News for 13 June 2016
All the news for Monday 13 June 2016
Ireland 2-0 Canada
The green machine made it 3 wins from 3 against fellow Rio bound Canada at Pembroke Wanderers HC in Dublin this afternoon. Irish Coach Fulton continued to rotate his squad over the Canada series and as he had done in the Korean games.
The first half was scoreless with Ireland having the best of the chances from couple of PC's but Carter, as he had proven in the first match of the series, was up to the task keeping a clean sheet.
Ireland took the lead in the 24m after good work involving Lee Cole and Caruth who set Cockram up for the finish. The third quarter was scoreless with both sides creating chances but Carr and Carter made some fine saves.
Kyle Good made it 2-0 in the 47m from open play and could have scored again minutes later after a great overhead from Gormley but Good effort flew over. Carr, in the Irish goal, made a great save from Canadian captain Tupper to see out the quarter and a 2-0 lead to Ireland.
The final quarter was end to end but no no further goals. The sides meet for the final time on Tuesday at 11am at Trinity Sports Grounds at Santry Avenue.
Ireland 2 (Timmy Cockram, Kyle Good)
Canada 0
Ireland: Carr, J. Jackson, R. Gormley, J. Jermyn, K. Shimmins, M. Darling, T. Cockram, K. Good, C. Harte, S. Loughrey, S. Cole
Subs: D. Harte, C. Cargo, A. Sothern, P. Caruth, M. Bell, D. Carlisle, L. Cole
CAnada:, S Tupper, Ho Garcia, A Froese, G. Johnston, Bissett, M. Pearson, Sarmento, guest, Panesar, Curran, Carter,
Subs: Van Son, Noronha, Gill, J. Smythe, I. Smythe, Kindler, Pereira
Irish Hockey Association media release
Canadian men fall short to Ireland in third of four matches
Shaheed Devji
Canada’s men are looking to finish a four-game series with Ireland with a win on Tuesday after falling to the host Irish 2-0 on Sunday in Dublin.
As the series shifted from Belfast to Dublin for Sunday’s match, the Canadians were hoping a change of scenery would bring about a change in result in the third match.
Despite playing well in the first two contests – and scoring the first goal of the match in the second game – the Canadians came up short in both of the first two games.
On Sunday, the match remained scoreless through the first quarter, with David Carter and the Canadian defense not allowing the Irish to convert on their opportunities.
The first goal came in the second quarter when Timothy Cockram put one by Carter in the 23rd minute.
After the half, Canada came out strong with chances of their own in the third quarter but were not able to beat Irish keeper Jamie Carr.
Carter also shut the door in third quarter, meaning Canada headed into the final fifteen minutes trailing by one.
Ireland scored early in the fourth quarter but Canada kept pressing and nearly picked up its first goal of the game on a chance from captain Scott Tupper, but Carr stood tall making the save and preserving the 2-0 win.
The four-game series will come to an end on Tuesday in Dublin (11:00am local time/3:00am PT/6:00am ET). Canada will then head to Spain for three more matches before returning home to Vancouver.
Field Hockey Canada media release
Malaysia lose Second Test 4-3
By Jugjet Singh
MALAYSIA lost the Second Test 4-3 to Japan in Kakamigahara Sunday, but gave a good account of themselves without six regulars.
Coach Stephen van Huizen's men drew the First Test 1-1 on Saturday, but lost the earlier two friendlies 5-1 and 3-1.
They will play two more friendlies before wrapping up the Tour in preparation of the Asian Champions Trophy in Kuantan in August.
Yesterday Najmi Farizal Jazlan (18th, 24th) and Firhan Ashari (69th) scored for Malaysia.
Van Huizen said: "We started off quite slowly and conceded early goals. We were basically chasing the game but my men kept on fighting and never gave up.
"It was a much better game compared to the previous matches. We had five penalty corners and we scored three goals off them.
"This Tour has opened our eyes and the young boys had a good exposure. We have two more practice matches to go and we will take one game at a time."
The six regulars, including skipper and penalty corner ace Razie Rahim, sat out the Tour for various reasons but it gave younger players an opening to how their mettle.
Jugjet's World of Field Hockey
Old stager Seo Jongho inspiring Korea’s new generation
Seventeen years after making his Champions Trophy debut, three years since his last major international hockey event and one week shy of his 36th birthday, it is fair to say that Korea striker Seo Jongho’s involvement in the men’s Hero Hockey Champions Trophy 2016 came as something of a surprise.
