News for 05 February 2019
All the news for Tuesday 5 February 2019
Green Army 1-2 Spain
With 6 players holding under 10 caps, and a further 4 having less than 20 this was a young Green Army side facing the world number 7 on home turf.
3 wins each in their last 6 fixtures, the most recent being the World Cup semi-final, highlighted how little there rarely is to separate these two sides. There was speed abound in the young Irish side with both Aisling Naughton and Sarah Torrans burning past the Spanish defence in the opening half. Lena Tice gave her side the lead in the 12th minute but Spain replied in kind quickly into the second quarter courtesy of Belen Iglesias.
Liz Murphy stepped into the Irish goal in the second half, and while both her and her counterpart Maria Ruiz were called upon to make some routine saves, there wasn’t a flurry of clear cut chances. Berta Bonastre had the chance to put her side in front as she took up position on the penalty spot waiting for the reverse pass into the circle but as usual Shirley McCay was back marshalling her side and clearing the loose ball. It was a relatively uneventful clash with discipline high on the agenda and no cards being handed out. Carmen Cano leapt on one of the few goal scoring opportunities to fall in the second half, despite Spain increasing the pressure, and put her side in front in the 53rd minute and secured victory.
Ireland 1 (Tice)
Spain 2 (Iglesias, Cano)
Starting: E Buckley, A Naughton, C Brown, N Evans, K Mullan (Captain), S McCay, E Tice, S Barr, H Matthews, S Hawkshaw, A Meeke
Subs: E Murphy, H McLoughlin, B Barr, S Torrans, D Duke, E Curran, 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 0 - 3 India in Hockey Santomera pitch, Murcia
4/2/19 6:30pm Ireland 1 - 2 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
Spain overhaul Tice goal to land first game in Granada
Irish Captain Katie Mullan is one of 7 World Cup Silver medallists in the side
Ireland fell 2-1 to Spain in the first formal re-match of the World Cup semi-final in Granada as Lena Tice's early goal was overturned by the hosts.
She struck 12 minutes in when she got to the right baseline and endeavoured to pick out a pass to the back post. A scramble ensued with the ball falling back to Tice who nudged in on her reverse.
Belen Iglesias tied things up in the second quarter before Carmen Cano got the winner with seven minutes to go.
Once again, coach Graham Shaw tinkered with his squad extensively. Mullan was one of just seven Irish players from the silver medal winning side to line out with six of the side holding less than 10 caps and a further four with under 20.
Spain, for their part, are also experimenting featuring 11 of the line-up that ultimately won bronze in London last summer.
The sides meet again on Wednesday morning before concluding this camp with a third meeting on Thursday.
Women’s international test match
Spain 2 (B Iglesias, C Cano)
Ireland 1 (L Tice)
Ireland: E Buckley, A Naughton, C Brown, N Evans, K Mullan, S McCay, L Tice, S Barr, H Matthews, S Hawkshaw, A Meeke
Subs: L Murphy, H McLoughlin, B Barr, S Torrans, D Duke, E Curran, L McGuire
The Hook
Home and Heart: FIH Pro-League makes a statement
Errol D’Cruz
Five out seven matches in the inaugural men’s FIH Pro League have been thrillers producing a heap of goals. The other two have also been high scoring encounters. The ambitious project couldn’t have hoped for a better start.
As many as 51 goals have been scored and three high-scoring matches have gone to the shootout. One could well say the Pro League has so far lived up to its aim of presenting “big, bold, packed and loud” fan experiences as the men’s league followed a route from Spain to New Zealand and Australia.
The women’s league has also been keenly fought with just one match out of six decided by a two goal-margin. Another went to the shootout as the league has made its way from Argentina to New Zealand and Australia.
There was an air of expectancy as Spain and newly crowned World champions Belgium took the pitch on January 19 to kick off the league in front of a packed ground in Valencia. The teams responded magnificently, especially Spain, who came back from the dead to draw 2-2 after being down 0-2 with less than three minutes to go.
