News for 07 October 2017
All the news for Saturday 7 October 2017
Ho-Garcia makes piece of history for Uhlenhorst Mulheim in EHL debut
©: Frank Uijlenbroek / World Sport Pics
Pool B: Uhlenhorst Mulheim 10 Cardiff & Met 0
Gabriel Ho-Garcia scored the first “double-goal” in EHL history as he finished off a scrappy move, putting the German side on course for a strong opening statement at the EHL ROUND1 in Barcelona.
“It being my first EHL game ever, I’m obviously excited to score and its also something special to be that first guy to score one that counts as two,” Canadian international Ho-Garcia said of that moment.
It set in motion a fine win with Malte Hellwig tapping in a second field goal, making it 4-0, in the 15the minute. The German side continued to power forward and they extended the advantage to five via Thilo Stralkowski’s drag-flick early in the second half
Hellwig then got another close range goal to put seven in the difference. Cardiff’s goalkeeper James Fortnam made a series of good saves while Jack Pritchard made a brilliant stop on the goal line from a drag-flick.
But the Welsh champions were unable to get too much going in attack bar Luke Hawker’s threatening cross and Uhlenhorst were always comfortable.
Tobias Matania scored the fourth field goal – after sitting out both a green and yellow card – from a great counter attack. A Jan Schiffer completed the win with a corner goal on the final hooter.
“We just want to come out of this weekend with two wins and we played well and looking forward to Sunday,” Ho-Garcia said of the side’s targets for the weekend with the club he joined just a few weeks ago.
“Mulheim has been a bit of a change because I am not used to the league, the intensity and the high level. I am certainly getting used to it and am really enjoying it. The guys have really accepted me into the team so I am loving my time here so far!”
Euro Hockey League media release
Three second quarter field goals has Racing on winning track
©: World Sport Pics / Frank Uijlenbroek
Pool C: Royal Racing Club de Bruxelles 6 WKS Grunwald Poznan 2
Three second quarter field goals propelled Royal Racing Club de Bruxelles to a 6-2 win over WKS Grunwald Poznan – playing in their 11th season in the EHL – to start off Pool C on the front foot.
The Polish champions did win the first corner of the tie and chose to innovate, leaving Tomasz Dutkiewicz five metres outside the circle, going for the double bonus field goal but the plan did not come off.
Racing, meanwhile, were patient and struck in the second quarter via a superb move, intercepting in midfield, working the ball to Tom Boon on the left who slung a great pass to Cedric Charlier who swept home.
Achille de Chaffoy made it 4-0 with their second field goal, capturing the ball high over his shoulder after another fast attack. And the third goal came when Jerome Truyens tipped in from close range as Racing cut through at regular intervals.
But Grunwald are famous for their battling spirit and they got back into the game via a brilliant Mikolaj Gumny goal. It took two quick overheads, one into midfield and then another all the way over the top which Gumny raced onto and shot home on his reverse, bouncing his shot in.
That made it 6-2 at half-time and that is the way it stayed despite plenty of Racing pressure on the Polish goal with a number of chances slipping just wide and over the goal. Nonetheless, they did not require the extra strikes as they landed the victory.
Euro Hockey League media release
Fuchs and Brinkman cap battling win for Bloemendaal over Wimbledon
Pool A: HC Bloemendaal 4 Wimbledon 0
Two field goals at either end of the game saw Bloemendaal battle their way to victory over Wimbledon in a tense battle as Florian Fuchs scored inside the first five minutes before Thierry Brinkman settled the tie in the closing 20 seconds.
In between, both sides had numerous chances to change the course of the game, with Wimbledon trying out a series of innovative penalty corner moves but Bloemendaal held their nerve and grasped the victory.
Fuchs’ early goal came from a lightning-quick break down the right wing, giving them a 2-0 lead which they held through to half-time.
The second half saw the ante upped as time wore on with Ali Brogdon winning his side’s first corner with a driving run but their ambition to stop the ball outside the five-metre area and make it a field goal chance was charged down.
The English side earned another similar chance but it was Bloemendaal who protected their middle and attacked at pace. Thierry Brinkman was put through on goal by Fuchs but James Bailey made a brilliant stick save to deny the Dutch striker.
Bailey also got down low to deny Fuchs on the backhand. Wimbledon had their chances to level the goal from play in the closing three minutes when Floris Wortleboer was in the sin-bin, the pick of them from Phil Roper’s backhand cross which just evaded Ben Arnold.
Bloemendaal, meanwhile, punished this miss as a long overhead made it to Brinkman who eventually scored into an open goal and the 4-0 victory.
For Roel Bovendeert, it was part of his continued rehabilitation from injury and while he took time out to rest his hamstring, he said he was happy to be back and playing this kind of game.
“Being back to play in this kind of game is why I worked so hard. This games was tough on my hamstring so I do need to recover from that and I need to keep building up the amount of games and, after a few months, I should get back to my old level. It takes a while and I need to take a patient approach.
“Tt was a tough game in the end and we knew they had some very tough defenders. We knew that it would be this kind of fighting game and got the win.
“It was 2-0 but, with the double-goal, even with the late corner they got, it doesn’t matter. It was still very close, especially as they kept coming. It’s tight and that is how it should be in the EHL."
Euro Hockey League media release
Egara delight home fans with strong win over Kelburne
©: Frank Uijlenbroek / World Sport Pics
Pool D: Club Egara 9 Bromac Kelburne 1
Club Egara delighted their home crowd as they picked off Bromac Kelburne with a quartet of field goals and a Pau Quemada corner goal, firing them to victory in the opening Pool D encounter.