Going into Friday’s match against Belgium’s Red Lions (FIH Hero World Ranking: 5), very few people gave the ninth-ranked Koreans a chance. Aside from a few wise old heads, the team is both youthful and inexperienced, with 12 of the 18 players having yet to reach 50 international caps, four of which have less than ten. However, a masterful display from Seo and fellow 30-somethings Lee Namyong and team captain You Hyosik provided outstanding on-field leadership to bring the very best out of Korea’s talented next generation.
“Before the match we were a little bit worried, as we have so many young players who are playing their first tournament, and the Champions Trophy is a big tournament”, said Seo, a former FIH Player of the Year nominee. “The match was very hard, but hopefully we can start feeling better and our young players can learn from this good experience today.”
Pre-match nerves is something that even the most experienced players are not immune to, but knowing how to handle pressurised situations is something that Seo, Lee Lee Namyong and You Hyosik are all keen to pass onto their team-mates. All three players have over 200 international caps and are regarded as icons of Korean hockey, ensuring that when they speak, their team-mates listen.
Seo himself is widely regarded as one of the best players in the history of Korean hockey. Although he has clearly lost some of his legendary pace, he has already proven in the early stages of this event that he is still a hugely influential force on the field. So, after a three year break, what was it that inspired him to return to international hockey?
“I didn’t really want to come back”, said Seo, laughing. “I’m married and have a family, that is my life now. We have a new coaching staff and very young players, so we needed some experienced players to help them learn. Paul Lissek [who coached Germany men to Olympic gold at the Barcelona 1992 Games and a key figure in the Korean team coaching staff] asked me to come back into the national team to bring some experience. I remember how I felt at my first Champions Trophy in 1999. It was very exciting but I was also nervous. I was 18 years old and I was starting this amazing new life in hockey. This is how the young players feel now, and I want them to have the good experiences that I had.
“I want to thank say a big thank you to our coaching staff because they have given some of us older players one more chance. It might be the last tournament for some of us, although Paul has asked if I can play for another two years to help the young players continue their development. But I don’t know - I have a family now!”
If this does turn out to be Seo’s last major international hockey event, you can be sure that his teammates will have benefitted immensely by training with and competing alongside one of Korean hockey’s all-time greats.
On Monday (13 June), the Hero Hockey Champions Trophy returns to action when Seo’s Korea take on host nation Great Britain at 1200 (UTC/GMT +1). The second match of the day is a real clash of the titans, with Olympic champions Germany facing reigning World champions Australia at 1400. The final match of the day sees Belgium’s Red Lions going head-to-head with in-form India at 1800.
FIH site
Jackson and Middleton ready for Korea challenge
Ashley Jackson celebrates scoring against India. Credit Ravi Ghowry
The Hero Hockey Champions Trophy is in full swing with some action packed games, plenty of goals and plenty of entertainment on show in the first two days of competition.
Day three is almost upon us with each game taking on great significance as the tournament picture becomes clearer.
Great Britain started out with a hard-fought point against Australia after a 0-0 draw. The World No1 side pushed Great Britain onto the back foot but an inspired defensive display and some superb goalkeeping from George Pinner ensured Bobby Crutchley’s side came out with a point.
Their next game, just a day later was against India with the hosts not really hitting their stride and the Indians running out 2-1 winners. The disappointment from the Great Britain camp was clear to see:
“We were a bit hit and miss, really. We played our best hockey very late on in the game and didn’t play as well as we wanted to before that." said David Ames. "It’s a tough loss coming off the back of a decent result last night. It was frustrating not to be able to get a second goal; overall we’re not satisfied with how we’ve done today.”
The great thing about tournament hockey is that when it doesn’t go to plan, the chance to put things right is not too far away. Great Britain’s opportunity to show their real ability comes tomorrow against Korea.
Korea have been something of a surprise package in the competition so far, upsetting Belgium in the first match to win 2-0 before pushing Australia to the very limit in a 4-2 defeat. Tae Seung Song’s side will not be at the Olympics this summer, missing out for the first time since 1988. However they are a strong side with plenty of quality as they’ve shown so far.
Great Britain have not faced Korea since 2011, when Ashley Jackson was a scorer in a 4-3 win, also at the Champions Trophy. Despite a perceived lack of familiarity, Jackson is all too aware of the threat their opponents pose:
“They're always very good and always very competitive. They are a very fit side but they are also technically very gifted, which I think a lot of people maybe overlook when they play them.” Jackson adds: “They have some highly skilled players. Everything they do, they do at high speed which makes them very tough to play against. I actually lived with Hyosik You, their captain when I played in Holland a few years back. He’s a small, but quick and skilful striker. They're a dangerous team.”
