

MEN’S IRISH HOCKEY TROPHY FINAL

BELFAST HARLEQUINS 4 CATHOLIC INSTITUTE 2

Belfast Harlequins won the Irish Hockey Trophy at Banbridge on Saturday with an emphatic 4-2 win over Catholic Institute. James Hutchinson put Harlequins 1-0 up on 5 minutes following a penalty corner. David Fraser increased their lead on 22 minutes with a goal from open play.

Institute battled back into the game and Cillian Archer got them on the score sheet in the 29th minute to make it 2-1. Cormac O’Byrne was green carded in the 33rd minute but Belfast didn’t add to their 2-1 first half tally, which was the half time score.

Things got worse for Catholic Institute, early in the third quarter, when they conceded a penalty stroke which Harlequins captain Michael Patterson converted on 36 minutes to leave the score 3-1. Less than a minute later Patrick Jack added a fourth to make it 4-1. Stephen McGrath of Harlequins was green carded in the 52nd minute giving Insta a man advantage for a few minutes and when he returned to action, Jack Stockil converted a penalty corner for Institute on 56 minutes to make it 4-2. And while there was still time left to retrieve the situation, and Michael Patterson was green carded in the 59th minute for Harlequins, that second goal for Institute proved to be the final goal of the game.

It finished Belfast Harlequins 4 Catholic Institute 2

BELFAST HARLEQUINS: James Acheson, John Metcalfe, Antoine Hirschland, Michael Patterson [capt.], Drew Carlisle, Adam Tweed, James Hutchinson, Matthew Gray, Michael Finlay, Peter Bailey, David Clarke, Patrick Jack, Christopher Lemon, David Fraser, Stephen McGrath, Harry Chapman

CATHOLIC INSTITUTE: Tristan Murphy; Jack Stockil, Gary Acheson, Hugh Walsh, Cormac O’Byrne, Ed Gleeson [capt], Roy Gleeson, Nick Lampp, Cathal Duggan, Ivan Moore, James McCarthy, Cian Nolan, Cillian Archer, Francis Naughton, John Wallace, Colum O’Byrne .

MEN’S IRISH JUNIOR CUP FINAL

BANBRIDGE 2 LISNAGARVEY 2 ( LISNAGARVEY WON 3-2 IN SHOOT OUT)

Banbridge and Lisnagarvey could not be separated after 70 minutes of a closely fought Irish Junior Cup Final at Havelock Park in Banbridge.

Banbridge started well and took a lead in the 9th minute when Matthew Stevenson converted from a penalty corner. Aaron Baxter added a second in the 19th minute to make it 2-0 Banbridge.

Perhaps a two goal lead is the unsafest lead in hockey because two minutes later Lisnagarvey got off the mark through a goal from Matthew Morris. In the 57th minute Harry Archbold got a second goal for Garvey to leave the score 2-2 and there was no further scoring and the game went to a shoot out.

During the shoot out Banbridge converted two of their penalties. Lisnagarvey however converted three of their penalties to seal a 3-2 shoot out win. The Irish Junior Cup is on it’s way to Comber Road.

BANBRIDGE: Elliott Haw, Ben Walker, Matthew Spence, Dylan Cowan , Hugh McShane, William Malcomson, John McCague, David Gallagher, James Evans, Ben Robert Pollock, Matthew McKee, Thomas Edward Dobson, Bruce McCandless, Aaron Baxter, Matthew Stevenson, David McKinlay, Adam Mc Kee

LISNAGARVEY: Matthew McLearnon, Adam McCann, Craig Getty, Matthe McKibbin, Tim Curragh, Harry Archbold, Peter Bland, Andrew Forrest, Mark Raphael, Patrick Watson, Mackenzie Connor, Luke Dennison, Daniel Murray, Max Spence, Matthew Morris, John Cunningham, Phil Stirling

MEN’S IRISH HOCKEY CHALLENGE CUP FINAL

PORTRUSH 4 SAINTFIELD 0

After two scoreless quarters, early in the third quarter Portrush surged into the lead through a Brent Smith penalty corner after 40 minutes to make it 1-0. Saintfield had Jack Taylor yellow carded in the 46th minute and their suffering was eased somewhat when Brent Smith of Portrush was then green carded in the 48th minute. Saintfield then were reduced to 10 players in the 58th minute temporarily when James Erskine was green carded.

Portrush got their second of the game through Leon Smith also in the 58th minute from a field goal. Adam Scott from Portrush was then green carded in the 63rd minute and while he was temporarily sitting out they increased their lead through a Michael Conway field goal on 64 minutes. Saintfield’s Stuart Hunter received a green card in the 68th minute which meant he missed the remaining minutes of the game and Alastair Reilly got his goal for Portrush almost straightaway to seal a 4-0 win for Portrush and send the Irish Hockey Challenge Trophy to the north coast.