The Red Sticks then won in a shootout to grab a bonus point, thrill their fans and epitomize everything that the Pro League, a global home-and-away competition, stands for.
The “home” concept, the Pro League’s USP, is crucial to give hockey the vital fillip to cement its place as a major global sport.
As many as 128 matches mark the round-robin league stage, each a “home” game -- a format that evokes the support of hard-working hockey communities the world over to get behind their teams.
At the 2010 Men’s World Cup in New Delhi, then FIH president Leandro Negre bore a worried look. “I am happy with the crowds for the India matches,” the Spaniard said. “The non-India matches worry me.”
The situation typifies hockey. World Cups held down the ages have drawn huge crowds when the hosts play. But it appears hockey has some way to go before overseas stars and teams turn regular crowd pullers.
As of now, besides games involving the home nation, attendances swell only for the final and perhaps the marquee India-Pakistan match whenever it occurs. Packed houses have been a feature at the league so far, suggesting the FIH have been spot-on in its feasibility study.
Six months in duration, the league has circumvented the club vs country quandary and allows for squads of 32 each. The vast number of players available also helps teams lessen the stress of inordinate travel, as, in Belgium’s case, from Spain to Argentina and then to New Zealand and Australia!
Such flexibility has enabled Valentin Verga and Robbert Kemperman assist clubs in Malaysia as the Dutch embarked on their tour of duty that took them Down Under.
The mix of flexible squads and cross-continental travel seem to have had their say in stupendous encounters.
Hosts New Zealand’s men, for example, fought back from a 0-3 deficit against the Netherlands, the World Cup runners-up, before losing 3-4.
The Kiwis did likewise against travel-weary Belgium, forcing a 4-4 draw after trailing 2-4 before losing in a shootout.
Then, Australia’s women beat the Netherlands 1-0 for the first time in almost 10 years. The very next day Belgium, the Red Panthers, achieved their first ever win over the Hockeyroos by the same scoreline.
With TV coverage assured, the Pro League promises to render field hockey – never at the pinnacle of sponsorship in the world of sport – a chance to emerge from the fringes.
And a prize purse of $250,000 across the men’s and women’s events suggests hockey has come a long way from a fuddy-duddy approach that denied awards of a car each to individual prize winners at the Indira Gandhi Gold Cup in New Delhi way back in 1995.
There’s been a dismal fall-out, however. That of four-time World champions Pakistan pulling out of the men’s competition owing to a lack of funds and, in the process, missing out on a chance of securing a spot in the Olympic qualifier for the first four finishers.
The pro league, they say, follows the sun. With winter at its severest in Europe, save sun drenched Spain, the competition moved to warmer climes in Australia, New Zealand and Argentina.
Perhaps, there’s a little too much sun at times. With prime time television ostensibly taken up by more affluent sports – football in Europe for instance -- matches have made do with early time slots, some at 11 in the morning.
Shadows on the pitch do not make for ideal viewing of a sport where a little white (or yellow) ball amid, at times, a maze of feet and sticks doesn’t lend itself to television as it would under floodlights.
All said and done, however, the Pro League bids fair to be hockey’s game changer. And even if some mourn the discontinuation of the Champions Trophy (a league for the top six nations) which made way for the Pro League, the “home” concept may just about give the sport a new lease of life.
RESULTS SO FAR:
MEN: Spain 2 Belgium 2. Spain won 2-0 in SO. Spain 5 Great Britain 6. Argentina 2 Belgium 4. New Zealand 3 Netherlands 4. New Zealand 4 Belgium 4. Belgium won 4-2 in SO. Australia 5 Netherlands 5. Netherlands won 4-1 in SO. Australia 1 Belgium 4.
WOMEN: Argentina 2 Belgium 0. New Zealand 0 Netherlands 1. New Zealand 0 Belgium 1. Australia 1 Netherlands 0. Argentina 2 USA 2. Argentina won 3-1 in SO. Australia 1 Belgium 2.
