Dublin, October 9: The excitement doesn’t stop in the EY Hockey League, with a double game weekend ahead for the Men’s Competition, and another scintillating round of fixtures ahead for the Women’s league.
Women’s EY Hockey League Fixtures
Saturday, October 12th 2024
UCD V CATHOLIC INSTITUTE
13:00 | Belfield Water
Joint league leaders Catholic Institute play their first away game of the season as they travel to Belfield to play 9th place UCD. Catholic Institute go into this with a 100% record and UCD, despite showing encouraging signs of progress, have yet to record a point from their opening two games. Catholic Institute enter the game as firm favourites, but the students will be hoping that home advantage will boost their chances. Time will tell.
LORETO V UCC
13:15 | Loreto Beaufort | Live on Hockey Ireland TV
It’s top versus bottom as Loreto host UCC in Loreto Beaufort. Newly promoted UCC are yet to record their first points in Ireland’s top division having lost to current leaders Catholic Institute, and Ulster Elks last weekend. The tricky fixtures come thick and fast for UCC with last season’s champions next on the agenda. Defending EYHL champions Loreto’s defence has been impregnable so far, with their attacking line offering plenty in front of goal also.
RAILWAY UNION V OLD ALEXANDRA
13:30 | Park Avenue
Railway Union currently in 3rd place take on 4th placed Old Alexandra at Park Avenue. Both sides won in their opening games and came up short in round 2. Old Alex came out the better of the two sides in round 2, recording a draw in regular time but surrendering the shoot-out bonus points to Ards. Railway, however, returned from their trip to Limerick empty handed following a Catholic Institute comeback. Saturday’s fixture will offer plenty of intrigue as the two Dublin sides enter a potential season’s long battle in the upper half of the table.
ARDS V PEMBROKE WANDERERS
14:30 | Londonderry Park
Ards have been impressive on their return to the EYHL, securing a one-point draw and a shoot-out win in their two outings to date. They take on a Pembroke Wanderers side who appear to still be finding their rhythm, having lost to Railway on the opening day, and grabbing a draw with a shootout bonus point last weekend. Ards’ Zara Malseed will hope to continue her great goalscoring form having gotten on the scoresheet in both rounds of the EYHL so far.
ULSTER ELKS V PEGASUS
14:30 | Ulster University
Fifth placed Ulster Elks take on seventh placed Pegasus in a Belfast derby at Jordanstown. Ulster Elks go into this game with a win and a loss from their opening games. Pegasus go into this game technically unbeaten having drawn their opening two matches with a win and loss in shoot outs. An early ‘six pointer’ could be on the cards with both Belfast sides keen to enter the EY Champions Trophy Play-Off conversations for this year.
Men’s EY Hockey League Fixtures
Saturday, October 12th 2024
THREE ROCK ROVERS V CORINTHIANS
13:00 | Grange Road
Table toppers Three Rock Rovers take on Corinthians in a top of the hill derby at Grange Road. Both teams go into this game on the back of opening day wins making this potentially a closely fought encounter with the hosts slight favourites given their high scoring win in Round 1.
MONKSTOWN V AVOCA
14:15 | Rathdown School
Monkstown had a strong opening day 4-0 victory over UCD, and take on local rivals Avoca who lost 0-1 to a very strong Lisnagarvey team on the opening day. The newly promoted Avoca gave a great account of themselves against the AIG Irish Senior Cup winners, making this game far from a foregone conclusion.
ANNADALE V YMCA
14:30 | CIYMS Sports Complex
Annadale host YMCA in their first EYHL home game of the season. Annadale were idle last week as their fixture with Banbridge was postponed because of Ban’s EHL commitments last weekend. YMCA go into this game after losing narrowly to Corinthians 2-1 in their opening game of the season. Annadale’s most recent form line saw them lose in the Anderson Cup quarter-final against Ulster Premier League side Bangor. YMCA will want to capitalise on this to get themselves off the mark from a points perspective.
LISNAGARVEY V PEMBROKE WANDERERS
14:30 | Comber Road
Joint League leaders Lisnagarvey will be looking to add to their opening day victory at home to Pembroke Wanderers who were beaten 1-5 at home in their opening game, which leaves them in last place in the table. It’ll undoubtably be a big ask for Pembroke to come away with points against Garvey, but the Dublin side will lean on last week’s disappointing result to spur them on.
UCD V BANBRIDGE
15:00 | Belfield Water
Reigning EY Hockey League winner Banbridge make their 2024/25 debut in Dublin this weekend, returning from London with one win and one loss in the EHL. They face UCD who, despite shipping four goals against Monkstown, can take some confidence from the fact they were chasing just a one goal deficit for most of the game. New coach Andy Ewington will remain confident he can change the tide for the student given his positive track record in the EYHL with former club YMCA. Banbridge, however, will remain firm favourites given the calibre of their squad.
Sunday, October 13th 2024
CORINTHIAN V LISNAGARVEY
14:00 | St Columba’s
Corinthians won their opening match at home on day 1. Lisnagarvey, the AIG Irish Senior Cup holders and League runners-up, won away to Avoca on their previous visit to Dublin and would have no fears about a return visit to continue their search for another three points. Corinthians will be hopeful that their squad enters the game the fresh of the two, given they are playing both of their games this weekend close to home.
ANNADALE V THREE ROCK ROVERS
14:30 | CIYMS Sports Complex
Annadale have a second home game in this double weekend of EYHL fixtures and will entertain League leaders Three Rock Rovers on Sunday. Rovers began with a huge win in round 1 and will go into this visit to Belfast full of confidence. Annadale will be looking to improve on a campaign last season that saw them battling the drop most of the year.
BANBRIDGE V MONKSTOWN
14:45 | Havelock Park
Banbridge make their home debut against high flying Monkstown at Havelock Park on Sunday but will have a game in hand on their rivals. Last season’s champions fresh from their win at the EHL to secure 13th place will go into this game with a lot of confidence. Monkstown will hope that a positive performance against Avoca on Saturday will help them build momentum going into this tricky away fixture.
AVOCA V PEMBROKE WANDERERS
15:30 | Newpark School
The two promoted clubs resume their South Dublin rivalry, this time in the topflight for the first time. Avoca, while defeated in their first home game, faired significantly better than Pembroke Wanderers in Round 1, but it’s anyone’s guess who will come out on top in this game, with the results of the previous day potentially playing a crucial part in determining Sunday’s result.
YMCA V UCD
16:30 | Wesley College
YMCA are at home to UCD, which will be a swift return to his former club for new UCD coach Andy Ewington. Both sides are adjusting to life without key figures from last season, with UCD having to go without the likes of Mark Collins and Kevin O’Dea, and YMCA without high scoring forward Tevin Kok. This weekend could be an early insight into how both sides will fair this year.