Quemada started their run when he fired home from a third corner. Xavi Aguilar then spun brilliantly on a chance from close range, gathering a ball from the left wing beautifully for a 3-0 lead.
Ben Peterson slammed home a corner for Kelburne from a corner to keep them right in the mix with six minutes to go in the first half, 3-1 behind.
But Egara took the game away from them in the second half Lluis Mercade roofing a reverse-stick shot into the top of the goal following a good advantage played by the umpire Tim Meissner.
And the game was killed off with five minutes to go when Aguilar found a route through goalkeeper Rory Kerr for their third goal from play. To add salt into the wounds, Pere Arch tipped in another, making it 9-1 in the final minute.
Egara captain Franc Dinares said of the win: “We are pretty happy; it was a tough game in the beginning but we were moving quite well with the ball and got clear chances. It was a matter of keeping going and finally we deserved this win.
As for the field-goal situation, he said that even when his side were 5-1 ahead, there was no sense of relaxing, knowing how quick teams can come back.
“It’s a bit confusing right now. It was the first time playing with this rule but we will get used to it fast. 5-1 is not a clear result and they can get back into it quite easily with a couple of goals so you need to be focused all the time.”
Euro Hockey League media release
AHL Second Round Friday Wrap
Ben Somerford
Victoria Vipers will play Queensland Scorchers in the Australian Hockey League gold medal match for the third straight year after Friday’s results.
Victoria’s spot in the decider was clinched when NSW Arrows defeated New Zealand 4-1 early in the day, with Queensland already through on Thursday.
The result meant Victoria’s clash with the Scorchers was an effective grand final preview, with Queensland triumphing 3-1.
Britt Wilkinson opened the scoring, before Madison Fitzpatrick hit a double from a penalty corner.
Emily Hurtz scored a late penalty stroke to claim a consolation for the Vipers.
Elsewhere, NSW were too strong for NZ, with Abigail Wilson giving the Arrows a half-time lead.
NZ chased the game in the final quarter when things came to life, with Emily Smith scoring a double, while Courtney Schonell also hit the scoresheet. Kate Ivory scored for NZ.
Elsewhere WA Diamonds defeated Tassie Van Demons 3-1, while NT Pearls and India drew 1-1 with Brooke Peris on the scoresheet and ACT beat SA 3-0.
In the men’s tournament, Queensland Blades secured their spot in the gold medal match with a 4-0 win over India.
Queensland triumphed after goals from Matthew Pembroke (5’), Hugh Pembroke (20’), Joel Rintala (42’) and Jacob Anderson (54’).
The Blades will play either Victoria, after they drew 4-4 with NSW Waratahs in a thrilling evening match on Friday.
Kieran Govers (9') and Matt Dawson (25') gave NSW a first-half lead but Chris Ciriello (28' and 31') hit back to level matters.
Casey Hammond put the Vics ahead on 35 minutes, but NSW responded to re-take the lead with goals from Simon Orchard (42') and Blake Govers (45').
NSW needed to win by three goals to leapfrog Victoria into the top two, but in their endeavours forward, the Vikings levelled again through Will Gilmour (52').
Elsewhere, WA Thundersticks crushed SA Hotshots 5-1 with Trent Mitton scoring a hat-trick and Liam Flynn grabbing a double.
Jeremy Hayward also scored a treble as NT Stingers defeated New Zealand 4-2, while Tasmania were too strong for ACT 3-1.
Hockey Australia media release
Weekend AHL Fixtures Confirmed
Ben Somerford
Victoria will play Queensland in the gold medal matches of both the Australian Hockey League men’s and women’s tournaments on Sunday.
The Victoria Vikings will play the Queensland Blades at 5.45pm on Sunday at Perth Hockey Stadium 1 in the men’s gold medal match.
The Vipers will play the Scorchers beforehand in the women’s decider from 3.30pm.
NSW Waratahs will play India in the men’s bronze medal match at 1.15pm, while NSW Arrows will face New Zealand in the women’s bronze medal at 11am on Sunday.
On Saturday in the men’s tournament, WA Thundersticks will play Tassie Tigers for fifth place at 6pm.
SA Hotshots will play NT Stingers at 2pm, while ACT Lakers meet New Zealand at 10am.
On Saturday in the women’s tournament, WA Diamonds face SA Suns at 8pm for fifth spot.
Canberra Strikers play India for seventh at 4pm, while NT Pearls meet Tassie Van Demons at 12pm.
All matches will be LIVE STREAMED at www.epicentre.tv.
Hockey Australia media release
AHL 2017: Mixed day for Indians at AHL
s2h team
India's men's A hockey team went down tamely to Queensland 4-0 while women drew their match 1-1 against Northern Territory on Friday today in the ongoing Australian Hockey League in Perth, Australia.
India A Men’s Hockey team will now play New South Wales for 3rd position on Sunday
Matthew Pembroke (5’), Hugh Pembroke (20’), Joel Rintala (42’) and Jacob Anderson (54’) scored the goals for Queensland who booked their place in the Final of the 2017 AHL.
India A girls were on par with Northern Territory in terms of all departments of the game. It was Northern Territory who took the early 1-0 lead when Brooke Peris scored a fine field goal in the 15th minute. Gagandeep Kaur equalized when she put the ball behind Elizabeth Duguid in the 22nd minute.
India A Women will take on Australian Capital Territory in their next match at 13.30 hrs IST.
Stick2Hockey.com
Queensland thrash India A men's team 4-0
PERTH: India A men's hockey team was handed a humiliating 0-4 defeat by Queensland in the 2017 Australian Hockey League here on Friday.
