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All the news for Saturday 2 February 2019

2019 FIH Pro League (Men) - 2 February

Weekend fixtures

1 Feb 2019     NZL v BEL (RR)     4 - 4 (2 - 4 SO)
2 Feb 2019     AUS v NED (RR)     5 - 5 (1 - 4 SO)
3 Feb 2019 15:00     AUS v BEL (RR)

Live streaming on https://fih.live (Geo blocked where TV coverage is available)

Pool standings

FIH Match Centre

2019 FIH Pro League (Women) - 2 February

Weekend fixtures

1 Feb 2019     NZL v BEL (RR)     0 - 1
2 Feb 2019 15:30 (GMT - 3)     ARG v USA (RR)
2 Feb 2019     AUS v NED (RR)     1 - 0
3 Feb 2019 17:00 (GMT +10)     AUS v BEL (RR)

Live streaming on https://fih.live (Geo blocked where TV coverage is available)

Pool standings

FIH Match Centre

Netherlands men produce stunning fightback to claim shoot-out win over Kookaburras



Match Day 6 of the FIH Pro League saw Australia’s national teams making their competition debuts, playing host European giants the Netherlands on a day of high drama and high temperatures in Melbourne.

The Netherlands men’s team scored three times in the final quarter to claim a 5-5 draw against the Kookaburras before claiming a bonus point by winning the shoot-out, while the Hockeyroos women claimed a famous victory over the Dutch reigning world and European champions thanks to a solitary goal from Jane Claxton and a sublime goalkeeping display from Rachael Lynch.

A sell-out crowd of 5,500 at Melbourne’s State Hockey and Netball Centre were treated to a thrilling first quarter in the men’s fixture, a rematch of last year's semi-final at the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 where the Dutch (FIH World Ranking: 3) ended Australia’s (WR:2) hopes of claiming a third successive world crown in a shoot-out. If the fans arrived expecting similar excitement from their FIH Pro League meeting, they were not to be disappointed.

While the Netherlands were arguably the better team of the first period, clinical finishing from the home favourites saw the Kookaburras take a 2-1 lead into the quarter-time break on a baking hot afternoon in Melbourne. Talented youngster Tim Brand played a part in both goals, creating the first for Tom Craig to fire home before tapping in to re-establish Australia’s lead after a fine backhand equaliser from Dutch scoring ace Mirco Pruijser. Australia goalkeeper Andrew Charter certainly contributed to Australia’s advantage, making a stunning save from a second phase penalty corner to deny Jonas de Geus a certain goal.

The Kookaburras were very much in control of proceedings in the second quarter, quickly moving the score to 4-1 thanks to open play strikes from Eddie Ockenden and Trent Mitton. Ockenden’s goal was beautifully crafted, with the vastly experienced midfielder stealing possession before exchanging passes with Blake Govers and guiding a perfect deflection between the legs of Netherlands goalkeeper Sam van der Ven. The Oranje rallied ahead of half time, with Jip Janssen rattling the left post from a penalty corner before Jeroen Hertzberger’s mis-hit strike somehow squeezed past Charter to make the score 4-2 and give the European champions reason to be optimistic ahead of the two remaining quarters.

Twenty-year-old attacker Tim Brand made another significant contribution in the third quarter when he provided the perfect assist for fellow youngster Lachlan Sharp, whose deflected strike left Van der Ven stranded as the score-board moved onto 5-2 in favour of the Australians.

The Dutch produced an incredible fight-back in the fourth period, scoring two goals in quick succession to drag themselves back into the contest and cause a good measure of uncertainty for the hosts. Both strikes found the bottom left corner of the Australian goal, with Jip Janssen’s penalty corner drag-flick being followed by a fierce strike from Netherlands captain Billy Bakker. The key moment arrived four minutes from the end, with goalkeeper Sam van der Ven producing a leaping save to deny a lobbed effort before his team scored a brilliant equaliser on the counter-attack, with Bjorn Kellerman crashing home a terrific first-time strike to earn the visitors a 5-5 draw and take the match to a shoot-out for a bonus point.

The Dutch dominated the one-on-ones, with Jeroen Hertzberger, Glenn Schuurman, Jonas de Geus and Billy Bakker all on target to capitalise on misses from Blake Govers and Player of the Match Tom Craig. It was a remarkable outcome for the Netherlands, who had somehow clawed back a 5-2 deficit to claim two very valuable FIH Pro League points from the contest.

“Any team that blows a three-goal lead cannot be too happy about it”, said Tom Craig speaking after the match, while also discussing his own feelings about the start of the FIH Pro League. “It’s so good, it’s what we have been needing. All the games have been really high quality and there has been heaps of goals, big crowds, big engagements, so I think it is a fantastic thing for the sport, I really like it. We very rarely get to play in Australia, especially against the Dutch and the Belgians tomorrow. It’s fantastic.”

Although the women’s match between Australia (WR:3) and Netherlands (WR:1) contained fewer goals, it was certainly not short of incident. Like their male compatriots, the Hockeyroos had been beaten by the Netherlands in a shoot-out at the semi-final stage of last year’s Vitality Hockey Women’s World Cup London 2018, which was followed by a 5-1 loss in the November’s Champions Trophy final in China.

The Netherlands – coached by legendary former Australia international and two-time FIH Player of the Year Alyson Annan - were on top in the opening stages but did not make the most of their chances, a theme that would continue throughout the match. An early penalty corner opportunity went to waste before Eva de Goede’s backhand strike went high and wide of the target.

The hosts were excellent in the second quarter and scored what proved to be the only goal of the game in the 21st minute, with Jane Claxton working her way into the circle from the right before finishing at the second attempt to give the Hockeyroos a surprise lead.

Speaking in a half time interview for broadcast, Annan said that she wanted her team ‘to get the simple things right’ in the second and third quarters. While Annan's team certainly improved after the break, Australia's defensive players were at the top of their game. Central defender and captain Jodie Kenny made numerous crucial tackles, while goalkeeper Rachael Lynch produced some extraordinary saves to keep the top ranked team in world hockey off the score-sheet. Margot van Geffen and Ginella Zerbo were both denied by incredible blocks by Lynch, touching the former’s shot away from the top corner with her stick before making a diving save to deny Zerbo a late equaliser. Lynch’s Player of the Match performance sealed a fine victory for the Paul Gaudoin’s Hockeyroos, giving them the perfect start to their FIH Pro League campaign.

“It’s pretty amazing”, said Lynch after the match. “I think it has been about nine years - certainly for me - since we have beaten the Dutch, so to do it here in Melbourne in front of a home crowd in the first game of the Pro League is super exciting.”

Regarding her secret to goalkeeping success in the match, Lynch said: “You just have to wear it sometimes. I’ve got a nice bruise on my leg! We just absorbed the pressure, we knew we had to because they are such a good team, and also made the most of our chances. We didn’t have a heap [of chances], but it shows what can happen when you put a goal away. That makes a big difference.”  

The FIH Pro League continues later today (Saturday 2 February) with Argentina’s women taking on visitors USA in Cordoba. The Australian teams return to the field in Melbourne on Sunday (3 February), playing host to Belgium’s Red Panthers and Red Lions, the latter being the reigning men’s world champions.