PORTRUSH: Marc Bennett, Brent Smith, Barry Mc Mullan, Ryan Smith, Aaron Kerr, Clive Fulton, Michael Conway, Alastair Reilly, John Dillon, Andy Christie, Callum McKeenan, Adam Scott, Leon Smith, James McElderry, Henry Craig, Andrew Morrison, Phillip Linton

SAINTFIELD: William Heaney, Matthew Sullivan [captain], Jack Taylor, Andrew Kirk, Matt Fraser, Rory Brown, Harry Bell, James Erskine, Doug Barrett, Henry Ward, Cliff Jack, Craig Harkness, Jason Campbell, Alex Miller, Stuart Hunter, James Magee, Thomas Brown;

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Hockey Ireland launches the search for a new CEO

 

Hockey Ireland are launching a search for a new CEO.

 

For further information click HERE

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Cup Finals Weekend

Cup Finals weekend

The domestic club season is ending this weekend with a bumper round of cup finals to round the season off ahead of the summer break. The Junior Cup Finals traditionally contested by clubs 2nd XI’s take place, with the Men’s finals taking place in Banbridge this Saturday and the Women’s Finals taking place in UCD this Sunday.

In addition they will be the main event on a bill that will include the Hockey Trophy and Hockey Challenge competitions, contested by clubs and teams outside the senior ranks.

Catholic Institute’s men will be trying to emulate the recent successes of their Women’s firsts by bringing some silverware to Rosbrien. Standing in the way are the men of Belfast Harlequins who in turn will be trying to bring a trophy back to Deramore Park to try and raise the gloom brought about by the relegation of the Women’s 1sts from the EYHL.

In the Junior Cup Final, Banbridge, whose First men’s team won everything available domestically, will be looking to put a bigger strain on the Havelock Park Trophy Cabinet by squeezing this trophy into the mix. Catholic Institute will be looking to win a Men’s Junior Cup title to add to last season’s success by the women at Senior Cup Level.

In the Hockey challenge on Saturday, Portush take on Saintfield. Saintfield had to overcome Midleton 4-1 away in their semi final while Portush had a 6-2 home win over Limerick in the other semi-final. The County Down side face County Antrim rivals Portrush in an all Ulster Final and their familiarity with one another should provide for a keenly fought encounter.

It all gets underway in Banbridge at 11:30 this Saturday with the Hockey Trophy Final.

Saturday 6th May

Men’s Cup Finals

Irish Hockey Trophy

Catholic Institute vs Belfast Harlequins, Havelock Park, 11:30

Irish Junior Cup

Banbridge vs Lisnagravey, Havelock Park, 13:30

Irish Hockey Challenge

Portrush v Saintfield, Havelock Park, 15:30

On Sunday, the Women’s Finals will take place at the UCD Hockey Stadium in Belfield which has been the main home venue for the international sides since the mid 1990s. First up is the Irish Hockey Challenge where Portrane take on University of Galway. A win for University of Galway at national level would raise the profile of Hockey not only in Galway itself but in the province of Connacht overall and provide a boost at a time when there are no teams playing in the EYHL senior divisions in the province. Portrane are celebrating their 104th anniversary in the club’s history and a win in this would be a big step as they march on into their 105th year as a club. Their men narrowly missed out on an EYHL 2 qualification recently and a win here would be a fitting way to end a season which has season real progress for both the men’s and women’s sides of the club.

The Junior Cup Final sees UCD 2nds take on geographical rivals and current Junior Cup holders Corinthians 2nds. UCD finished 3rd in Leinster Division 2 while Corinthians finished in 6th place and the two games between the sides in the League were close a 2-2 draw at UCD and 2-1 win for the Students at St. Columba’s College. Led by Club captain Lisa Baldwin UCD will be looking to bring another trophy back to Belfield to add to the EYHL Women’s Division title won by the First team. Corinthians will be looking to retain their title and add a Junior Cup to their already heavily burdened trophy cabinet following the Divisional trophies won by both the Men’s and Women’s first teams this season.

The Hockey trophy will feature University of Galway and Omagh both of whose sides are not from the traditional heartlands of the game. University of Galway because of their ability to draw in students from around the province and other parts of the country have usually been one of the stronger clubs in the Connacht League at all levels. A win in this competition would cement their reputation in this regard. Omagh would be striking a blow for the less fashionable clubs in Ulster should they be able to bring home some national silverware. Expect this to be a keenly fought contest. The possibility of the Students bringing home a national trophy double is also an aspect that could be a factor should the Irish Hockey Challenge go their way in the first of the days finals .

It all gets underway on Sunday at 11:45 in UCD with the Hockey Challenge Final.

Sunday 7th May

Women’s Cup Finals

Irish Hockey Challenge

Portrane vs University of Galway, UCD, 11:45

Irish Junior Cup

Corinthain vs UCD, UCD, 13:45

Irish Hockey Trophy

University of Galway v Omagh, UCD, 15:45

 

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