Matthew Pembroke (5th minute), Hugh Pembroke (20th min), Joel Rintala (42nd min) and Jacob Anderson (54th min) scored the goals for Queensland, who booked their place in the Final of the 2017 AHL.
India could not get off to good start as they conceded an early penalty corner in the 5th minute, which was converted by Matthew Pembroke to give the Australians an early lead.
The visitors also had their chances but they could not convert those into goals.
Queensland dominated the second quarter also and extended their lead through Hugh Pembroke, who scored a well executed field goal in the 20th minute.
The Indians had a chance to pull one back but could not convert a penalty corner.
Queensland were again quick off the blocks in the third quarter as they scored a third goal when Joel Rintala finished off a beautiful team-move in the 42nd minute.
India failed to make a comeback as its efforts were kept out by a resolute Queensland defence.
The Australian team scored their fourth goal with 6 minutes remaining in the match as Jacob Anderson was on target as he scored a coolly-finished field goal in the 54th minute.
India A will face New South Wales for the 3rd place match on Sunday.
The Times of India
Hockeyroos To Play Japan In Adelaide
Ben Somerford
Hockey Australia today announces in conjunction with the South Australian Government that the Hockeyroos will play Japan in three matches in Adelaide from 15-18 November.
The two nations, who met at last year’s Rio Olympics, will play three Test matches at the State Hockey Centre in Gepps Cross on Wednesday 15 November, Thursday 16 November and Saturday 18 November thanks to the SA Government’s support.
The three Test series marks the first time international hockey will be played in Adelaide since 2009 when the Kookaburras faced Malaysia. It will be the first time the Hockeyroos have played in Adelaide since 2007 when they also took on Japan in a Test series.
Hockey Australia General Manager Ben Hartung said: “Hockey Australia is very appreciative of the great support that we have received from the SA Government and Hockey SA to enable us to bring international hockey back to Adelaide.
“We are thrilled to be able to showcase the Hockeyroos against Japan at the State Hockey Centre.
“We know that the South Australian hockey community will come out in force to support the Hockeyroos and we also want hockey supporters to bring along a friend who can experience the skill, speed and excitement of hockey.
“We want to grow our fan base and get as many people as possible to watch hockey and support our national teams.”
SA Minister for Recreation and Sport Leon Bignell said: “The Hockeyroos are one of the best known women’s sports teams in the world and it’s fantastic to welcome such talented athletes and their international rivals to South Australia.
“After such a long break, it's terrific to have international-level hockey back in South Australia and I'd like to thank Hockey Australia for choosing Adelaide as the venue for this exciting tournament.
“No doubt our government's investment of $2.5 million for a second pitch at the State Hockey Centre has made South Australia a top contender for international matches.
“We have home-grown super stars in the Hockeyroos team, which will make these matches all the more special and I know the local community will come out in droves to show their support.
“These matches will also attract international and interstate visitors to South Australia, providing a welcome economic injection and showcasing the State as a proud sporting destination.”
Hockey SA General Manager Katrina Ranford said: “With the assistance of the SA Government, Hockey SA will bring international hockey back to Adelaide.
“Whether you’re a long time hockey fan or this is your first hockey experience, you are guaranteed to go home satisfied.
“We are super excited to see our home grown Hockeyroos play under lights at the State Hockey Centre, the home of hockey in South Australia.”
The matches come after the Hockeyroos compete at the Oceania Cup in October and International Festival of Hockey in November, ahead of a bumper 2018 which includes the Commonwealth Games and World Cup.
Australia Women’s Head Coach Paul Gaudoin said: “It’s great to secure three more fixtures for the Hockeyroos following the International Festival of Hockey in November against a very competitive Japan side who currently are ranked just outside the top 10.
“These fixtures will be important for us as we continue to explore our playing group ahead of a huge 2018 where we will compete in the Commonwealth Games and World Cup.”
Japan Women’s Head Coach Anthony Farry said: “The three Test series against the Hockeyroos represents ongoing opportunity for us to test where we are against one of the world’s best teams.
“As we continue to expand our player base in the lead up to the 2018 World Cup, this series enables us to expose more athletes to senior international hockey which is vitally important for our program and our long term sustained success.”
Adult game tickets are available from $12.50 or $25 for a series pass. Entry is free for children under 15 years accompanied by an adult.
Australia v Japan Series
Wednesday 15 November 7pm ACDT, SA State Hockey Centre
Thursday 16 November 7pm ACDT, SA State Hockey Centre
Saturday 18 November 2pm ACDT, SA State Hockey Centre
Hockey Australia media release
Canada announces 2017 Indoor Pan American Cup Teams
Field Hockey Canada is excited to announce the Men’s and Women’s national teams competing at the 2017 Indoor Pan American Cup. The event will take place on October 16-21, 2017 in Georgetown, Guyana.
Head coach of the men’s team, Scott Sandison, said the team is feeling confident and excited heading into the event.
“We have spent a lot of time over the past few months really focusing in on our tactics and our skills,” Sandison said. “We’re in good shape. We’re excited about our chances. Ultimately if we perform well and stick to our game plan, we’ll be satisfied with what we put out.”
Sandison knows that being the returning gold medalists can come with a target on the team’s back. But the Toronto native and ex-national team player wants to ensure that the team focuses only on what is in their control.
“What is in our control is how we execute and deliver on what we can,” he said. We can’t get sucked into anyone else’s style. It’s very important for us to be disciplined.”
Sandison said the overall goal for the team is to win the tournament and qualify for the Indoor World Cup taking place in Berlin in the New Year. He firmly believes the team has what it takes to accomplish that goal.
