IRISH JUNIOR CUP FINAL (WOMEN)
RAILWAY UNION 1 LORETO 1 [Railway win shoot out 6-5]
Railway Union started the game strongly and dominated possession in the opening stages. They took the lead through a Kate Lloyd goal from open play in the 6th minute. Loreto grew into the game as the quarter progressed and finished the first half strongly. It remained 1-0 at half-time to Railway Union, however the equaliser came from a well-worked move by Loreto which resulted in Sophie Maxwell finishing from open play in 46th minute. Heading into the fourth quarter it was still 1-1. And it remained that way until the final hooter, and we were faced with a shoot-out.
Kate Lloyd had to retake her first penalty for Railway Union in the shoot-out, which was probably just as well. Having missed the initial effort, she made no mistake with her retake, 1-0 in the shoot out to Railway Union. Ella Kenny took Loreto’s first and it was saved by Railway Union goalkeeper Jade Arundell so it remained 1-0 to Railway. Co-captain Hannah Rooney took the second one for Railway and this was saved by Ava Doyle still 1-0 to Railway Union. Isabelle Kealy scored the second one for Loreto and it was now 1-1 in the shoot out. Matilde Errico took the third one for Railway Union but Loreto’s goalkeeper was penalised for using the back stick to save it and she was asked to retake the penalty. Matilde Errico made no mistake from the re-take, Railway Union went 2-1 up in the shoot-out. Mollie Lennon took the third one for Loreto and scored to make it 2-2 in the shoot-out. Leah Warren took the fourth one for Railway Union and missed so it remained 2-2. Ella Pasley took the fourth one and scored to put Loreto 3-2 up. Claudia Coyne took the fifth one for Railway Union and scored to equalise for Railway Union to make it 3-3 and so it went to sudden death.
In sudden death the team that did the first five penalties first now goes second and vice versa.
First up for Loreto in sudden death was Isabelle Kealy whose effort was saved and it remained 3-3. Claudia Coyne took the first sudden death effort for Railway and hit the backboards, but the eight seconds allowed had elapsed and it did not count and it remained 3-3. Mollie Lennon took the second sudden death penalty for Loreto and scored to put them 4-3 ahead. Matilde Errico took the third sudden death penalty for Railway Union and scored to equalise it at 4-4. Ella Pasley took the fourth sudden death penalty for Loreto and scored to put them 5-4 ahead. Kate Lloyd took the fourth sudden death penalty for RU and scored to put them level at 5-5. Katie Dunne took the fifth sudden death penalty for Loreto and her shot was saved by Jade Arundell but she used the back stick and Katie Dunne was able to retake it. Jade Arundell saved the retake legally this time and it was still 5-5 as Railway Union still had to take their final effort. Co-Captain made no mistake, Railway Union won 6-5 on a shoot-out and are Women’s Irish Junior Cup winners for 2024.
RAILWAY UNION:- Jade Arundell (GK); Siúin Woods; Grace Rooney; Kate Lloyd; Hannah Rooney [C]; Claudia Coyne; Matilde Errico; Ali O’Leary; Aoife Sexton; Elena Quinn; Charlotte Walsh; SUBS USED;-Zara Delany [5 mins]; Alex Gallagher [6 mins]; Jessica McConn-Walsh [6 mins]; Gile Martin [6 mins]; Leah Warren [6 mins]; Sophie Kennedy [9 mins]
LORETO;- Lorna Bateman (GK); Ella Pasley; Zoe Dunne; Sophie Doyle; Ella Cotter; Rebekah Fitzpatrick; Ana Kennedy; Katie Dunne; Isabelle Dunne; Sophie Maxwell; Ella Kenny SUBS USED; Ava Doyle (GK) [36 mins]; Mollie Lennon [3 mins]; Ruth Gardiner [C] [4 mins]; Sophie Dolan [4 mins], Eilis O’Neill [5 mins]
IRISH JUNIOR CUP FINAL (MEN)
CORINTHIANS 3 LISNAGARVEY 3 [CORINTHIANS WIN 3-2 IN SHOOT-OUT]
This game went all the way to the wire before a winner could be found. Seventy minutes of regulation hockey could not separate the sides, it was 3-3 at full time. Five penalties each in the shoot-out couldn’t end the stalemate either. It took a further five rounds of sudden death penalties before a home could be found for the 2024 Men’s Irish Junior Cup title and at the end of the day it will be heading to the clubhouse of Corinthians after an epic contest at Belfield on Sunday.
Corinthians took the lead in the 2nd minute when Max Caulwell scored from open play to put The Reds 1-0. Gregory Williams increased Corinthian’s lead in the 11th minute when he converted a penalty corner for 2-0. It was 2-0 at the end of the first quarter and remained that way till half-time. Corinthians increased their lead in quarter three when Gregory Williams got his second goal of the day from open play to make it 3-0 in the 51st minute. Lisnagarvey began their monumental comeback when Tom Archbold scored from open play in the 52nd minute. His brother Harry Archbold narrowed the gap by converting a penalty corner in the 58th minute to leave the score 3-2 to Corinthians. Within a minute Lisnagarvey were back level when Daniel Murray scored from open play and when the final hooter sounded it was still 3-3.