FIH Pro League - Match Day 6 (Melbourne, Australia)

2 February 2019

Result: Men’s Match 6
Australia 5, Netherlands 5 (1-4 After Shoot-Out)
Player of the Match: Tom Craig (AUS)

Result: Women’s Match 4
Australia 1, Netherlands 0
Player of the Match: Rachael Lynch (AUS)

#FIHProLeague

Official FIH Pro League Site

Shot-stopper Lynch excels as Hockeyroos beat world champions Netherlands in Melbourne



Match Day 6 of the FIH Pro League saw Australia’s national teams making their competition debuts, playing host European giants the Netherlands on a day of high drama and high temperatures in Melbourne.

The Netherlands men’s team scored three times in the final quarter to claim a 5-5 draw against the Kookaburras before claiming a bonus point by winning the shoot-out, while the Hockeyroos women claimed a famous victory over the Dutch reigning world and European champions thanks to a solitary goal from Jane Claxton and a sublime goalkeeping display from Rachael Lynch.

A sell-out crowd of 5,500 at Melbourne’s State Hockey and Netball Centre were treated to a thrilling first quarter in the men’s fixture, a rematch of last year's semi-final at the Odisha Hockey Men’s World Cup Bhubaneswar 2018 where the Dutch (FIH World Ranking: 3) ended Australia’s (WR:2) hopes of claiming a third successive world crown in a shoot-out. If the fans arrived expecting similar excitement from their FIH Pro League meeting, they were not to be disappointed.

While the Netherlands were arguably the better team of the first period, clinical finishing from the home favourites saw the Kookaburras take a 2-1 lead into the quarter-time break on a baking hot afternoon in Melbourne. Talented youngster Tim Brand played a part in both goals, creating the first for Tom Craig to fire home before tapping in to re-establish Australia’s lead after a fine backhand equaliser from Dutch scoring ace Mirco Pruijser. Australia goalkeeper Andrew Charter certainly contributed to Australia’s advantage, making a stunning save from a second phase penalty corner to deny Jonas de Geus a certain goal.

The Kookaburras were very much in control of proceedings in the second quarter, quickly moving the score to 4-1 thanks to open play strikes from Eddie Ockenden and Trent Mitton. Ockenden’s goal was beautifully crafted, with the vastly experienced midfielder stealing possession before exchanging passes with Blake Govers and guiding a perfect deflection between the legs of Netherlands goalkeeper Sam van der Ven. The Oranje rallied ahead of half time, with Jip Janssen rattling the left post from a penalty corner before Jeroen Hertzberger’s mis-hit strike somehow squeezed past Charter to make the score 4-2 and give the European champions reason to be optimistic ahead of the two remaining quarters.

Twenty-year-old attacker Tim Brand made another significant contribution in the third quarter when he provided the perfect assist for fellow youngster Lachlan Sharp, whose deflected strike left Van der Ven stranded as the score-board moved onto 5-2 in favour of the Australians.

The Dutch produced an incredible fight-back in the fourth period, scoring two goals in quick succession to drag themselves back into the contest and cause a good measure of uncertainty for the hosts. Both strikes found the bottom left corner of the Australian goal, with Jip Janssen’s penalty corner drag-flick being followed by a fierce strike from Netherlands captain Billy Bakker. The key moment arrived four minutes from the end, with goalkeeper Sam van der Ven producing a leaping save to deny a lobbed effort before his team scored a brilliant equaliser on the counter-attack, with Bjorn Kellerman crashing home a terrific first-time strike to earn the visitors a 5-5 draw and take the match to a shoot-out for a bonus point.

The Dutch dominated the one-on-ones, with Jeroen Hertzberger, Glenn Schuurman, Jonas de Geus and Billy Bakker all on target to capitalise on misses from Blake Govers and Player of the Match Tom Craig. It was a remarkable outcome for the Netherlands, who had somehow clawed back a 5-2 deficit to claim two very valuable FIH Pro League points from the contest.

“Any team that blows a three-goal lead cannot be too happy about it”, said Tom Craig speaking after the match, while also discussing his own feelings about the start of the FIH Pro League. “It’s so good, it’s what we have been needing. All the games have been really high quality and there has been heaps of goals, big crowds, big engagements, so I think it is a fantastic thing for the sport, I really like it. We very rarely get to play in Australia, especially against the Dutch and the Belgians tomorrow. It’s fantastic.”

Although the women’s match between Australia (WR:3) and Netherlands (WR:1) contained fewer goals, it was certainly not short of incident. Like their male compatriots, the Hockeyroos had been beaten by the Netherlands in a shoot-out at the semi-final stage of last year’s Vitality Hockey Women’s World Cup London 2018, which was followed by a 5-1 loss in the November’s Champions Trophy final in China.

The Netherlands – coached by legendary former Australia international and two-time FIH Player of the Year Alyson Annan - were on top in the opening stages but did not make the most of their chances, a theme that would continue throughout the match. An early penalty corner opportunity went to waste before Eva de Goede’s backhand strike went high and wide of the target.

The hosts were excellent in the second quarter and scored what proved to be the only goal of the game in the 21st minute, with Jane Claxton working her way into the circle from the right before finishing at the second attempt to give the Hockeyroos a surprise lead.

Speaking in a half time interview for broadcast, Annan said that she wanted her team ‘to get the simple things right’ in the second and third quarters. While Annan's team certainly improved after the break, Australia's defensive players were at the top of their game. Central defender and captain Jodie Kenny made numerous crucial tackles, while goalkeeper Rachael Lynch produced some extraordinary saves to keep the top ranked team in world hockey off the score-sheet. Margot van Geffen and Ginella Zerbo were both denied by incredible blocks by Lynch, touching the former’s shot away from the top corner with her stick before making a diving save to deny Zerbo a late equaliser. Lynch’s Player of the Match performance sealed a fine victory for the Paul Gaudoin’s Hockeyroos, giving them the perfect start to their FIH Pro League campaign.

“It’s pretty amazing”, said Lynch after the match. “I think it has been about nine years - certainly for me - since we have beaten the Dutch, so to do it here in Melbourne in front of a home crowd in the first game of the Pro League is super exciting.”

Regarding her secret to goalkeeping success in the match, Lynch said: “You just have to wear it sometimes. I’ve got a nice bruise on my leg! We just absorbed the pressure, we knew we had to because they are such a good team, and also made the most of our chances. We didn’t have a heap [of chances], but it shows what can happen when you put a goal away. That makes a big difference.”  

The FIH Pro League continues later today (Saturday 2 February) with Argentina’s women taking on visitors USA in Cordoba. The Australian teams return to the field in Melbourne on Sunday (3 February), playing host to Belgium’s Red Panthers and Red Lions, the latter being the reigning men’s world champions.

FIH Pro League - Match Day 6 (Melbourne, Australia)

2 February 2019

Result: Men’s Match 6
Australia 5, Netherlands 5 (1-4 After Shoot-Out)
Player of the Match: Tom Craig (AUS)

Result: Women’s Match 4
Australia 1, Netherlands 0
Player of the Match: Rachael Lynch (AUS)

#FIHProLeague

Official FIH Pro League Site

Kookaburras succumb to Dutch in shoot out thriller


Credit: Grant Treeby/HA

The Kookaburras blew a three-goal lead to lose 4-1 in a shootout after a thrilling 5-5 draw against the world number three Netherlands on Saturday in Melbourne.