Notably, Ken Pereira will be competing in his 400th CAP on October 16, when Team Canada faces off against Mexico. More information about Pereira’s massive milestone achievement will be released leading up to the competition. Congrats Ken!
On the women’s side, according to coach, Louis Mendonca, the team has a mix of returning indoor players, outdoor national team players and a crop of young players looking to make their first international appearance. He said the leadership that the veteran players will provide should set a great standard for the younger members of the team.
“Just watching the preparation will be huge for the younger kids,” he said. “…nutrition, rest; These are players that know what it takes.”
The cut-throat nature of this competition puts the top two pool play finishers in the finals with the winner earning the coveted World Cup bid. Ultimately, Mendonca said the goal is to qualify for the World Cup.
“We want to get to the finals,” he said. “If we play like we’ve been performing in practice, we have a great chance. We have to rise to the pressure of the environment.”
The men’s national team opens the competition against Mexico on October 16 at 1:45pm local time and Canada’s women’s team kicks off their tournament against Barbados at 4:15pm.
Schedules and Results can be found here
2017 Indoor Pan American Cup (Men)
2017 Indoor Pan American Cup (Women)
MEN’S NATIONAL TEAM – 2017 INDOOR PAN AMERICAN CUP
Players
Jeewanjot Bath
Tyler Branco
Adrien d’Andrade
Gurtej Dhaliwal
Lyle Fernandes
Joshua Kuempel
Ken Pereira
Jonathan Roberts
Devohn Teixeira
Micah Teixeira
Pardeep Koonar
Adam Kapasi
Coaching Staff
Scott Sandison – Head Coach
Reggie Pereira – Assistant Coach
Vernon Grattan-King – Manager
Elwin Lau – Athletic Therapist
WOMEN’S NATIONAL TEAM – 2017 INDOOR PAN AMERICAN CUP
Players
Abby Janssen
Alison Lee
Angela Lancaster
Elizabeth O’Hara
Kathleen Leahy
Kathryn Williams
Madison Workman
Michelle Weber
Kyesia O’Neill
Rebecca Carvahlo
Sarah Powell
Shannon Pereira
Coaching Staff
Louis Mendonca – Head Coach
Shankar Premakanthan – Assistant Coach
Kristen Shier – Manager
Amanda Halls – Athletic Therapist
Field Hockey Canada media release
Marijne’s men ready
‘The team is working on penalty-corner conversions’
Primary task: S.V. Sunil, left, and Manpreet Singh want to give coach Sjoerd Marijne a winning start.
S.V. Sunil and Manpreet Singh have spoken favourably of Sjoerd Marijne’s approach as the Indian men’s hockey team prepares for next week’s Asia Cup in Dhaka.
“He is very supportive and positive,” said Sunil here on Friday. “Ever since he joined us he has not said anything negative. He always believes in aiming to be the number one side. If we target the top spot now, we will be able to achieve it in the future.”
Marijne, who was hitherto coaching India’s women, took charge of the men’s team last month in place of Roelant Oltmans.
“Both of them are from Holland and there is not much difference between the two in terms of playing style,” said Manpreet, who will continue to lead the side.
“Sjoerd hasn’t changed our game much and has made only slight modifications. In previous tournaments, we have struggled in our penalty corner conversions; so we’re working on that as well.”
With the return of Sunil, Sardar Singh, Harmanpreet Singh and Akashdeep Singh — all of whom were rested for the tour of Europe — India should be a stronger force for what is Marijne’s first assignment.
“It’s not that we have to win for the sake of the new coach; our target is to win every tournament. But this is his first task and we want to start off with a win and take the momentum forward,” said Sunil. The 28-year-old forward admitted he needed that break in August. “It was much-needed. I had played back-to-back tournaments. I wasn’t personally satisfied with my form at the HWL Semifinal. I faced personal issues too. My brother-in-law passed away during the tournament and I couldn’t concentrate. Now, I feel better.”
India has been grouped alongside Japan, Pakistan and host Bangladesh in Pool-A. “We won’t take any team lightly,” said Sunil. “We learnt our lesson in the HWL Semifinal when we lost to Malaysia.”
The Hindu
Malaysian Hockey coach to name squad after two friendlies
KUALA LUMPUR: The national hockey team will name their final squad for the Sultan of Johor Cup after two friendly matches.
The two friendlies – against Australia on Oct 18 and Japan on Oct 20 – will be played at the Taman Daya Stadium in Johor Baru.
National development team assistant coach Nor Saiful Zaini said 20 players would feature in the friendlies before “we finalise the 18-man squad two days before the tournament”.
National senior team forward Nik Muhamad Aiman Nik Rozemi, who featured in the World League Semi-Finals in London in June, will lead Malaysia’s challenge.
The six-nation Under-21 tournament will be held at the same stadium from Oct 22-29.
The other teams are defending champions Australia, Britain, India, Japan and the United States. Malaysia will open their campaign against Britain on Oct 22, followed by India (Oct 23), Japan (Oct 25), the US (Oct 26) and Australia (Oct 28). The classification matches and final will be played on Oct 29.
The Star of Malaysia
Shahril out for another bountiful harvest in Dhaka
by Aftar Singh
KUALA LUMPUR: National hockey forward Muhd Shahril Saabah is looking for another bountiful outing in Dhaka – this time in the Asia Cup from Oct 11-22.
The last time he played in Dhaka – in the World League Round Two in March – he scored seven goals to help Malaysia qualify for World League Semi-Finals in London in June.
Malaysia did well to finish fourth in London to qualify for next year’s World Cup in Bhubaneswar, India.