Stick2Hockey.com
Women’s National Team finishes successful tour in China
Olympic qualification year kicked off with successful three-week tour in China
Photo: Tristan Urry
When Canada took to the field last June at the Hockey Series Open in Mexico, they kicked off their Olympic qualification journey. That undefeated week in Salamanca seven months ago feels far removed now.
Since then, the Canadian Women’s National Team toured Europe, playing some of the best teams in the world; split themselves amongst teams in the Belgian top league for the best club experience; and defeated the World Cup bronze medallists, Spain, in a four-game test series before Christmas.
So, when the first whistle went on January 19th signalling the start of their China test-series, the whistle also blew, kicking off their final push for Olympic qualification. Canada took to the field ranked 21st in the world against a Chinese national side ranked 10th.
After a week of intense training, the test series began with Canada losing the first two games. The Chinese team played a very disciplined and structured style of hockey with everyone knowing their role and executing it well. This posed challenges for Canada in the first two outings. Canada adapted and responded with two wins of their own, forcing the ball into areas where they could generate turnovers and capitalized on quick counters.
Canada finished the series with a loss and a draw against the 10th-ranked Chinese national side, continuing to prove that this is a team that belongs firmly in the Olympic discussion. According to veteran midfielder Hannah Haughn, a large part of their training last fall was designed around creating solid scoring chances, something she thinks they did well during the China series.
“China is not an easy team to play against and we had to make a lot of changes tactically to break their press,” she said. “What was positive were the types of quality scoring chances we generated.”
First Appearances and Cap Milestones
36 athletes in total made the trip to China for the training tour and test matches. While the senior teams played their six capped test matches, a Junior Women’s National contingent battled against the Chinese U23 team. Having both the senior and junior athletes present on the same tour allowed for some quality integration including some junior-aged athletes playing up and getting their first senior caps.
UBC’s Margaret Pham, UVic’s Anna Mollenhauer and Princeton’s Elise Wong all received their first senior national team playing opportunities. Mollenhauer, whose mother, Nancy, is a Women’s National Team alumni and FHC Hall of Famer, said playing in her first internationally sanctioned senior match was a special feeling. Having her mother there in a managerial role with the team made it that much more special.
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| Elise Wong (left), Margaret Pham and Anna Mollenhauer played their first international matches in China. Photos/Tristan Urry | ||
“It felt somewhat surreal to play for my country on the international stage, and it will certainly be a moment that I will never forget,” Mollenhauer said. “It was really special having my mom here on the field for this momentous occasion in my field hockey career.”
In addition to the three rookies kicking off their international careers, three veterans reached their 100th cap during the China tour. Steph Norlander, Amanda Woodcroft and Shanlee Johnston all hit the 100 threshold. Hannah Haughn, who has been a starter on Team Canada since 2012 jumped Steph Jameson and became the third-most capped Canadian woman of all time with 169, trailing only teammates Kate Wright and Dani Hennig.
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| Shanlee Johnston (left), Amanda Woodcroft and Steph Norlander all played their 100th cap last month during Team Canada’s training tour and test matches in China. Photos/Tristan Urry | ||
The Trek to Tokyo
With the athletes relocating back to their daily training environments, there will be a few months without international touring for the Women’s National Program. Most of the team will return to their Belgian clubs and a few will be back with their domestic clubs/university teams.
Looking forward, the WNT has two avenues to qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games: through the FIH Hockey Series or through the Pan American Games. Their Hockey Series Final will be played in Valencia, Spain in June and the Pan American Games will be held in August in Lima, Peru. Schedule and competition information for those events will be posted when confirmed.
Kate Wright, Steph Norlander and Brie Stairs were fortunate enough to visit the Tokyo Olympic venues as a part of a Canadian Olympic Committee initiative in order to familiarize athletes/teams with the future games site. The timing worked well as the three were returning from the China training tour.