Entering the fourth quarter the Kookaburras found themselves with a comfortable 5-2 lead thanks to goals from Tom Craig, Tim Brand, Eddie Ockenden, Trent Mitton and Lachlan Sharp.

Unfortunately for the Australians, a late collapse saw the Netherlands score three goals in quick succession, forcing the shootout.

Dutch goalkeeper Sam van der Ven allowed just one goal to Jeremy Hayward after forcing errors from Blake Govers and Craig. Jeroen Hertzberger, Glenn Schuurman, Jonas de Geus and Netherlands captain Billy Bakker were all able to convert their shootout opportunities.

Though the Kookaburras were efficient in front of goals during regular time, they were unable to find the back of the net consistently when it mattered most.

"We didn't handle the Dutch pressure. They turned us over way too many times, we had trouble coming out of defence and transferring the ball and that was a quality we had in the first and second quarter," said Kookaburras coach Colin Batch.

"Full credit to them coming back but it's very disappointing for our boys."

Despite the loss, Australia will be buoyed by an efficient first half as they look ahead to Sunday’s clash against world number one, Belgium.

Australia struck first in the third minute of the match. Craig found a sliver of space in front of goal and was able to find the backboard with a powerful shot through traffic.

Only seconds later it was the Netherlands turn to score. Their first goal came through a Mirco Pruijser reverse stick off of an Australian turnover in the fourth minute.

Some early heroics from goalkeeper Andrew Charter saw him defend multiple Dutch penalty corner attempts to keep the score level.

Brand was the next to hit the scoreboard, finding the gap off a deflection in the 13th minute.

Moments later Kookaburras captain Ockenden got on the end of a Blake Govers assist for Australia’s third goal of the match.

In the 21st minute of the match Sharp showed his passing ability, finding Mitton in the attacking circle for another field goal.

Hertzberger changed the match's momentum when he found a hole in Australia’s defence late in the first half.

The play of the game came from a fantastic piece of teamwork resulting in an Australian goal in the 35th minute. Hayward found Brand with a long ball out of defence which allowed Brand to find Sharp at the top of the D, when his powerful shot put left Australia with a three goal lead.

Over a nine minute stretch late in the fourth term, three consecutive goals to de Gues, Bakker and Kellerman forced the match into shootouts and ultimately a Netherlands victory.

The Kookaburras take on Belgium in their second FIH Pro League match from 3pm AEDT on Sunday at the State Netball Hockey Centre Melbourne.

Australia 5 (Craig 3', Brand 13', Ockenden 17', Mitton 23', Sharp 35')
Netherlands 5 (Pruijser 4', Hertzberger 29', de Geus 47', Bakker 51', Kellerman 56')

Hockey Australia media release

Hockeyroos end near decade-long Dutch dominance with big win


Credit: Grant Treeby/HA

The Hockeyroos have ended almost a decade of Dutch dominance with a ground-breaking 1-0 win over world champions Netherlands in their FIH Pro League opener in front of a sold-out crowd in Melbourne.

The Hockeyroos secured the upset over the world number one Netherlands, thanks to a number of defensive stops from local gun Rachael Lynch and a fantastic field goal in the 21st minute from Jane Claxton.

The victory was Australia’s first over the Dutch since July 2009 at the Champions Trophy. It was also the Hockeyroos’ first over the Netherlands in 19 attempts.

The result was the perfect start for the Hockeyroos’ maiden campaign in the new FIH Pro League, which has been launched this year.

Player of the Match Lynch said: “We always know the Dutch will come out hard and play well.

“We hung on. It makes a difference when you can score. One will do in this situation.

“It’s been a long time coming, so I’m rapt.”

Some strong attacking pressure from co-captains Jodie Kenny and Emily Chalker created a number of scoring opportunities in the first half and held the home team in good stead.

The Hockeyroos continued to mount the pressure throughout the third term and were able to draw consecutive penalty corners through Rosie Malone.

Hometown hero Lynch asserted herself in the final term, stopping a crucial shot from Kyra Fortuin before preventing Yibbi Jansen from scoring with a diving save.

Lynch could do no wrong late in the match, she stopped a rocketing penalty corner shot in the 56th minute, securing the Australian victory.

A late referral from the Netherlands threatened to give them an equalising opportunity but the decision was overturned.

The Hockeyroos now turn their attention to Sunday’s match against Belgium in Melbourne with tickets almost sold out.

Hockeyroos Paul Gaudoin said: “It’s pleasing. It’s good for the girls. We didn’t play that well but we found a way. Hopefully it’ll instil some belief.”

Australia 1 (Claxton 21')
Netherlands 0

Hockey Australia media release

Belgium’s women steal the headlines against Black Sticks in Auckland



Belgium’s Red Panthers upset the FIH World Rankings with a fine victory over hosts New Zealand on Match Day 5 of the FIH Pro League, with Auckland’s North Harbour Hockey Stadium staging the action.

Team captain Jill Boon hit a late winner in Belgium’s 1-0 victory against the higher ranked Black Sticks women, while Belgium’s men were involved in a thrilling 4-4 draw against New Zealand’s men before the world champions claimed the bonus point by winning the shoot-out.

Belgium’s Red Panthers (FIH World Ranking: 13) were impressive performers in the opening quarter of their match against the Black Sticks women (WR:6), with the visitors from Europe causing their higher ranked opponents numerous problems in what was the first ever meeting between the two sides on New Zealand soil. New Zealand shot-stopper Sally Rutherford was forced into action more times than she would have liked, although even she was helpless when Alexia ’T Serstevens rattled the inside of the post with a speculative backhand effort at the end of the first period.

The Europeans - who had travelled to Auckland from Argentina following last weekend’s 2-0 defeat against Las Leonas - were arguably the better side in the second quarter, although New Zealand had the better of scoring opportunities. Olivia Merry slapped a penalty corner effort wide of the target, which Amy Robinson and Sam Charlton also had very good chances but failed to threaten the goal of the excellent Aisling D’Hooghe.

D’Hooghe was the busier of the two goalkeepers in a third quarter dominated by the hosts, who won five penalty corners in the first seven minutes after the break but failed to make the most of their opportunities, thanks in no small part to some quality defending from the Red Panthers. Kirsten Pearce smashed a vicious backhand strike towards goal in the latter stages of the quarter, but the effort was comfortably pushed away by D’Hooghe’s left glove to keep the score at 0-0 going into the final quarter, raising the prospect of a shoot-out to settle the contest.

The final quarter could have gone either way, with Louise Versavel seeing a goal-bound effort inadvertently deflected wide by the stick of team-mate Alix Gerniers before a rapid New Zealand counter-attack was blazed over the Belgium cross-bar by Kelsey Smith. The final five minutes were packed full of drama, especially for Red Panthers striker Jill Boon. The Belgian captain had a glorious chance to settle to contest when a foul on Versavel resulted in a penalty stroke, but Boon’s weak shot was saved with ease by New Zealand’s Grace O’Hanlon. However, Boon more than made up for her missed penalty stroke when she netted a sensational winner with less than two minutes of the contest remaining, showing stunning reflexes to volley Versavel’s thunderous pass into the roof of the net to give her team a fine victory away from home.

“I think it was really a great effort, we knew it was going to be a tough match”, said Player of the Match Alix Gerniers. “I think we showed a lot of character during the whole game. The work paid off and to score in the last minute, it’s great.”