But that will have to wait as the 23-year-old seeks to get among the goals in the Asia Cup.
“It would be great if I can repeat the seven-goal feat in Dhaka.
“This is the first time I’ll be playing in the Asia Cup so I’m looking forward to putting up a good performance,” said Shahril, who has scored 35 goals in 60 international matches since making his international debut four years ago.
Eight teams will feature in Asia Cup, with world No. 12 Malaysia being drawn in Group B with defending champions South Korea, China and Oman.
Group A comprises runners-up and world No. 6 India, Pakistan, Japan and Bangladesh.
Only the winners of the Asia Cup will gain an automatic berth to the 2018 World Cup Finals.
Three countries – Malaysia, India and Pakistan – have already qualified for the World Cup.
National chief coach Stephen van Huizen has set his team a lofty target – qualify for the final.
Shahril, though, knows it won’t be easy and that they can expect a torrid time from three teams – South Korea, China and Japan.
“These three teams will go all out to win the Asia Cup and clinch the last slot from Asia for the World Cup Finals.
“So we need to be fully committed and live up to our tags as the second highest-ranking team in Asia (after India),” said the Tenaga Nasional employee.
The top two teams from each group will feature in the Super Four, which will be played on a round-robin format.
The top two teams will then square off in the final while the bottom two will fight for the bronze medal.
“We are all physically and mentally well-prepared to play seven matches in Dhaka. Coach Stephen has been focusing a lot of physical training for last two months,” said Shahril.
The Star of Malaysia
Glenanne switch base to St Andrew’s for Cookstown visit
Cookstown’s Matthew Rollins returns. Pic: Adrian Boehm
Glenanne’s men start a new departure on Saturday as they make the move from the club’s spiritual west Dublin base to St Andrew’s College for their home games this season.
They will avail of the waterbased pitch at the school, the surface that nine of the ten clubs in the top division will use this term. And they will look to build on their productive trip to Cork last weekend when Richie Shaw returned after a two-year break to net twice in a win over C of I.
Cookstown are the visitors to Booterstown and welcome back defensive duo Jack Haycock and Matthew Rollins
Both men missed the opener at Steelweld Park against Pembroke Wanderers and will add ballast to the Cookstown back four as the Reds target their first points of the year.
“Our aim is to put together a performance like the one we put in during the second half last week against Pembroke,” said Cookstown Captain Jonny Ames.
“We were a bit too tentative at the start, with passes going astray and a few clumsy challenges. That, I think, allowed Pembroke to rule the first two quarters.
“We’ve had some humdingers down at Tallaght over the years, so we are expecting them to throw the kitchen sink at us. If we can continue the upward trend from the Pembroke game and maybe add a bit, I think we’ll be in with a very good chance of points.”
Three games take place on Sunday as part of the EY Hockey League’s endeavours to reach out to a wider live audience, one of the central tenets of the feedback from the league’s survey toward the end of last season.
The hope is playing games away from the traditional Saturday afternoon slot will mean less clashes with junior club games meant and potentially larger audience.
Cork C of I are hosting for a second successive week, welcoming Annadale to Garryduff. They do so with Phillip Byrne in their line-up following his move from Glenanne, facing the side he played with last term on debut last week.
Monkstown will be without Andrew Ward for their game against Pembroke Wanderers on home turf, the striker away for the weekend in Barcelona. With Gareth Watkins out injured and Kyle Good elsewhere, it raises the importance of Davy Carson and Geoff Cole up top.
The Dublin derby is a prime one for fast, counter-attacking hockey with plenty of intertwined careers on show. There could be as many as seven former Cork C of I men on show with Jason and Karl Lynch facing their former Dublin club.
Pembroke coach Jonny Caren made the opposite switch a couple of seasons ago and he will have Kirk Shimmins in full flow.
The midfielder was in New Zealand until just a couple of days before the new Irish season where he helped the Tiger Turf North Harbour team to a first title since 2009. Shimmins netted against both Southern and Northland en route to their final against Auckland.
The gold looked set to be beyond them, trailing 3-1 with eight minutes to go only for a rush of four goals in quick succession to earn North Harbour a 5-4 victory. Along with Alan Sothern, Shimmins will be instrumental in how Pembroke go this year in closing the gap to the top four with this tie a key one for their hopes.
At Railway Union, Three Rock Rovers will have a bit of defensive reshuggle on their hands with Luke Madeley taking a lusty collision last weekend against Annadale, leaving him in a protective boot.
They take on a reshuffled Railway side this season seeking to bounce back after their opening 4-0 loss to Banbridge. Lisnagarvey’s date with Banbridge is off due to the latter’s involvement in the EHL in Barcelona.
Men’s fixtures
EHL ROUND1 (Pau Negre Stadium, Barcelona)
Saturday: Banbridge v WKS Grunwald Poznan, 11.30am (Irish time)
Sunday: Banbridge v Royal Racing Club de Bruxelles, 10.45am
EY Hockey League
Saturday: Glenanne v Cookstown, 4pm, St Andrews College
Sunday: Cork Church of Ireland v Annadale, 1pm, Garryduff; Monkstown v Pembroke Wanderers, 2.20pm, Merrion Fleet Arena; Railway Union v Three Rock Rovers, 2.40pm, Park Avenue
Leinster Division One
Saturday: UCD v Avoca, 11.15am, Belfield; Weston v Dublin North, 12pm, Griffeen Valley Park; Rathgar v Clontarf, 12.30pm, High School; Kilkenny v Corinthian, 2pm, Kilkenny College; YMCA v Dublin University, 2pm, Wesley College
Sunday: Clontarf v Dublin University, 2pm, Mount Temple
Munster Division One
Saturday: UCC v Cork C of I B, 2.30pm, The Mardyke; Ashton v Limerick, 3pm, Blackrock Road; Bandon v Harlequins, 3pm, Bandon Grammar School
The Hook
Potential new women’s EYHL order attempt to back up their credentials
Roisin Upton and Lena Tice battle for possession last weekend. Pic: Adrian Boehm
With last season’s top two both losing on opening day, the second day of the women’s EY Hockey League will help give a good idea of whether a new order is developing and who can emerge from the pack.