According to team captain, Kate Wright, the experience was unforgettable and ignited an extra-bit of motivation for them to push to return for the Games (not that it was needed.)
“We visited the hockey venue which is being built right now. Wow – goosebumps. Brie, Steph and I all envisioned ourselves walking into what will soon be the hockey stadium. I have to say, out of the whole trip, that moment was my favourite,” Wright said.
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| Photos from Norlander, Wright and Stairs’ familiarization trip to Tokyo. Photos/Submitted | ||
With good fortune, the next time, the three of them step foot on that soil, they will be Olympians ready to take on the world in 2020. With lots still to be decided between now and then, Canada enters the next phase of qualification with confidence and a motivation to take the next step forward.
Field Hockey Canada media release
Sophie Bray steps down from international hockey
Sophie Bray at the 2016 Rio Olympics
Great Britain and England international Sophie Bray has today announced her decision to step down from international hockey.
Sophie was part of the Great Britain team that won an historic gold medal at the Rio Olympics, for which she also became an MBE.
In a very successful five-year international career she also won gold at the 2015 EuroHockey Championships in London and two Commonwealth Games medals.
In total the 28-year-old played 134 times for England and Great Britain, scoring an impressive 44 goals.
Sophie commented, "After a very tough couple of months it is with great sadness that I have taken the difficult decision to step down from international hockey.
“It has been a huge honour to represent Great Britain and England and I will be forever grateful for all the incredible memories in an international shirt. Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who has supported and believed in me and made the amazing journey so special.
“I still have a lot to give the sport I love and I am looking forward to what the future holds.”
Great Britain and England Hockey Performance Director Ed Barney said, “On behalf of the organisation, I would like to offer Sophie a huge thank you for her years of dedication and commitment to the sport.
“Sophie has been an integral member of the programme and brought a huge amount to our attacking play. She was a key player in a very successful period for the women’s programme and her skills, quality and tenacity have been invaluable to the women’s team.
“We respect Sophie’s decision and we will miss her as she steps away from the international programme. We wish her all the very best in the future.
England Hockey Board Media release
Sophie Bray still ‘a world-beater’ after quitting international hockey
By Rod Gilmour
Great Britain women’s Olympic hopes were dealt a blow on Monday when Sophie Bray announced her unexpected retirement from international hockey.
Still only 28, Bray played 134 times for England and Great Britain, scoring 44 goals.
She remains one of the most gifted players in world hockey and it was no surprise when her East Grinstead club coach Mary Booth admitted that she “would get into any team in the world”.
“She’s a role model, talented, thoughtful and brings on young players,” said Booth.
That was underpinned during the Champions Trophy late last year when Tess Howard, an England Development Programme graduate called up to the senior side for the first time and asked to room with Bray, in what turned out to be her last international tournament.
Bray recently helped East Grinstead lift the women’s indoor title at the Copper Box. “She is a leader on the pitch and has high expectations of herself,” added Booth.
“She is one of the most intelligent players I’ve met, is incredibly under-rated and would get into any team still in the world.”
Booth first took Bray under her wing at Tiffin School, where Bray was also a talented tennis and football player. Holding international aspirations, she felt hockey was where her sporting potential could grow.
Moves to the Netherlands, with Hoofdklasse sides MOP and Kampong, clearly aided her rise on the international scene after breaking into the side after the London 2012 Olympics.
“She wants to be coached and that’s very important and why playing in Holland was so good for her,” said Booth.
Writing on social media of her decision, Bray said on Monday: “After a very tough couple of months it is with great sadness that I have taken the difficult decision to step down from international hockey.
“It has been a huge honour to represent Great Britain and England, and I will be forever grateful for all the incredible memories in an international shirt.”
Bray, who holds a psychology degree, will play for East Grinstead for the remainder of the outdoor season.