New Zealand captain Stacey Michelsen said: “It was disappointing that we couldn’t convert our opportunities. At the moment that is a little bit of a theme for us, there is certainly a lot of work to be done in the attacking third.”

The meeting between reigning men’s world champions Belgium (WR:1) and host New Zealand was equally entertaining, with the idea that the world’s best team would coast to an easy victory being quickly abandoned. While the Red Lions - coached by New Zealander and former Black Sticks Head Coach Shane McLeod - were arguably the better team in the first period, they were regularly thwarted by some superb defending from the home favourites.

The game exploded into life in a second quarter that saw the Black Sticks take the lead before two goals from Belgium gave the visiting Europeans a 2-1 advantage into half time. Attacking talisman Hugo Inglis despatched an emphatic penalty stroke past goalkeeper Loick Van Doren - younger brother of 2017 FIH Player of the Year Arthur Van Doren - after Stephen Jenness’s goal-bound shot hit the foot of a Belgian defender. Belgium’s response was immediate, with Cedric Charlier touching home before Maxime Plennevaux scored a sublime second, collecting an attempted clearance at chest height and brilliantly firing in from a narrow angle.

The two sides continued to trade blows after half time, with New Zealand pulling themselves level thanks to a Aiden Sarikaya’s stunning backhand strike into the roof of the net before a rare goal from defender Arthur Van Doren restored Belgium’s lead at the end of third quarter.

Just like the day’s earlier meeting between the women’s teams, the fourth quarter was dramatic and entertaining. A wonderful assist from Felix Denayer, passing behind his body, allowed Cedric Charlier to fire into the top corner of the New Zealand goal to give Belgium a 4-2 lead. Remarkably, New Zealand hit back with two goals to force a shoot-out, as a Nic Woods penalty corner and a high quality open play strike from Jenness, capitalising on Arthur Van Doren’s defensive error, ensured that the Black Sticks would take at least a point against the Olympic silver medallists.

To their great credit, Belgium were flawless in the shoot-out, scoring all four of their attempts to take the bonus point. Hugo Inglis saw his early attempt saved, with Belgium’s bonus point being guaranteed when Dylan Thomas was adjudged to have used the back of his stick when scoring, resulting in his effort being ruled out by the video umpire.

“The New Zealand Black Sticks are a really good team, we know that, and it was a really good battle so I hope the crowd enjoyed it”, said goal-scorer and Player of the Match Arthur Van Doren at the end of the contest. “We wanted the win, but will settle for two points now.”

Discussing his team’s impressive fightback, New Zealand captain Blair Tarrant said: “It’s good to come back again, but we are disappointed for letting things slip at the start of the game. It’s a great opportunity to play the world champions at home, but we are setting high standards for ourselves and we want to do better than we did today.”

The FIH Pro League continues on Saturday 2 February with Australia’s men and women playing host to the Netherlands in Melbourne, while Argentina’s women take on visitors USA in Cordoba.

FIH Pro League - Match Day 5
 - 1 February 2019


Result: Women’s Match 3
New Zealand 0, Belgium 1
Player of the Match: Alix Gerniers (BEL)


Result: Men’s Match 5
New Zealand 4, Belgium 4 (2-4 After Shoot-Out)
Player of the Match: Arthur Van Doren (BEL)

#FIHProLeague

Official FIH Pro League Site

Annan Receives HA Hall Of Fame Legend Status

Ben Somerford


Credit: Grant Treeby/HA

Former Hockeyroo Alyson Annan was officially recognised on Saturday with Legend status in Hockey Australia’s (HA) Hall of Fame.

Annan joins two others in an elite list as HA Hall of Fame Legends, alongside Ric Charlesworth and Rechelle Hawkes.

Annan was formally celebrated after Saturday’s FIH Pro League match between the Hockeyroos and the Netherlands women’s side, whom she currently coaches.

Annan remains the Hockeyroos’ all-time record goal scorer, amassing 166 goals in her career from 1991 to 2003.

Now 45, Annan made 228 appearances for Australia, winning Olympic gold medals at the 1996 Atlanta Games and 2000 Sydney Games.

Annan competed at three Olympics and two World Cups, crowned as a world champion in both 1994 and 1998.

She also won four Champions Trophies, a Commonwealth Games gold medal in 1998 and was a two-time International Player of the Year winner.

Annan was also inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2013.

Hockey Australia media release

Hockey Australia Holds National Junior Camp In Melbourne

Ben Somerford

Hockey Australia is currently holding the National Junior Camp in Melbourne around the opening matches of the inaugural FIH Pro League.

Fifty-two of Australia’s leading juniors will be in Melbourne from 1-5 February during the first weekend of the new FIH Pro League where the Hockeyroos and Kookaburras will play the Netherlands and Belgium.

The youngsters will be put through their paces across five days by National Junior Coaches Ben Bishop and Tim White.

Bishop and White will be joined by coaches from all of Hockey Australia’s NTC programs, in leading and coaching the athletes through six sessions over the five days.

These sessions will include the men’s Junior team playing two matches against the visiting Chilean men’s national team whilst the women will include two intra-squad matches.

As well as the training, the squad will have the opportunity to watch both the Hockeyroos and Kookaburras train and play as well as sit in on pre-match meetings as they prepare for their FIH Pro League matches.

Hockey Australia media release

FIH Pro League Preview: New Zealand v Great Britain


GB v New Zealand 2017 Azlan Shah

The all new FIH Pro League has started in electrifying fashion, with goals and excitement aplenty. This was highlighted no better than when Great Britain’s men dramatically defeated Spain 6-5 in their first game, coming back from 4-1 down.

Great Britain’s women’s side will make their FIH Pro League bow at 4am GMT on Friday 8 February while the men’s team will be action straight after as the Black Sticks host their third double header of the tournament.

GB men looking to build on exciting opening victory

With Olympic qualification being heavily based on success in the FIH Pro League, every game in this tournament really does matter. And that much was evident as GB’s men fought valiantly throughout their match against Spain to come back from 4-1 down to win 6-5.

Adam Dixon recorded a brace with Zach Wallace, Mark Gleghorne, Phil Roper and David Condon also getting on the scoresheet. At the other end, George Pinner kept out three final minute corners to secure a sensational victory and fire Great Britain to the summit of the men’s FIH Pro League table at the time of writing.

Five new faces have come into Danny Kerry’s squad from that game for the Oceania tour – Will Calnan, Lee Morton, Josh Pavis, Ian Sloan and Ollie Willars – and will be looking to make an impact.

GB came out on top the last time the two sides met, recording a 3-2 victory in the 2017 Sultan Azlan Shah Cup, with Sam Ward and Phil Roper getting on the scoresheet in that game.

New era set to begin for GB women

Going into their FIH Pro League debut match, GB’s women will be hoping to follow the men’s lead but know it will be a tough order to beat New Zealand. However with newly appointed head coach Mark Hager – previously in charge of the Black Sticks – meeting up with the squad when the team land in the country, expect them to give their opponents a really close game.

The Great Britain squad named to face the Black Sticks contains only three players from the victorious Rio 2016 side, with a number of young players having the opportunity to shine on the international stage.

Hollie Pearne-Webb will lead the side and her experience will be vitally important not just for this game but for the whole tour, which sees GB then take on Australia (16 February) and China (23 February).

With a squad containing three new faces in Lizzie Neal, Holly Hunt and Holly Munro – who are all in line to make their senior international debuts – the New Zealand match will be an exciting test for this new wave of talent.