The penalty shoot out ensued and Corinthians took the first one. Max Caulwell had his effort saved by James Ritchie in the Lisnagarvey goal 0-0. Harvey Beggs had the first one for Lisnagarvey and missed still 0-0. Ross Willis too the second effort for Corinthians and his effort was saved by James Ritchie. Still scoreless and then up stepped Matthew McKibbin for Lisnagarvey for their second penalty and he also missed so it was still 0-0. Gregory Williams stepped up to take the third one for Corinthians but the time elapsed before he could fire in a shot on goal still 0-0. John Cunningham attempted a cheeky lobbed which was brilliantly parried over the bar by Euan Mackay in the Corinthians goal still 0-0. Ross Howard took the fourth one for Corinthians and his first effort was saved and the time elapsed before he could shoot the rebound- still 0-0. Harry Archbold took the fourth one for Lisnagarvey, his first effort was saved by Mackay and so was the rebound. One penalty each to go and still nothing to show on the scoreboard. Stephen Reid took the fifth one for Corinthians and scored 1-0 to the Reds. Daniel Murray took the fifth one for Lisnagarvey and he too scored so it was 1-1 in the shoot -out heading into sudden death.
Lisnagarvey took the first of the sudden death penalties and John Cunningham scored to put The Blues 2-1 ahead. Gregory Williams took the first sudden death penalty for Corinthians and equalised to make it 2-2. Daniel Murray took the second one for Corinthians, his first effort was saved and he hit the rebound, it too was saved and a third effort was completed within the eight seconds and it too was saved. Still 2-2. Stephen Reid hit the second one for Corinthians and he missed. It remained 2-2. Matthew McKibbin took the third sudden death penalty for Garvey and it was saved by Euan Mackay the Corinthians goalkeeper so it stayed 2-2. Ross Willis attempted a shot for the third sudden death penalty for Corinthians and hit it over the bar still 2-2. Harry Archbold hit the fourth effort for Lisnagarvey which Corinthians goalkeeper Euan Mackay saved and that left one effort from Ross Howard who duly scored, and Corinthians won the Men’s Irish Junior Cup 3-2 in the shoot-out. For coach Peter Caruth it was a special occasion. He had coached two Irish Junior Cup inning sides before, but they were Corinthians Women’s team who won the Junior Cup in 2022 and 2023. As coach of the Corinthians Men’s second team this season, he has now won three Junior Cups in succession, two women’s and one men’s.
LISNAGARVEY:– James Ritchie (C) [GK]; Adam McCann; Tim Curragh; Matthew McKibbin; Milo Thompson; Paddy Watson; Mackenzie Connor; Daniel Murray; Max Spence; Matthew Morris; John Cunningham SUBS USED:- Timothy Cockram [10 mins]; Tom Archbold [10 mins]; Andrew Forrest [10 mins]; Tim Curragh [11 mins]; Craig Getty [11 mins]
CORINTHIANS:– Euan Mackay [GK]; Gregory Williams; Ross Howard; Paul Fitzpatrick; Brinsley Powell; Ross Willis; Max Caulwell; Luke Fitzpatrick; Ciaran A O’Shea; Andrew Crowe SUBS USED:– Harry St. Leger [5 mins], Callum McCourt [7 mins]; Neil Pelow [8 mins]; Robbie Clarke [10 mins]; Elijah Breen [11 mins], Charlie Beatty [11 mins]
IRISH HOCKEY CHALLENGE (MEN)
WESTON 4 LIMERICK 2
The Irish Hockey Challenge was decided in the final quarter just when it looked like Limerick’s late comeback might result in another draw on this day of shoot outs at Belfield.
Weston took the lead when Cian Tucker scored in the 18th minute from a converted penalty corner. They increased their lead when Cian Tucker scored in the 44th minute to go 2-0 ahead. Limerick began their comeback in the 54th minute when Gerard Hodkinson scored from open play. Weston leading 2-1 at this stage. But as often happens in these types of scenarios just as the comeback looks on, the team that has been in the lead finds a second wind and Weston rattled in two late goals to run out 4-1 winners.
The third goal came in the 60th minute when Davitt Meenaghan scored a converted penalty corner to make the score 3-1. They added a fourth in the 65th minute when Karl Goodwin scored and sealed the win for Weston.
Limerick went up the far end in the 67th minute and Conor Beck converted a penalty corner and scored to make it 4-2 to Weston who won their first ever National title in Men’s Hockey.
WESTON:- Sean Butler (GK); Darrell Carey; Davitt Meenaghan; Eoin Ryan Doyle; Stephen O’Shaughnessy; Cian Tucker; Neil Ryan Doyle; Karl Goodwin; Adam Clayton; Jake Quinn; Enda Tucker (C) SUBS USED:– Philip Barron [10 mins]; Keith Bell [10 mins]; Matthew Plack [18 mins]; Peter Kirwan [26 mins]; Matthew Cunningham [53 mins]
LIMERICK:– William Langford (GK); Matthew Plack; Gerard Hodkinson; Damien Kelly; Ronan Shire; Brian O’Gorman [C]; Craig Morrow; James Hodkinson; Harry Hughes; Conor Beck; Jack Perdue; SUBS USED:– Abdul Baqi Achekzai [23 mins]; Jim Madden [26 mins]; Abdul Wasi Achekzai [36 mins]; Yohann Dsouza [40 mins]; Milan Janicke [65 mins]