But her announcement has seen the GB gold medal-winning team further depleted ahead of their Olympic defence, which gets under way on Friday when GB play New Zealand in the Pro League, a tournament acting as Tokyo 2020 qualification.
Alex Danson, the captain, Nicola White and Shona McCallin all remain sidelined through concussion, while goalkeeper Maddie Hinch remains on an international break.
Meanwhile Susannah Townsend and Laura Unsworth weren’t picked for the Pro League trip to Oceania. It is understood that the pair have ongoing injuries, although Townsend has a minor knee injury.
With Pro League rules stating that 32 players can be included in each nation’s squad, GB Hockey has trimmed its national programme. There are now 25 women and 26 men on each programme.
‘The 32’ players – the whole women’s programme during the Rio cycle – which the likes of former captain Kate Richardson-Walsh always spoke about in relation to the 16-strong team winning Rio gold, now seems a distant memory.
Even more so with a change of coach and Richardson-Walsh’s core strength of being a leader, as well as acting as the bridge between management and players.
Great Britain will have to adapt quickly, but as Olympic qualification dawns it is becoming more evident by the month that new coach Mark Hager’s tenure will be more about gelling a team for Paris 2024, than equipping a team to deal with the rigours of a title defence.
England and Great Britain Hockey will likely see it differently, especially with UK Sport funding on the line after an Olympic gold.
The Hockey Paper
Sophie Bray: Rio Olympic gold medallist retires from international hockey
British Olympic gold medallist Sophie Bray has announced her retirement from international hockey.
The 28-year-old - nicknamed the 'baby-faced assassin' by her team-mates - won European gold in 2015 in addition to the Olympic title in Rio a year later.
Bray scored 44 goals in 134 appearances for England and Great Britain.
"After a very tough couple of months it is with great sadness that I have taken the difficult decision to step down from international hockey," she said.
Writing on Instagram, she added: "It has been a huge honour to represent Great Britain and England, and I will be forever grateful for all the incredible memories in an international shirt.
"Thank you from the bottom of my heart to everyone who has supported and believed in me and made the amazing journey so special.
"I still have a lot to give the sport I love and I am looking forward to what the future holds."
Bray, who plays club hockey for East Grinstead, also won European bronze in 2017, as well as Commonwealth Games silver and bronze.
Along with the rest of the 2016 Olympic team, she was made MBE in the 2017 New Year Honours for services to hockey.
Great Britain and England Hockey performance director Ed Barney said: "On behalf of the organisation, I would like to offer Sophie a huge thank you for her years of dedication and commitment to the sport.
"Sophie has been an integral member of the programme and brought a huge amount to our attacking play. She was a key player in a very successful period for the women's programme and her skills, quality and tenacity have been invaluable to the women's team.
"We respect Sophie's decision and we will miss her as she steps away from the international programme. We wish her all the very best in the future."
BBC Sport
Mark Hickman appointed National Goalkeeping Coach Lead for Great Britain and England Hockey
England Hockey is delighted to welcome Mark Hickman as National Goalkeeping Coach Lead for Great Britain and England Hockey.
Mark is hugely experienced in the sport as both a player and coach and is currently working with the Australian senior teams. During his time there, Australia have won Commonwealth gold and World Cup silver medals, with their goalkeeper Rachael Lynch named player of the tournament in the 2014 World Cup and also nominated for world goalkeeper of the year. Earlier in his career he coached at Club de Campo Villa de Madrid in Spain for three years.
As an athlete he kept goal for Australia for almost a decade, winning Olympic gold in Athens in 2004, World Cup silver in 2002 and two Commonwealth golds.
Educated as both a Master of High Performance Sport and Master of Business Administration, he will bring great skills both on and off the pitch. His is a newly-created role designed to target and accelerate the development of world-class senior goalkeepers, develop an over-supply of world-class goalkeepers within the Great Britain Elite Development Programme and set in place a strategic direction for goalkeeper coaching across the nation.