GB emphatically defeated New Zealand the last time they met with Giselle Ansley, Hollie Pearne-Webb and Lily Owsley all featuring in the 3-0 semi-final victory at Rio 2016.

Tough start to FIH Pro League for New Zealand

Regarded as one of the powerhouses of world hockey, New Zealand will pose a tough test for the GB teams as the women won the Commonwealth title back in April, while the men claimed silver. 

However both sides have not made the starts they wanted in the FIH Pro League, with the men only collecting one point and the women yet to get off the mark after two matches each.

Both sides fell to a one goal defeat in their opening matches against The Netherlands, although the men nearly pulled off a remarkable comeback having drawn level after being 3-0 down to their European opponents. However Thierry Brinkman’s late strike ensured victory for the Dutch, whose women’s team battled to a 1-0 win over the Black Sticks later in the day.

Their men’s team then faced a similar story in their second game against Belgium, once again coming from behind to draw 4-4 with Belgium and take the game to a shootout and secure their first point of the tournament. However it was the newly crowned men’s world champions who came out on top.

It was another narrow loss for their women too as a late Jill Boon strike saw them surprisingly lose to Belgium, meaning that combined the two teams have just one point between them from their opening matches.

You will be able to watch GB’s women and men take on New Zealand from 4am GMT on Friday 8 February live on BT Sport.

Great Britain Hockey media release

FIH Pro League Explodes Into Life



The FIH Pro League is the brand-new hockey competition pitting international hockey titans against each other as the bid for Olympic qualification begins.

Setting out to bring entertainment and regular high-quality hockey, it’s certainly been delivered in the opening matches with goals and drama coming in abundance.

The men began their competition on 19 January as Spain shocked world number one side Belgium by beating them in a shootout after playing out a thrilling 2-2 draw in the first ever FIH Pro League match.

Great Britain backed it up with a bang a week later with goals galore in Valencia, battling back from 4-1 down to beat Spain 6-5 in a thrilling encounter.

Belgium meanwhile bounced back from their opening day loss, defeating reigning Olympic champions Argentina 4-2.

New Zealand - the 2018 Commonwealth Games silver medalists - hosted European champions and World Cup silver medallists The Netherlands in their first game, which was to prove another sensational affair. The Black Sticks came from three goals down to level the scores in an action-packed first-half before The Netherlands snatched a 4-3 victory in an extraordinary match.

The New Zealanders were then involved in another superb game last night as they were the latest side to produce an astonishing comeback to draw 4-4 with Belgium. However this time the Red Lions – who were crowned world champions back in December – held their nerve in the shootout to secure the extra point.

Argentina secured the first win in the women’s FIH Pro League, putting in a strong performance to battle past Belgium 2-0 in Cordoba, with 20 shots being fired between both teams in another attacking fixture.

New Zealand and The Netherlands followed it up with another closely-fought game as just one goal separated the teams, the Dutch showing their class with an incredible Maartje Krekelaar strike in the second-half sealing an opening 1-0 victory for the world champions.

The following game was another incredibly tight affair with New Zealand once again coming out on the wrong end of a 1-0 scoreline, this time against Belgium as Jill Boon’s late equaliser saw the Red Panthers gain their first points of the tournament.

At the time of writing, Great Britain’s men currently sit atop the men’s table with three points and a 100% ratio, ahead of The Netherlands on goal difference. Belgium currently have the highest overall tally with six but find themselves third, having only taken 66.7% of the total points available to them in their first three matches.

In the women’s league it’s Argentina on top with three points and a 100% ratio, with The Netherlands once again in second place on goal difference. Great Britain begin their campaign against New Zealand on Friday 8 February.

Great Britain Hockey media release

Green Army 1 vs 1 India



With only one place in the world rankings between Ireland and India this was always likely to be an evenly contested clash.

The Green Army welcomed back Lizzie Colvin and Shirley McCay to the fray for the first time since their historic World Cup final and Colvin was quick to make an impact in mid field; pulling defenders away to create space before releasing passes to the wings. India won an early PC and netted a goal in the opening quarter, but it was rightly disallowed after hitting an India foot. Recently capped Serena Barr was distributing the ball with ease in the Irish midfield while Hannah Matthews was on hand to dispossess the Indian attackers as they opted for the direct route.  It was a powerful penalty corner drag flick from Gurjit Kaur that broke the deadlock in the first half.

Katie Mullan led the chase as Ireland searched for an equaliser with a powerful pass across the face of goal, but Aisling Naughton’s deflection went just wide of Rani’s goal.  Matthews was pulling the strings in the backline and sent a pinpoint pass to Ali Meeke who calmly found Sarah Hawkshaw in front of goal for the equaliser. The experienced Indian side tested Emma Buckley on several occasions but the Racing keeper frustrated the strikers with several fine saves. Ireland had the opportunity to put the game to bed in the final moments from a penalty corner won by Anna O’Flanagan following a great team move from Sinead Loughran, Hawkshaw and Leah McGuire but the eventual effort was cleared and the sides shared the spoils in an even contest. 

Ireland 1 (Hawkshaw)
India 1 (Kaur)

Starting: E Buckley, R Upton, C Brown, K Mullan, S Loughran, H McLoughlin, L Colvin, H Matthews, S Hawkshaw, A O’Flanagan, E Curran,

Subs: E Murphy, A Naughton, S McCay, S Barr, D Duke, A Meeke, L McGuire

Schedule (all times listed are local):

1/2/19 4:30pm Ireland 1 - 1 India in Hockey Santomera pitch, Murcia
3/2/19 11am Ireland vs India in Hockey Santomera pitch, Murcia
4/2/19 6:30pm Ireland vs Spain in Armilla Hockey, Granada
6/2/19 12:30pm Ireland vs Spain in Armilla Hockey, Granada
7/2/19 11am Ireland vs Spain in Armilla Hockey, Granada

Irish Hockey Association media release

Hawkshaw earns Ireland draw with India in Murcia



Sarah Hawkshaw continued her lively start to life as an Irish international, scoring her second goal in five appearances for the Green Army.

It helped earn a 1-1 draw against India in Murcia on Friday afternoon, getting on the end of an excellent move set in motion by Hannah Matthews and Ali Meeke toward the end of the third quarter.

Ireland had fallen behind early on to a Gurjit Kaur effort but wore down the Indians in the second half, stretching their unbeaten record against the world number nine side to seven games.

The tie also featured the return of Shirley McCay for her 275th international cap having recently announced her return to international hockey.

Lizzie Colvin also featured for the first time since last summer’s World Cup while Chloe Brown, Ellen Curran, Leah McGuire and Sinead Loughran made their first appearances of 2019 as coach Graham Shaw continues to shuffle his deck.

Women’s international test match
Ireland 1 (S Hawkshaw)
India 1 (G Kaur)

Ireland: E Buckley, R Upton, C Brown, K Mullan, S Loughran, H McLoughlin, L Colvin, H Matthews, S Hawkshaw, A O’Flanagan, E Curran,
Subs: L Murphy, A Naughton, S McCay, S Barr, D Duke, A Meeke, L McGuire

The Hook

2019 3 Nations Invitational (M) - Day 4
Benalmadena (ESP)

Result 1 February

USA v WAL (RR)     0 - 4

Pool standings

FIH Match Centre

Wales Tops USMNT in Third Match of 3 Nations Invitational



BENALMÅDENA, Spain – In their third game of the round-robin 3 Nations Invitational in Benalmádena, Spain, the U.S. Men’s National Team took on a revengous Wales team, who USA beat in the opening match. This second meeting saw the tides turn as Wales came out victors in a 4-0 win.