Cork Harlequins will look to back up their brilliant 2-1 win over the all-conquering UCD when they host Ulster’s finest Pegasus on Saturday at Farmer’s Cross.
The Cork side are still waiting on Rebecca Barry to return from injury having missed out on the summer but she appears to be closing in on a comeback having been named in the Irish squad for the Scotland series later this month.
Roisin Upton and Naomi Carroll’s interchanges in the front line were top drawer at times in that UCD success while the corner defence played a blinder in repelling a usually fearsome front line.
Pegs look to be a much stronger prospect than last season, too, with Shirley McCay a huge addition while Katie McKee had an excellent debut following her move from Ards.
Ards, for their part, had an upbeat start to the campaign with Chloe Brown showing why she is so important to their success, making one and scoring the other in their 2-1 win over Pembroke. Railway Union are the visitors to Londonderry Park, looking to build on their opening 1-1 draw with Loreto.
Belfast Harlequins’ Zoe Wilson is in upbeat mood, meanwhile, ahead of a trip to Dublin to face UCD having played a key role in their 3-2 win over Hermes-Monkstown.
“After our gutsy performance on Saturday, I know we will take confidence going into this weekend,” said Wilson.
Miles Warren’s students, however, know that they were not far off a positive result last week with a glut of penalty corner chances, saying afterwards he would be far more concerned if the chances were not arriving.
Trinity host their first ever EY Hockey League match on Sunday against Pembroke with plenty of alumni set to face each other. Indeed, former Pembroke woman Rachel O’Brien scored her side’s first goal at this level before four second quarter goals saw their lead comprehsively over-turned.
Finding the defensive solidity that marked their last campaign will be crucial against a side likely to improve as the likes of Aisling Naughton, Gillian Pinder and Emily Beatty get integrated.
On Sunday, it’s derby date with Hermes-Monkstown and Loreto both looking to get their first win of the season.
In Leinster, Our Lady’s credentials will be put to a big test when they host Old Alex. Mark Lambe’s side have run up back to back 2-0 wins to start their campaign, sitting on six points with Alex and Muckross.
The visitors from Milltown will be a different prospect to their previous encounters and will give them a massive test of their mettle.
In Munster Division One, the leading pair – UCC and Catholic Institute – both come into their battle at the Mardyke with a 100% record and a clean sheet for the season to date. Something has to give.
Promoted Belvedere host Bandon –another unbeaten side with a clean sheet to their name – as the Ballincollig side look to build on an encouraging start to the campaign while Limerick host Cork C of I and Ashton face Waterford.
Women’s EY Hockey League
Saturday: Ards v Railway Union, 2.30pm, Londonderry Park; Cork Harlequins v Pegasus, 1.05pm, Farmers’ Cross; Trinity v Pembroke Wanderers, 2pm, Santry Avenue; University College Dublin v Belfast Harlequins, 2.50pm Belfield
Sunday: Hermes-Monkstown v Loreto, 4.15pm, Merrion Fleet Arena
Leinster Division One
Saturday: Corinthian v North Kildare, 12.45pm, Whitechurch Park; Our Ladys v Old Alex, 1pm, Terenure; Clontarf v Muckross, 2pm, Mount Temple; Avoca v Glenanne, 2.30pm, Newpark; Genesis v Rathgar, 2.45pm, St Raphaela’s
Munster Division One
Saturday: UCC v Catholic Institute, 12pm, The Mardyke; Ashton v Waterford, 12.30pm, Blackrock Road; Belvedere v Bandon, 12.45pm, Ballincollig Community School; Limerick v Cork C of I, 2pm, Villiers
The Hook
Spluttering Greensharks seek Nakuru scalp
By BRIAN YONGA
Fredrick Okoth (left) of Kenya Police vies for the ball with Frank Okumu of Greensharks during their Kenya Hockey Union Premier League match at City Park Stadium on May 1, 2016. PHOTO | MARTIN MUKANGU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Third-placed Greensharks will be looking for their first win of the second leg of the Kenya Hockey Union (Kenya Hockey Union) men’s Premier League when they face hosts Nakuru at the Greensteds School Grounds on Saturday.
This is one of the nine matches on the cards this weekend in Nairobi, Kisumu, Mombasa and Nakuru.
At the City Park Stadium in Nairobi, Kenyatta University Titans take on Multimedia University on Saturday in a women’s Premier League encounter as Mombasa Sports Club welcome former champions Sliders.
On Sunday, strugglers Chase Sailors and Technical University of Kenya face off in a men’s top-flight encounter as Parkroad Badgers aim fire at Kenyatta University (KU) Vultures.
SHARKS STRUGGLING
After a decent first leg, Sharks are struggling for form in the second half of the season, after losing both their opening matches.
The results have left them 19 points adrift of runaway leaders Kenya Police in the standings.
A win will move them level on points with second-placed Butali Sugar Warriors.
“We have to stop the rot and that means burying chances which we have not done so far in previous matches,” Sharks coach Ben Owaga told Nation Sport.
The team will, however, have to do without the services of attacking midfielder Victor Osiche who is on national team duty.