Performance Director Ed Barney commented, “We are absolutely delighted that Mark is joining England and Great Britain Hockey. Strategic leadership and impact in performance goalkeeping is critical to our short- and long-term international success.
“It has been a delight to engage with Mark through the recruitment process. He will be a huge asset to England and Great Britain Hockey. He is well known around the international circuit and is exceptionally well regarded in every sense. Mark will bring a sound, robust and impactful coaching pedagogy, combined with great technical skills and knowledge and real leadership to these areas.
“Having a national goalkeeping lead for the first time in England and Great Britain is a hugely exciting and we look forward to working with and supporting Mark and our goalkeeping ambitions over the coming years. It will be an exciting time as Mark works with the senior goalkeepers, EDP and develops resources, content and a network of coaches across the UK.
“It is important to take the time to offer a huge thank you to John Hurst, Tom Millington and Chris Hibbert. They have all done a great job and committed a huge amount of time, expertise and resource to the development of our goalkeepers over the past 18 months (and a little bit longer for John Hurst!). This has been hugely valued and a critical aspect of the programme since the Rio Olympics and over previous cycles.”
Men’s Head Coach Danny Kerry said, “I’m delighted we have managed to secure Mark to this role. In the years of coming across Mark in his roles for Australia I have always been struck by how smart, thoughtful, humble and approachable he has been. Mark is the right person as we build an excellent support team around our athletes and I’m looking forward to working with him.”
New women’s Head Coach Mark Hager said, “Having seen how Mark has developed goalkeepers into world class athletes, he will be a huge asset to the program and I am very excited that he is coming in. He is a person with a very high work ethic and drive to develop the goalkeepers on and off the field. Mark brings a wealth of knowledge with him, not only from a specialist coach role but he will also strengthen the program from a tactical point of view. I am very much looking forward to working with Mark on the journey to Tokyo and beyond.”
England Hockey Board Media release
Hickman To Leave Hockey Australia For GB Coaching Role
Ben Somerford
Hockey Australia (HA) today confirms Head of Performance Analysis Mark Hickman has tendered his resignation to take up the role as the England/Great Britain Hockey Goalkeeping Coach.
Hickman is a former Kookaburras goalkeeper who earned 79 caps and was part of the gold medal-winning 2004 Athens Olympics side.
He has been an important part of HA’s High Performance programme for the past six years, working initially as the Hockeyroos Assistant Coach (Resources/Goalkeeping) from 2013.
He moved into the Head of Performance Analysis role in 2017 where he’s been an integral part of the Kookaburras’ recent success.
Hickman will depart HA on Thursday 28 February to make the move to the United Kingdom and HA wishes Hickman well in his new role.
Hockey Australia media release
SCHC snatch Dutch indoor title away from AH&BC Amsterdam
©: World Sport Pics
Leon van Barneveld stunned AH&BC Amsterdam with an equalising goal in the last 30 seconds of the Dutch indoor final, paving the way to end Amsterdam’s hopes of a fifth successive title.
It earned a 2-2 draw for SCHC and the Bilthoven side then went on to win a shoot-out to take the victory, leaving the capital side to rue their missed chance.
Earlier on, Wiegert Schut had given the highly decorated Amsterdam a 13th minute lead which Bram Weers replied to, making it 1-1 at half-time.
Boris Burkhardt put Amsterdam back in front with a goal that looked likely to have settled the game for a long period but SCHC kept fighting and got their equaliser.
From there, Thijs van Pelt, Max Sweering and Weers all scored their shoot-out while indoor legend Robert Tigges – again voted the best indoor player in the Netherlands – surprisingly missed to hand SCHC the glory.
HC Oranje-Rood, meanwhile, were the bronze medal winners from the competition.
Euro Hockey League media release
EYHL Resumes As Banbridge Confirmed As EY Champions Trophy Hosts
Glenanne moved a point clear at the top of the Irish men’s EY Hockey League as they held on for a 2-2 draw with Lisnagarvey in one of the two games in the competition to survive the frost on Saturday.