Wales started with pressure from the first whistle and controlled the game from the front as much as possible, as USA struggled to produce any offense. In the 10th minute, Wales opened up the scoring after a ball deflected off USA’s post player’s foot on a penalty corner resulting in a stroke. Gareth Furlong converted placing the ball hard, low and inside the left post.

USA settled down and the game evened out for period before Wales capitalized on an opportunity. A ball from the right was crossed to the top of the circle, USA forced the play to the left, but James Carson smashed a high backhand into the right corner of the goal, ending the half 2-0 to Wales.

USA struggled to get on offense consistently but did get a few opportunities in the third quarter, despite being a player down at the end when Aki Kaeppeler (Stuttgart, Germany) received a green and yellow card consecutively.

The fourth quarter saw a few tired mistakes by USA allow Wales to open up the scoring. In the 52nd minute, Rupert Shipperley converted on a field goal and in the 59th minute Carson tallied his second of the game off a penalty corner. The final score stood 4-0 in favor of Wales.

The USMNT will have tomorrow off before their final game of the 3 Nations Invitational on Sunday, February 3 against Brazil at 4:30 a.m. ET.

USFHA media release

Path Laid Out For Green Machine In 2019



The Green Machine path is well laid out for 2019 with FIH Series Finals in Le Touqet in June and Olympic Qualification then firmly coming into focus, there is also the Eurohockey Championships to look forward to in Belgium this August.

Ireland’s men will begin a series of training camps in the coming weeks, utilising a panel of 30 players as they prepare for the FIH Series Finals. While pools for that tournament are yet to be confirmed, they could face Chile, Egypt, France, Korea, Scotland, Singapore and Ukraine. Their first international fixture of the year will take place in Kampong against Japan in April, a side on the rise as they were crowned champions at the Asian Games last year.

Similar to last year, the Green Machine will welcome USA to Dublin in May for 2 competitive fixtures on May 24th and 26th, acting as fitting preparation with the FIH Series Finals the following month. A top two finish in Le Touqet will secure Ireland’s place at the Olympic Qualifiers in October/November (date TBC) but before sights can shift to Olympic qualification, the Eurohockey Championships in Antwerp awaits. There are no easy games at the highly competitive continental championships and Ireland sit in a challenging pool with the Netherlands, Germany and Scotland. Preparation for the Euro’s is likely to come in the form of a 4 Nations tournament in Santander in early August.   

Speaking about the year ahead, head coach Alexander Cox said “I am delighted to have committed my future to Hockey Ireland and to continue working with the Green Machine at such an exciting time for hockey in Ireland. We learnt a lot from the World Cup in India and are looking forward to getting back on the pitch together and begin working towards Olympic qualification, which is our main goal for this year.

It will be a great opportunity for Irish fans to see the Green Machine at home in May when we face the USA and we are expecting 2 high quality games from an ever-improving side. We are working as a large panel of 30 at the moment which increases the competition in our selection and will begin our training camps shortly”.

Squad:

1. David Harte
2. David Fitzgerald
3. Mark Ingram
4. Jamie Carr
5. Jonathan Bell
6. Conor Harte
7. Paul Gleghorne
8. Luke Madeley
9. Stuart Loughrey
10. Matthew Bell
11. Lee Cole
12. Stephen Cole
13. Shane O'Donoghue
14. Michael Robson
15. Callum Robson
16. Kirk Shimmins
17. Sean Murray
18. Daragh Walsh
19. Chris Cargo
20. Matthew Nelson
21. Jeremy Duncan
22. Eugene Magee
23. Owen Magee
24. Alan Sothern
25. Ben Walker
26. Johnny McKee
27. Peter Caruth
28. John Jackson
29. Julian Dale
30. Neal Glassey

Upcoming 2019 Fixtures:

24/4/19 Ireland vs Japan in Kampong
24th & 26th May Ireland vs USA in Dublin
15-23 June FIH Series Finals in Le Touqet, France
1/8/19-7/8/19 4 Nations in Santander (TBC)
17/8/19 Ireland vs Netherlands Eurohockey Championships in Antwerp
18/8/19 Ireland vs Scotland Eurohockey Championships in Antwerp
20/8/19 Ireland vs Germany Eurohockey Championships in Antwerp
22-25/8/19 Classification Matches Eurohockey Championships in Antwerp

Irish Hockey Association media release

Cox set to continue as Irish men’s coach for Olympic campaign


Alexander Cox on the pitch in India. Pic: Frank Uijlenbroek/World Sport Pics

Alexander Cox and Hockey Ireland have confirmed the Dutchman will continue as Irish senior men’s coach on a longer-term basis, overseeing the 2020 Olympic qualifying campaign.

He took over the role in August 2018 on an interim basis following Craig Fulton’s departure to Belgium.  Cox oversaw the World Cup campaign in December which ended in a group stage exit in India, a frustrating 1-1 draw with China the defining result in their departure.

Nonetheless, the feedback from the players for the coach and his methods was largely positive in the short timeframe he had to work with the squad.

Fuller details on how long he has been signed up for will be confirmed next Wednesday at a Sport Ireland funding announcement. For now, he says he is keen to “get back on the pitch together and working towards Olympic qualification”.

Speaking about the year ahead, head coach Alexander Cox said: “I am delighted to have committed my future to Hockey Ireland and to continue working with the Green Machine at such an exciting time for hockey in Ireland.

“We learnt a lot from the World Cup in India and are looking forward to getting back on the pitch together and begin working towards Olympic qualification, which is our main goal for this year.

“It will be a great opportunity for Irish fans to see the Green Machine at home in May when we face the USA and we are expecting two high quality games from an ever-improving side.

“We are working as a large panel of 30 at the moment which increases the competition in our selection and will begin our training camps shortly.”

One takeaway from the preparation phase is that more group sessions are likely to take place in Ireland. Pre-Christmas, the vast majority of camps took place in the Netherlands in midweek which led to some players being unable to attend and limiting scope for selection.

Olympians Peter Caruth and John Jackson are both back in the 30-man panel along with Neal Glassey, Julian Dale and Owen Magee of those returning to the squad. From the World Cup side, Mitch Darling is not named in this panel.

The Green Machine agenda sees them play Japan in a two-game series in April, the USA twice in May, leading up to the Hockey Series Finals in June, the key tournament for their Tokyo hopes. In August, they will play in the European Championships in Antwerp.