Sharks won the reverse fixture 2-1 at the City Park Stadium and will be hoping for a repeat result.
Nakuru coach Tony Agesa is however banking on home advantage to ensure his charges pile more misery on their opponents. Nakuru are in ninth place with 18 points and will be going for their second successive win of the second leg, having beaten USIU 1-0 on September 24.
"Sharks are a very aggressive side and we shall therefore need to be alert and ensure we don’t make any mistakes,” Agesa noted.
At City Park Stadium, MMU will be out to exact revenge on the Titans who beat them 2-0 in their first leg meeting. The Rongai-based side, who are making a return to the league after a two-year absence, will be seeking their second win of the season.
Titans, who beat MSC 3-0 last weekend, will be hoping to continue with their good run.
“We played very well away in Mombasa but there is always room for improvement. We are all working hard towards getting better with every match we play and our aim is maximum points against Multimedia,” Titans coach Moses Kagochi said.
FIXTURES (All matches at City Park Stadium unless stated)
Saturday
Premier Men: Nakuru v Greensharks (3pm) Nakuru
Premier Women: Multimedia v Kenyatta (9am) , MSC v Sliders (3pm) Mombasa
National Men: JKUAT v UON (10:30am) ,Daystar v Thika Rovers (12pm), Bay v Kisumu Youngsters (3pm) Kisumu
Sunday
Premier Men: Parkroad Badgers v Kenyatta (3:30pm), Chase Sailors v TUK (5pm)
National Men: Multimedia v Wazalendo Youth (2pm)
Daily Nation
Big shows as top guns duck in league action
By Elizabeth Mburugu
Kenyatta University (KU) Titans take on Multimedia University in the Kenya Hockey Union women’s league match at City Park Stadium today.
The contest is one of the nine league matches on card this weekend in Nairobi, Mombasa, Nakuru and Kisumu.
Fresh from a successful outing in Mombasa after beating hosts Mombasa Sports Club (MSC) ladies 3-0, the Titans have insatiable hunger for victory. Moses Kagochi, the KU coach, said they will be seeking to improve their performance. “We played well away in Mombasa but there is always room for improvement. We are all working hard towards getting better with every match we play and our aim is maximum points against Multimedia,” said Kagochi.
In Mombasa, MSC ladies hope to bounce back from their disappointing loss to the students when they take on guests Sliders. MSC, who are currently third from the bottom of the women’s league standings, will be hunting their second victory of the season.
In the men’s Premier League, Nakuru HC will entertain Greensharks at Green Steds School Grounds. Sharks, who are third on the table standings, need victory to put their title chase on course. On the other hand, Nakuru are ninth on the log and will be hunting for a sixth win.
Parkroad Badgers will take on KU Vultures in another men’s Premier League tie tomorrow. Vultures, who lie tenth on the log, hope to overcome Badgers who are three places ahead. Chase Sailors take on Technical University of Kenya (TUK) in the last men’s top tier match of the weekend. Sailors have not been at their best this season and are relegation threatened. TUK, who made their premier league debut in 2017, have been struggling and are stuck at the bottom.
The battle for promotion to premier league will intensify as Bay Club and Kisumu Youngsters square it out in Kisumu. In Nairobi, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) will face off with University of Nairobi (UON) while Thika Rovers will play Daystar
The Standard Online
Maryland field hockey breaks out of its slump with a 4-1 win at Michigan State
By Scott Gelman
Midfielder Madison Maguire looks upfield for a pass in Maryland's 4-2 win over Rutgers at the Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex on October 29, 2016. (Reid Poluhovich / The Diamondback)
The No. 17 Maryland field hockey team was 6-0 in East Lansing, Michigan, entering Friday's contest against Michigan State.
So, the Michigan State Field Hockey Complex was a fitting place for the Terps to bounce back from their prolonged slump. They'd dropped three of their last four contests, including a double-overtime setback against then-No. 6 Michigan.
Maryland cruised to a 4-1 victory over the Spartans.
From the outset, coach Missy Meharg's squad looked less like the team that struggled to generate early offense and more like the aggressor that topped then-No. 9 Louisville in College Park last month.
The Terps started slow in many of their recent defeats, so Meharg didn't hesitate to express her frustration in the first minute Friday as the Terps and Spartans battled for possession near midfield.
At the 1:23 mark, Meharg called a timeout, likely attempting to avoid another sluggish opening period. Her players responded.
Meharg said earlier this week that midfielder Lein Holsboer has the ability to almost single-handedly control a game, though she doesn't design her offense to fit one player's strengths. Still, Holsboer was the first to respond to the coach's early challenge.
Just beyond the six-minute mark in the opening period, Holsboer forced a turnover and broke into open space on the left side of Maryland's zone. She deposited the ball into the lower-right corner of the net to give the Terps a one-goal advantage.
Maryland's ability to dominate possession — the Terps recorded 10 shots before the Spartans earned one attempt — facilitated the offense and helped the squad score again about 20 minutes after Holsboer's eighth goal this season.
Holsboer distributed to defender Kelee Lepage, who stood unguarded and just feet away from a one-on-one matchup with Spartans goalkeeper Mairi Fletcher. Lepage scored to double Maryland's lead, converting one of the easiest scoring opportunities the Terps have created in a month.
Maryland outshot Michigan State (6-7, 1-3 Big Ten), 13-2, in the opening period and scored twice in the opening frame for the first time since its Sept. 8 win against Towson.
The Terps responded to Meharg's urge to remain aggressive in the second period, too. Less than three minutes into the second half, midfielder Madison Maguire gave Maryland (7-5, 3-2 Big Ten) its third score.