The St Andrew’s hosts took the lead in the early stages when Cedric Jakobi’s drag-flick hit the Garvey post-man’s foot on the line. Player-coach Joe Brennan stepped off the bench to score the ensuing penalty stroke before returning to the bench with 1-0 safely on the board.
Jakobi fired another down the same line for 2-0, his flick going in off the post this time for a big early advantage.
The Comber Road side, however, started to work their way back into the game with Brennan making a brilliant save off the line and Richard Couse having to scramble in defence.
The goal was coming, though, and James Lorimer’s penalty corner shot found its way in off a defensive block following a lovely switch at the top of the circle.
Matthew Nelson then levelled the game with a brilliant touch from a low drag-flick to make it 2-2, a big momentum swing before half-time as the Glens had a golden chance to make it 3-1 seconds before the leveller.
The Ulster side continued to press forward in the second half, putting the hosts under pressure, particularly when Gary Shaw and Shannon Boucher spent time in the sin-bin. Jakobi also saw yellow late on while Mark McNellis had to put in an unreal pick to deny the Glens a huge chance in the closing stages, keeping the game level to the final whistle.
The draw sees Glenanne up to 16 points, one clear of Banbridge and Pembroke but with extra games played compared to both.
At Strathearn, Annadale recorded a 3-1 win over bottom side YMCA to move up to fourth place in the league. David Tremlett put Dale in front in the opening quarter before Ryan Burgess got the first of his two goals before half-time, a lead they held into the final quarter.
Burgess and Thom Ritchie exchanged goals in the final quarter as Dale recorded their fourth win out of eight, jumping up a couple of places in the table.
YM are back in action on Tuesday evening against Three Rock Rovers at Grange Road. Rovers game at Cookstown was cancelled due to the frosty conditions over the weekend as was Banbridge’s game Pembroke and Monkstown’s tie against Cork C of I.
All four of the scheduled women’s EY Hockey League Division 2 games were called off due to the frosty conditions around the island with new dates to be sought.
Despite somewhat of a slow start to the second half of the season caused by country-side frost, certainty is assured as to where the EY Champions Trophy will take place this year. Following the laying of their new pitch, Banbridge Hockey Club will take up hosting duties for the end of season showcase event on May 4th and 5th. Banbridge have proved themselves highly capable and enthusiastic hosts, having previously hosted the EY Champions Trophy and Eurohockey League Round 1.
Men
EY Hockey League - Round 9: Annadale 3 (R Burgess 2, C Tremlett) YMCA 1 (T Ritchie); Glenanne 2 (J Brennan, C Jakobi) Lisnagarvey 2 (J Lorimer, M Nelson)
Postponed: Cookstown v Three Rock Rovers; Banbridge v Pembroke; Monkstown v Cork C of I
Women
EYHL 2
Pool 1, postponed: Greenfields v Queens University, Corinthian v Trinity
Pool 2, postponed: Dungannon vs NUIG, Monkstown v Lurgan
Irish Hockey Association media release
PKS Uniten ended the great run of Terengganu in women’s league
By T. Avineshwaran
PETALING JAYA: Terengganu Ladies’ unbeaten run has finally ended.
The table toppers were shocked by PKS Uniten 2-1 in the Women’s Hockey League on Monday.
National player Raja Norsharina Raja Shabuddin proved to be the heroine for PKS Uniten when she thumped a penalty corner in the 56th minute to give Uniten the three points.
Uniten first scored through Hanis Nadiah Onn, who buried a penalty corner in the 2nd minute of the first quarter.
In the second quarter, Terengganu equalised through Indian international Jaswinder Kaur, who scored a field goal in the 23rd minute but it proved to no avail as Uniten got the three points.
Terengganu still leads the standings with 27 points and they have one game in hand. Uniten is third with 22 points.