Ireland men’s squad for 2019: David Harte (SV Kampong), David Fitzgerald (Monkstown), Mark Ingram (Rotterdam), Jamie Carr (Three Rock Rovers), Jonathan Bell (Lisnagarvey), Conor Harte (Racing Club de Bruxelles), Paul Gleghorne (Crefelder HTC), Luke Madeley (Three Rock Rovers), Stuart Loughrey (Reading), Matthew Bell (Crefelder HTC), Lee Cole (Oree), Stephen Cole (Oree), Shane O’Donoghue (KHC Dragons), Michael Robson (Crefelder HTC), Callum Robson (Annadale), Kirk Shimmins (KHC Dragons), Sean Murray (Rotterdam), Daragh Walsh (Three Rock Rovers), Chris Cargo (Hampstead & Westminster), Matthew Nelson (Lisnagarvey), Jeremy Duncan (Herakles), Eugene Magee (Banbridge), Owen Magee (Braxgata), Alan Sothern (La Gantoise), Ben Walker (Three Rock Rovers), Johnny McKee (Banbridge), Peter Caruth (Annadale), John Jackson (Bath Buccaneers), Julian Dale (Cork Harlequins), Neal Glassey (Crefelder HTC)

Confirmed 2019 fixtures:
April 24: Ireland v Japan, SV Kampong
May 24 & 26: Ireland v USA, Dublin
June 15-23: FIH Series Finals in Le Touqet, France
August 1-7: Four Nations, Santander
August 17-25: Eurohockey Championships, Antwerp

The Hook

Ireland hockey coach Cox will oversee side’s 2020 Olympic qualifying campaign

More details on how long Dutchman will remain coach to be announced next week

Stephen Findlater


Hockey Ireland has announced Alexander Cox will remain as coach on a longer-term basis
 
Alexander Cox and Hockey Ireland have confirmed the Dutchman will continue as Irish senior men’s coach on a longer-term basis, overseeing the 2020 Olympic qualifying campaign.

He took over the role in August 2018 on an interim basis following Craig Fulton’s surprise departure to Belgium, arriving with a glittering CV from club hockey in the Netherlands where he was also a national men’s and women’s assistant coach.

Fuller details on how long he has been signed up for will be confirmed next Wednesday at a Sport Ireland funding announcement.

For now, he says he is keen to “get back on the pitch together and working towards Olympic qualification”.

Cox oversaw the World Cup campaign in December which ended in a group-stage exit in India, a frustrating 1-1 draw with China the defining result in their departure.

Positive

Nonetheless, the feedback from the players for the coach’s methods was largely positive given the short timeframe he had to work with the squad.

One lesson learned from the preparation phase is that more group sessions are likely to take place in Ireland. Pre-Christmas, the vast majority of camps took place in the Netherlands in midweek which led to a couple of players having to withdraw due to work commitments.

Olympians Peter Caruth and John Jackson are both back in the 30-man panel. Their agenda sees them play Japan in a two-game series in April, the USA twice in May, leading up to the Hockey Series Finals in June, the key tournament for their Tokyo hopes.

Ireland men’s squad for 2019: David Harte (SV Kampong), David Fitzgerald (Monkstown), Mark Ingram (Rotterdam), Jamie Carr (Three Rock Rovers), Jonathan Bell (Lisnagarvey), Conor Harte (Racing Club de Bruxelles), Paul Gleghorne (Crefelder HTC), Luke Madeley (Three Rock Rovers), Stuart Loughrey (Reading), Matthew Bell (Crefelder HTC), Lee Cole (Oree), Stephen Cole (Oree), Shane O’Donoghue (KHC Dragons), Michael Robson (Crefelder HTC), Callum Robson (Annadale), Kirk Shimmins (KHC Dragons), Sean Murray (Rotterdam), Daragh Walsh (Three Rock Rovers), Chris Cargo (Hampstead & Westminster), Matthew Nelson (Lisnagarvey), Jeremy Duncan (Herakles), Eugene Magee (Banbridge), Owen Magee (Braxgata), Alan Sothern (La Gantoise), Ben Walker (Three Rock Rovers), Johnny McKee (Banbridge), Peter Caruth (Annadale), John Jackson (Bath Buccaneers), Julian Dale (Cork Harlequins), Neal Glassey (Crefelder HTC)

The Irish Times

Irish men's hockey team looking towards Olympics


The Irish men's hockey team have a busy 2019 in store

The path of the Irish men's hockey team is well laid out for 2019 with FIH Series Finals in Le Touqet in June and Olympic Qualification then firmly coming into focus, there is also the Eurohockey Championships to look forward to in Belgium this August.

Ireland’s men will begin a series of training camps in the coming weeks, utilising a panel of 30 players as they prepare for the FIH Series Finals. While pools for that tournament are yet to be confirmed, they could face Chile, Egypt, France, Korea, Scotland, Singapore and Ukraine.

Their first international fixture of the year will take place in Kampong against Japan in April, a side on the rise as they were crowned champions at the Asian Games last year.

Similar to last year, the Green Machine will welcome USA to Dublin in May for 2 competitive fixtures on May 24 and 26, acting as fitting preparation with the FIH Series Finals the following month.

A top two finish in Le Touqet will secure Ireland’s place at the Olympic Qualifiers in October/November (date TBC) but before sights can shift to Olympic qualification, the Eurohockey Championships in Antwerp awaits.

There are no easy games at the highly competitive continental championships and Ireland sit in a challenging pool with the Netherlands, Germany and Scotland. Preparation for the Euro’s is likely to come in the form of a 4 Nations tournament in Santander in early August.

Speaking about the year ahead, head coach Alexander Cox said "I am delighted to have committed my future to Hockey Ireland and to continue working with the Green Machine at such an exciting time for hockey in Ireland.

"We learnt a lot from the World Cup in India and are looking forward to getting back on the pitch together and begin working towards Olympic qualification, which is our main goal for this year.

"It will be a great opportunity for Irish fans to see the Green Machine at home in May when we face the USA and we are expecting 2 high quality games from an ever-improving side. We are working as a large panel of 30 at the moment which increases the competition in our selection and will begin our training camps shortly."

RTE

Defending champion Punjab scores second successive win

Rupinder (4th, 15th, 50th minutes), Dharamvir Singh (10th), Akashdeep Singh (39th) and Hartaj Aujla (51st) scored in Punjab’s 6-0 win over Association of Indian Universities.


Rupinder Pal scored a hat-trick in Punjab's win over Association of Indian Universities.   -  Special Arrangement

Dragflicker Rupinder Pal Singh scored a hat-trick as defending champion Hockey Punjab beat Association of Indian Universities 6-0 to register its second win at the ninth men’s Senior National Hockey Championship (Division A), here on Friday.

Besides out-of-favour India defender Rupinder (4th, 15th, 50th minutes), Dharamvir Singh (10th), Akashdeep Singh (39th) and Hartaj Aujla (51st) also sounded the board for Punjab in the Pool A match.

In another Pool A match, The Mumbai Hockey Association Ltd drew 2-2 with Services Sports Control Board.

In Pool C, Railway Sports Promotion Board (RSPB) beat Uttar Pradesh Hockey 5-3 while Punjab National Bank registered a convincing 10-3 victory over Hockey Gangpur-Odisha.

Last year’s runner-up, Petroleum Sports Promotion Board (PSPB) beat Hockey Haryana 5-0 while Hockey Bhopal drew 2-2 with Central Reserve Police Force in Pool B matches.

In Pool D, Air India Sports Promotion Board beat Namdhari XI 2-1, while Hockey Karnataka scored a hard-fought 3-2 win over Canara Bank 3-2.

Sportstar

Clean slate after first round gives UniKL bragging rights

By Aftar Singh

KUALA LUMPUR: Universiti Kuala Lumpur (UniKL) have completed their first round of matches in the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL) with an unbeaten record.

The university team outplayed Maybank 5-1 at the Tengku Ab­­dullah Hockey Stadium in Bangi yesterday to top the Premier Division standings with 16 points from five wins and a draw.