Whilst not taking the challenge lightly, Great Britain are confident they can bounce back from the disappointment of the India game to come back strong tomorrow. Captain Barry Middleton says they “have the ability” but “must go out and prove it”.
With those words ringing in their ears, Middleton and his team mates will be keen to show what they can do against the dangerous Koreans. It should be a cracking game!
Great Britain Hockey media release
Young players have given me a pleasant surprise, says Oltmans
LONDON: India hockey coach Roelant Oltmans was pleased with the fine performance of the young Indian players, who pulled off a 2-1 upset win over Great Britain in the Champions Trophy.
Managing to ward away the threat posed by British strikers, the Indians survived early danger and then hung on to the lead they gained in the 17th minute through Mandeep Singh capitalizing on a fine centre from seasoned right winger SV Sunil at the Olympic Park's Lee Valley Hockey Centre.
Young drag-flicker Harmanpreet Singh unleashed a rasping shot to convert a penalty stroke in the 33rd minute to give India a 2-0 lead before Britain pulled one back through a penalty corner conversion by Ashley Jackson two minutes later.
The Indians then defended their citadel well enough to ward off further threat to their own goal.
"We saw some fine performances from the young players. They have given me a nice surprise," said Oltmans, who has rested several senior players with the aim of providing top-quality exposure to the juniors before picking the Indian side for the Olympic Games.
India's victory have given them four points from two outings, after their 3-3 draw with reigning Olympic champions Germany in the opening fixture.
India are at par on points with World champions Australia, who defeated South Korea 4-2 for their first win in two outings. Australia were held to a goalless draw on the first day by hosts Great Britain.
Germany drew 4-4 with Belgium in their second match and now have two points from as many outings. The Koreans have three points from their first fixture against Belgium, who have just one point from two matches.
Oltmans said the Indian team was improving with every outing and that reflected in the good performance against Great Britain.
"We didn't start this match too well. We were struggling in the first quarter, but then we we took control of the game," Oltmans said.
Indian captain and goalkeeper PR Sreejesh celebrated his 150th appearance for India with an outstanding show under the bar as he brought off several fine saves and lent confidence to two young defenders, Surender Kumar and Harmanpreet.
The defenders also had seasoned VR Raghunath to keep them company. It was a Raghunath penalty corner shot that struck England captain Barry Middleton on the shoulder to earn India the penalty stroke, which Harmanpreet converted for India's second goal.
"I'm obviously pleased at the win, which was a great result on my 150th international," said Sreejesh.
Sreejesh and Raghunath had missed the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Ipoh (Malaysia) two months ago when coach Oltmans took some junior players to test them against top-notch rivals.
At the ongoing Champions Trophy, the Indian team is without playmaker Sardar Singh and defender Rupinder Pal Singh, who had featured in the bronze winning Indian team at the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup.
The Times of India
India draw confidence from Champions Trophy record against Belgium
LONDON: With a win over hosts Great Britain in their previous game and a formidable record against Belgium in Champions Trophy encounters, the Indian team is exuding confidence going into Monday's match at the Lee Valley Hockey Centre here.
India enjoyed a good record in head-to-head matches against Belgium, but since 2011 the tide has turned in favour of the European rivals.
Called the Red Lions, the Belgian team has been on a winning spree against India since the final of the 2011 Champions Challenge in Johannesburg, a victory that earned them their first Champions Trophy qualification.
India's only success in eight matches since then have been the two Champions Trophy encounters in 2012 (Melbourne) and 2014 (Bhubaneswar).
On both occasions, the Indians pulled off upset victories over the fancied Belgians to make the semi-finals in the earlier format of the Champions Trophy, which has been abandoned this time as the event returned to its original six-nation event.
India's 2-1 victory over Great Britain on Saturday and the 3-3 draw with Olympic champions Germany on Friday have given them four points from two matches, putting them at par on points with World champions Australia, who last night defeated South Korea 4-2 in a fast-paced encounter.
Australia had earlier played a goalless draw against Great Britain.
Belgium, ranked No. 5, are placed two spots above India in the current world rankings and both teams have brought some of the junior players to this tournament.
While India are without key player Sardar Singh, Belgium have felt the absence of crack striker Tom Boon in their two outings here.
Like India, Belgium too squandered a two-goal lead against Germany to be held 4-4, but it is the 0-2 loss in their opening outing against South Korea that has rankled them more. Wayward shooting by their strikers is worrying the Belgians.
