UCD 4 GAZIANTEP 1
Monday, May 20 – Alanya, Turkiye: Eleven years ago, on this very day UCD won their first ever trophy in representative hockey when they clinched the EuroHockey Challenge I in Sardinia.
On the 11th Anniversary of that triumph, they recorded their second success in the equivalent competition which was renamed in the interim.
EuroHockey Club Trophy II for Women replaced the EuroHockey Challenge I and the final took place this afternoon, in Alanya, Turkiye, between UCD and Turkish side Gaziantep.
The tournament format was that eight teams were divided into 2 pools of 4 teams each and the rankings at the end of the tournament would be decided by;-
Trophy winners 1st in pool A playing 1st in Pool B to decide who wins it .
3rd place; The 2nd team in Pool A plays the 2nd team in Pool B .
5th place; The 3rd team in Pool A plays the 3rd team in Pool B.
7th place; The 4th team in Pool A plays the 4th team in Pool B.
Two wins and a draw proved to be enough for UCD to top their pool and progress to the Final. A comprehensive 4-0 win over Czechian side Rakovnik in their first pool stage game with goals coming from Mikayla Power, Florence Maughan, Katherine Egan and Leah O’Shea began their European journey.
Next up was Welsh outfit, Swansea HC. A single open play goal scored by Lauren Moore in the 40th minute proved enough to secure all 3 points for UCD and keep them top of their pool.
The third and final game saw them face off against fellow University side Edinburgh University HC from Scotland. An exceptionally tightly fought match that ultimately ended 0-0 required some heroics from UCD keeper Erika Gallagher. Her stroke save was ultimately the deciding factor in keeping the game scoreless, securing UCD top spot and their place in the final.
The early stages of the EuroHockey Club Trophy II game were closely fought but the breakthrough eventually came for the Irish side. UCD, who began strongly, took the lead in the 13th minute when Leah O’Shea converted a penalty corner, a lead they maintained at the end of the first quarter.
Captain Emma Paul increased their lead in the 25th minute with another converted penalty corner .
UCD led 2-0 at this stage. Gaziantep who conceded 4 goals against the worst team in the competition Ginstreke in their final Pool B win, were two goals behind with a mountain to climb by half-time.
Mikayla Power was green carded in the 34th minute , but despite being reduced to 10 players for a couple of minutes it was UCD who got the next score on the board. Florence Maughan added the third goal from open play in the 35th minute . It wasn’t long before they added a fourth. Lauren Moore from open play made it 4-0 in the 39th minute.
Gaziantep got on the scoresheet through captain Perihan Cinar who converted a penalty corner in the 44th minute to make it 4-1. It proved, however, to be a consolation goal for the Turkish outfit.
The final hooter sounded and UCD won the EuroHockey Club Trophy II for Women. For coach Miles Warren who is stepping down as UCD coach at the end of the campaign it represents a perfect end to a very successful career at Belfield from his first appointment in 2015-2020 and his return for the 2022-2024 era.
This result coupled with the European success of Lisnagarvey in Men’s hockey sees two European trophies won by Irish club sides this season. Thanks to this win for UCD, the knock on effect for the Irish coefficient means that Loreto will now be playing in the higher level tournament just below EHL in 2024-25 season.
Earlier in the day the place matches took place . In the 7th/ 8th place match Swansea beat Lithuanian side Ginstreke 3-2 in a shoot-out after the normal time produced a 1-1 draw.
In the 5th/6th place play off AHTC Wien played Edinbugh University and won by 2 goals to 1 . In the bronze medal/4th place match Rakovnik from Czechia took on French side Cambrai . Anna Vorlová gave Rakovnik a 2nd minute lead from open play and Charlotte Querleu equalised for Cambrai in the 22nd minute , also from open and it was 1-1 at half-time. Klara Hvezdová converted a 39th minute penalty stroke to restore the lead for Rakovnik and they led 2-1 after this. Hvezdova added a second goal 56th minute in the from open play to secure bronze for the Czech side.
UCD ; – Erika Gallagher [GK] ; Leah O’Shea; Katharine Egan ; Caoimhe Byrne ; Katie Jane Marshall ; Sydney Weir Mc Erlean; Lucy Bell ; Anna Mc Carthy ; Lauren Johnston; Mikayla Power; Emma Paul [C]
SUBS USED ;- Florence Maughan [ 7 mins] ; Aine Naughton [ 6 mins] ; Alexandra Griffin [ 5 mins] ; Sarah Fogarty [ 6 mins] ; Anna Connolly [ 8 mins] ;
GAZIANTEP POLISGUCU; Burcu Oztekin[GK]; Emine Celik; Sofia Erazarret; Yeter Celik ; Hande Gundogmus; Fatima Songul Gutelkin ; Meryem Oymak; Gamze Zor; Anasatasiia Miroshnikova; Gamze Cetiner ; Perihan Cinar [C];
SUBS USED ;- Nur Baran [ 15 mins]; Lucia Rubio [ 20 mins] ; Hatice Uzunkol [ 39 mins] ;