Holland’s Martijn Peter Havenga starred for UniKL with a brace from penalty corners in the 28th and 39th minutes.

The other goals came from skipper Muhd Marhan Mohd Jalil (11th), Izwan Firdaus Ahmad Tajuddin (52nd) and Robert Kemperman (60th).

Maybank’s solitary goal was scored by former international Hafifihafiz Hanafi in the 17th minute. It was his eighth goal in the league.

The only blemish for UniKL yesterday was national defender Muhd Razie Abdul Rahim being hit in the right calf, leaving him a doubtful starter for the next match against Terengganu on Sunday.

UniKL coach A. Arulselvaraj was visibly delighted with the convincing win over former champions Maybank.

“It’s always good to win in our own backyard. We played a good match and took our chances well,” said the former national coach.

“I’m happy we remain unbeaten in the first round, it’ll put us in the right mood ahead of our next home match against Terengganu,” said Arulselvaraj.

Meanwhile, Terengganu staved off a strong challenge from Univer­siti Teknologi Mara (UiTM) before winning 5-3 at the UiTM pitch in Shah Alam.

Tenaga are second in the seven-team league with 15 points from five wins and a defeat while the East Coast team lie third with 13 points with four wins, a draw and a defeat.

The Star of Malaysia

EYHL2 hoping to take centre stage as women’s schedule sees numerous changes


Trinity will hope their crucial EYHL 2 game with Corinthian gets the go-ahead. Pic: Adrian Boehm

With temperatures dropping, it has probably worked in the women’s EYHL’s favour that the national side is in Spain playing four test matches.

This weekend was initially due to be round nine of the competition but have to be refixed to dates before March 31 as a result of this trip.

It is among a number of changes to the schedule confirmed by Hockey Ireland. EYHL Round 10 goes from February 9 to Sunday, February 10 to facilitate an extra day’s recovery for the Irish players returning from Spain.

Round 12 has been moved from February 23 to Sunday, March 3. Round 16 moves from March 30 to Saturday, March 16 while the high-performance players will not be available for the Irish Senior Cup semi-finals on March 31 and May 11.

The moves are designed to give the Irish team the best possible chance of qualifying for Tokyo 2020 with optimum contact hours and recovery time while also allowing players to line out for their clubs.

Commenting on the calendar changes, high-performance director Adam Grainger said: “2019 is a huge year for Hockey Ireland as we seek to secure a place at the Olympics for each national team.

“The continued success over the last number of years and particularly 2018 has put the realisation of the Olympic dream within realistic sights.

“The HP team are hugely thankful for the support of the clubs, fellow athletes and all the supporters of Irish Hockey as we work together on the Road to Toyko journey through 2019. Here’s hoping the dream does come through and hockey is firmly established in the public eye following the wonderful year.”

As such, it leaves a much-reduced schedule, one that is likely to be trimmed further in due course. As of Friday evening, EYHL2 games in Galway and Dungannon have already been postponed and the likelihood is many more games across the provinces will also fall.

Currently left on the agenda for this weekend is the vital Pool A tie between Corinthian and Trinity at Whitechurch Park with both sides locked on 10 points at the halfway stage in the group, four behind Queen’s.

The reds won the previous meeting between the teams in this competition 2-1 while the students reversed that in the Leinster league 1-0, showing there is precious little between the sides.

In Pool B, Monkstown will look to strengthen their playoff chances when they host Lurgan whom they beat 1-0 away from home in September.


Greenfields game with Queens has already been cancelled. Pic: Adrian Boehm

In Leinster Division One, Genesis face North Kildare and Our Lady’s take on Glenanne on Saturday. On Sunday, top three Corinthian, Monkstown and Trinity face Avoca, Rathgar and Naas, respectively, in fixtures more likely to be played.

Six Catholic Institute’s alumni are plotting a UCC ambush of the Limerick side on a defining weekend in Munster women’s Division One as the top two face-off at the Mardyke.

Insta won 5-1 on the opening day of the season as the students struggled initially to incorporate 10 new faces. But John McGrath’s side have since swept to seven successive wins in the league, conceding just four times along the way as their new line-up grows into the season.

Irish Under-21 stars Jenny Clein – one of those six former Insta players – and goalkeeper Hannah Humphreys have been to the fore while Munster’s leading goalscorer Aoife Collins and Christina Dring have been banging in the goals.

Aebhfhinn Bourke, Saoirse O’Leary, Judy Mills and Holly Lehane bring the experience and manager Colette Coomey says she anticipates a very different outcome to the last meeting.

“While Institute are league leaders and unbeaten this season, we are quietly confident of causing an upset to bolster our league chances.”

Indeed, Insta are far from full strength. Roisin Upton is with the Irish squad in Spain where they face two games against India over the weekend.

Roisin Begley is unavailable due to her involvement with the Clare camogie panel while Eimear Ryan and Marianna Birdthistle are unavailable, too. Kym Daly – so often a driving force – is also a doubt with coach Ger O’Carroll waiting until Saturday to see if she can be included.

Should they win, it would put Insta – who lead by three points with a game in hand – in prime position to retain the provincial title but a UCC victory blows the race wide open.

Women’s weekend fixtures
Saturday
EYHL 2 Pool 1: Corinthian v Trinity, Whitechurch Park, 1.15pm
Postponed: Greenfields v Queens University
Pool 2: Monkstown v Lurgan, ALD Merrion Fleet Arena, Monkstown, 4pm
Postponed: Dungannon vs NUIG

Leinster Division 1: Genesis v North Kildare, St Raphaela’s, 2.15pm; Our Lady’s v Glenanne, Terenure, 12.30pm
Munster Division 1: Ashton v Bandon, Ashton School, 3.30pm; Limerick v Belvedere, Villiers, 12pm; UCC v Catholic Institute, Mardyke, 12pm; Waterford v Cork C of I, Newtown, 2.05pm

Sunday
International test match: Ireland v India, Murcia, 10am
Leinster Division 1: Corinthian v Avoca, Whitechurch Park, 3pm; Trinity v Naas, Santry Avenue, 2pm; Monkstown v Rathgar, ALD Merrion Fleet Arena, 4pm

The Hook

Hockey Australia Acknowledges Hockey’s OAM Recognition Honours

Ben Somerford

Hockey Australia (HA) congratulates Noala Gordon, Carol Harriss, Julene Mangelsdorf, Dave Miller and Patricia Wade on their Australia Day OAM Sports Recognition Honours.

Gordon is a long-time servant of Hockey in Queensland, with various roles from Australia and Queensland representative in the 1970s to coach, grounds keeper, publicity officer and much more.

Harriss was awarded for her service to hockey through the Sydney South Hockey Association where she’s been a Life Member since 2002. She’s the association’s director of facilities and held the role of senior vice president from 1984 to 2014 while she’s also a technical officer with Hockey NSW and HA.

Mangelsdorf has held many roles in her decades of service to the game, having been a Hockey NSW Life Member in 1987. She received a 25-year service award from the NSW Women’s Hockey Association in 2002 and has had many administrative roles within the game.

Wade has been secretary of the NSW Women’s Hockey Association and Hockey NSW and a 60-year member of the Sutherland Shire Women’s Hockey Association.

Miller hails from WA where he’s affiliated with University Hockey Club.

Hockey Australia media release