In Boon's absence, the Belgians have leaned heavily upon captain John-John Dohmen, and key players Sebastian Dockier and Arthur van Doren.
While the Indian defence on Saturday managed to keep the British strikers away from their goal, the strikers have been squandering chances.
Young striker Mandeep Singh could have sealed the fate of the match well before the hooter yesterday, but muffed two opportunities in the last quarter.
Once he swung and missed the ball when shaping for a crack at the goal and later allowed his foot to come in contact with the ball after getting a long ball at the top of the circle. On the second occasion, he had an open goal in front as Britain had taken their goalkeeper off in the closing stages.
"Belgium will be a good challenge and the boys will have to play well again to get a positive result," said Roelant Oltmans, the Indian team coach.
"We are playing well and growing in strength, but need to make more out of our chances. We did well to bounce back strongly in our last outing against Great Britain,' he added.
In 57 encounters against Belgium, India have won 37 times, while 10 matches ended in a draw. Out of Belgium's 10 wins over India, six have come since 2011, when they began a remarkable rise into world's top five nations.
India's two successes in these five years were the 1-0 win in the Champions Trophy at Melbourne and 4-2 in Bhubaneswar. Both these were quarterfinals of the respective Champions Trophy events. But thereafter, India had to be satisfied with the fourth spot as they failed to reproduce the winning show in the semifinals or bronze medal fixtures that followed.
British captain Barry Middleton last night complimented India for their fine show, saying the Indians are always capable of causing problems for the top sides.
The Times of India
Germany have an edge over the mighty Kookaburras
By B.G.Joshi (India,in London)
Reigning Champions Trophy and Olympic Champions Germany will lock horns against the World Cup Champions Australia in the Queen Elizabeth Hockey Centre London today. Australia holds most of the records of the Champions Trophy including most of the 13 titles. Germany have won the Champions Trophy 10 times and have beaten the Kookaburras on 6 occasions in the final match. Both giants are neck to neck in the record book. Here are important stats of these two great hockey nations against each other:
Head to head: Germany vs. Australia
Total Matches: 120
Germany wins: 49
Australia wins: 50
Drawn:21
Goals for Germany: 234
Goals for Australia: 265.
In Champions Trophy:
Matches played:36
Germany wins:17
Australia wins:13
Drawn:6
Goals for Germany: 67
Goals for Australia: 75.
Last played: Raipur(India) Hockey World League, December 2015, Australia won 4-1.
Fieldhockey.com
Win and draw for Nelson division one women's hockey teams
Federal's Lesley McIntosh, left, tangles with Arotea Kiwi's Tash Veltman during Saturday's division one women's hockey match at Nelson's Saxton Turf. VIRGINIA WOOLF/FAIRFAX NZ
An improved second half performance secured Tasman a narrow win while Federal had to settle for a hard-fought draw in the division one women's hockey competition on Saturday.
Tasman eventually beat Blenheim's Beawai 2-1 in Blenheim but had to recover from a poor first half performance after they'd trailed 1-0 at the break.
Poor decision-making and frequent turnovers plagued Tasman's first half effort, although a halftime attitude adjustment signalled a much improved second half by the visitors.
Tasman responded with two field goals within six minutes to India Ellis and Jess Kelly as the result of increased pressure. Tasman's defence was also solid with captain Tanya Hawley again leading the way.
Federal eventually drew 3-3 with Blenheim's Arotea Kiwi at Saxton Turf although appeared to have the early edge until Arotea Kiwi scored following a defensive turnover and a counterattack that beat Federal's defence and left Federal goalie Shania Kuipers facing three attackers.
Federal replied quickly when Emma Nicholson lifted a stroke into the back of the net.
Arotea Kiwi launched another attack and launched a sweep shot into Federal's goal for a 2-1 lead after a Pip Lloyd run. Then just before halftime, Aimee Kersten progressed the ball up the wing and into the circle, her deflected shot off the goalie's initial save eventually picked up by a diving Pippa Dawson to level at 2-2.
Both teams kept up the intensity in the second half and Arotea Kiwi were rewarded first when they turned over possession on a Federal penalty corner to score at the opposite end.
Federal levelled again minutes later when Diane Webb collected an aerial ball inside Arotea Kiwi's circle and passed to Lesley McIntosh to complete the 3-3 scoreline.
Federal's defensive trio of Kuipers, Zoe Knudsen and Stacy Gribble worked well under intense pressure and were well supported by Lynda Sutherland and Nicholson who shone in her first run at right half.