Maguire's strike would prove to be valuable insurance, as Spartans midfielder Lauren Bonness scored Michigan State's first goal in the 47th minute.
But tight defense on Michigan State's attackers helped the Terps keep the Spartans scoreless for the game's final 20 minutes, ensuring the victory.
A last-second loss to the Wolverines last week left Holsboer wondering whether the Terps would be able to earn an NCAA tournament bid. But Maryland's win in East Lansing offered hope of a turnaround.
The Diamondback
Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games legacy still being felt in China
Hockey has grown considerably in China since Nanjing 2014 Photo: IOC/YANG XI
With one year to go until the start of the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games, we take a look at the impact that the Nanjing 2014 edition has had on hockey in China
In one year the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games will get underway in Argentina’s dazzling capital city. The preparations for what will surely be a fantastic event in South America are very much in full swing, with the fast and furious Hockey5s format once again taking centre stage after it’s thrilling, eye-catching debut at the Nanjing 2014 edition, where Australia men and China women emerged victorious.
The Hockey5s competition made quite an impact in Nanjing, a fact proven by the passion and enthusiasm to retain to the format for next year’s competition in Buenos Aires. It is easy to forget that the initial decision to use Hockey5s in Nanjing raised some eyebrows, but the overwhelmingly positive response to the competition from players, fans, broadcast and even the International Olympic Committee made it a genuine hit at the Games.
"The number of registered players in China has increased by over 50% in recent years"
The successful introduction of Hockey5s at such an important sporting showpiece provided plenty of evidence of the bright future that this format has - it will surely be one of the sports to watch next year in Buenos Aires. However, three years after the conclusion of the 2014 edition in Nanjing, it is also worth examining the legacy that the Youth Olympic Games has had on hockey in China.
Back in 2007, way before the Nanjing event and even the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, the Chinese Hockey Association launched a project to construct the National Hockey Talent Reserve Base.
Initially, there were 15 bases located in nine provinces within China, a figure which has grown to a remarkable 72 bases in 15 provinces. The number of registered players in China has increased by over 50% in recent years, while the number of playing surfaces, both for 11-aside and the smaller surfaces suitable for Hockey5s, has also swelled considerably in a bid to accommodate this growth in athlete numbers. Back in 2007, there was one full size pitch and 20 smaller pitches. Ten years later there are 13 full size pitches and a whopping 58 pitches suitable for Hockey5s.
In 2015, the Chinese Hockey Association made two significant moves in response to the impact of the Nanjing Youth Olympic Games. Due to the rising number of participants, the Association decided to introduce an under-10s competition for the first time in its history. In another bold move, the national under-15 Championship was switched from the standard format of the game to Hockey5s, indicating a firm belief in the format as crucially important for the long-term development of China’s future hockey superstars.
As for the Youth Olympic Games Sports Park in Nanjing, the infrastructure continues to be put to very good use. The Hockey venue is used as one of the Talent Reserve Bases for the training and education for talented young athletes.
As part of Nanjing’s desire to be a centre of world sport, the city has used the development and the vast amount of event knowledge gained to host the World Roller Speed Skating Championships in 2016, and has won the right to host the 2018 Badminton World Championships and some of the group stages of the 2019 FIBA Basketball World Cup.
The legacy of Nanjing is very much at the heart of this, and it is clearly an exciting time in China not just for hockey but for top level sport in general in China.
For more information about the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games, you can visit the official website by clicking here. To read more about the inclusion of Hockey 5s at the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games, click here.
FIH site
Millbrook Beds become official Bed Partner of England & GB Hockey
Danson in action v Germany
England Hockey and Millbrook Beds are delighted to announce a major three-year sponsorship agreement forming an exciting partnership until Tokyo 2020.
High quality sleep is an essential part of success at every level from the amateur game to national athletes. The support of Millbrook Beds will be crucial to the England & GB Hockey men’s and women’s national teams continuing to reach a high level of success in both training and at events.
Millbrook Beds believes a great mattress is as essential to well-being as five a day or 10,000 steps! Borne out of traditional craftsmanship, each Millbrook mattress is individually and lovingly handmade in Southampton, England.
The England hockey squad will be among the first in the UK to experience the new Perfect collection. This range has been redesigned from the spring up to featuring new luxurious fillings, which give a totally new dimension in comfort.
Hockey is one of the world’s most popular team sports, broadcast in 125 countries and has been on a domestic high since Great Britain won women’s gold at the Rio Olympics in 2016, following bronze at the London Olympics in 2012. It appeals to men and women in equal measure, with a family-friendly following and a strong healthy lifestyle bias.
Mark Croll, Managing Director of Millbrook Beds comments: "We are very excited to partner with England and Great Britain Hockey, as we feel we share the same passion and ambition for quality. Millbrook Beds is on a quest to deliver the perfect night’s sleep because we know great quality sleep will lead to better performance the following day.
"We look forward to working with individual members of the squad and the wider hockey family to gather this data night and day. Their feedback and sleep results will be invaluable to help us to continue to improve our mattresses, and we believe they will discover sleeping on a Millbrook Bed will greatly improve their recovery, and performance."
Jon Cockcroft, Commercial Director at England and Great Britain Hockey, said: “It is fantastic to partner with such a high-end lifestyle brand as Millbrook Beds. A good night’s sleep is critical to the performance and recovery of elite athletes and so the provision Millbrook’s quality products will greatly benefit our international teams.
"With a home World Cup taking place in London next summer, we very much look forward to bringing this relationship to life during what is an exciting period for the sport.”
England Hockey Board Media release