McIntosh was a dominating presence in Federal's front line, as were Webb and Sigley in midfield. Young inner Chevy Walker worked tirelessly all game, shutting down Arotea Kiwi's attack and strikers Kersten, Dawson and Lilli Wilkinson maintained a high intensity throughout.
Meanwhile, Tasman outplayed a young Federal team 5-0 in the men's division one-two combined competition.
Tasman led just 1-0 at halftime following a goal to Pat O'Connor-Leys. Federal was still in the game at that stage, but Tasman's superior speed and skill eventually saw Federal fade.
Tasman scored three goals from their five penalty corners, Tim Kerr Scoring twice and O'Connor-Leys adding another two to complete his hat-trick.
Marcell Stutz and Mike Wilkens impressed for Federal while Kerr and O'Connor-Leys were outstanding in a winning Tasman effort.
Stuff
Hockey writer Patrick Rowley awarded British Empire Medal
At the London 2012 Olympic Games, Patrick was presented with a replica Olympic Torch in recognition of being part of a small group of journalists to have reported on more than ten summer Olympics. Courtesy of the Hockey Writers Club.
Patrick Rowley, one of the world’s best known hockey journalists, has been rewarded for his outstanding services to hockey with the British Empire Medal in Queen Elizabeth II's Birthday Honours List.
The list was published on 10 June 2016, on the occasion of Her Majesty’s official 90th birthday, and recognises the achievements of extraordinary people across the the Commonwealth nations.
A well respected character, Patrick has dedicated around 65 years of his life to hockey. He has featured as a player, coach, sports correspondent, TV & Radio Commentator, an author and an archivist. Remarkably, he holds the incredible distinction of covering the Olympics in London both in 1948 and 2012, two of the 14 Summer Olympic Games he has reported on.
“It is a nice surprise and I really didn’t expect it”, said the 82-year-old, who is currently working at the Men’s Hero Hockey Champions Trophy 2016 at London’s Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre. “I’ve spent most of my life trying to get hockey bigger coverage in the newspapers and the media. One of the things I did was to start doing hockey round-ups and a lot of people followed that idea. I started writing at seven years old, encouraged by my mother who said that I wrote beautiful letters back home after I was one of many children evacuated from London because of the war (World War 2). My family owned a brewery and that was what I was supposed to do in life, but I decided very early that I didn’t want to do that.”
The brewing industry’s loss proved to be hockey’s gain. Patrick started his career in journalism at the very bottom, as a tea boy at The Guardian, a newspaper with whom he worked for over 50 years. Getting the job proved to be quite eventful.
“At 16 I decided to go around all of the newspaper offices in Fleet Street [where most of the major British national newspaper titles were based at the time] hoping that one of them would take me on. The first one I went into was the Guardian, but they told me that I wasn’t suitable because I was intelligent”, said a laughing Rowley. “It was the first time anyone had ever told me that, but what he meant was that I had been educated, and that office boys are just there to make the tea. They said that I’d get a job somewhere else but I didn’t, despite trying every newspaper office in Fleet Street. So, I went back to the Guardian and I told them that I would take the job and they said ‘okay’!”
He later enjoyed a stint at The Observer but spent most of his life as a freelancer, travelling and reporting on hockey in all corners of the world. He was the founder and editor of the International Hockey Newsletter in 1969 and editor of World Hockey Magazine from June 1969 to April 1991. Down the years Patrick had numerous roles with the International Hockey Federation (FIH), efforts that the governing body recognised by awarding him the FIH Order of Merit in 1987.
Patrick is a founder and past Chairman of the Hockey Writers Club, past Chairman of the AIPS Hockey Commission and also a Trustee of The Hockey Museum. Remarkably, as well as writing, he is still coaching and playing. In recent weeks he helped the South regional team win the Divisional Over 75 tournament.
In terms of his feelings on getting the award, Rowley said: “I just hope the award is good for hockey in terms of drawing attention to the sport. That’s all I’ve ever wanted, really.”
Commenting on Patrick’s award, FIH President Leandro Negre said: "Patrick has devoted a huge part of his life to our sport as a player, coach, journalist and all of the other duties he has performed over several decades. In doing so he has played a hugely important role in raising the profile of hockey, therefore this honour is thoroughly deserved."
FIH CEO Kelly Fairweather added: “I’m sure the hockey family will join me in congratulating Patrick. We’re delighted that his lifelong passion and dedication to hockey has been recognised in this way and thank him for his services to our sport.”
FIH site