Nuramirah Shakirah Zulkifli’s solitary goal for PDRM Blue Warriors was enough to sink Chinese club Liaoning Infinite Space as the police side stays second with 24 points.
In another match at the Kuala Lumpur Hockey Stadium, KL Wipers easily beat PSHA - MSSPP 3-0. Hasya Shahida Saifuddin was the toast for the wipers as she single-handedly brought the win for the team by scoring a hattrick.
KL Wipers are sixth with six points while PSHA - MSSPP stay winless and bottom in the league.
The Star of Malaysia
MHC to work with NSC to settle Norazmi’s medical bills
By T. Avineshwaran
PETALING JAYA: Malaysia Hockey Confederation (MHC) are doing all they can to help umpire Norazmi Safar.
MHC president Datuk Seri Subahan Kamal said they would work together with the National Sports Council (NSC) to settle their technical official’s medical expenses, including a total of RM25,000 operation cost.
Norazmi suffered injuries in a car accident in Jeli, Kelantan, last week on his way back from Kuala Terengganu after officiating a match in the Malaysia Hockey League (MHL).
And a day ago, his wife Murni Samsudin said MHC showed lack of concern over her husband’s plight.
She said the medical insurance coverage provided by MHC was too little as it only covered RM3,000 for officials.
Subahan said: “We’ll settle all the medical cost once they produce an official receipt.
“I’ve spoken to NSC’s director-general Datuk Ahmad Shapawi Ismail and together, we’ll help Norazmi.”
On the RM3,000 given, Subahan said it was an immediate gesture of help and not an insurance claim.
“When we found out about the accident, we appointed a representative to extend immediate help. We handed RM3,000 because Norazmi’s wife said there was a shortage,” he said.
“Our treasurer immediately transferred the money.
“We would have given more if there was a need.”
On top of that, Hasnizam Hassan, who is the Kelantan Hockey Association (KHA) secretary visited the family and updated them on Norazmi’s health condition regularly.
“He is MHC competitions committee member and visited on behalf of the confederation,” added Subahan.
The Star of Malaysia
Senate body forms committee for uplift of hockey
Acknowledging the grievances of Pakistan Hockey Federation
Mohsin Ali
ISLAMABAD - Senate Standing Committee on Inter Provincial Coordination (IPC) Monday constituted a three-member sub-committee to prepare recommendations for the betterment of the national game hockey.
A meeting of the Committee was held here in the Parliament House with Sardar Muhammad Yaqoob Khan Nasar in the chair. The Chairman of the Committee formed the sub-committee, headed by Senator Walid Iqbal and comprising two other members Salahuddin Tirmizi and Seemee Ezdi.
The sub-committee will contact all the four provinces as well as the corporate sector to solve the issues being faced by Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF). Secretary IPC Akbar Durrani, President PHF Brig (r) Sajjad Khokhar, Secretary PHF Shehbaz Ahmed Seniors, Treasurer Muhammad Akhlaq Usmani and other concerned officials also attended the meeting.
Brig Khokhar informed the meeting the PHF had tried their level best to meet IPC Minister Dr Fahmida Mirza and informed her about federation’s problems but failed to meet her despite hectic efforts.
He further informed the committee that few certain individuals had used hockey as a tool to get personal benefits. “I was ill and they tried to spread negativity. We as part of the federation are doing our level best but no one is bothered to pay heed towards our requests.”
He further informed the committee that after 1994 World Cup Pakistan had not won a single major tournament and all the players had become professionals and running after money.
“When Shahnaz Sheikh was head coach of the national team, we had to suffer huge misery in India. We are running from post to pillar to revive hockey. When I took over the reins of the federation, we were given huge debts and hockey was dying. With our sincere efforts, we managed to conduct different tournaments, participated in international tournaments and hired foreign coach. But due to government’s cold shoulder response, the foreign coach left Pakistan hockey team.”
He said: “We beat India in India in the 12th SAG. We worked on juniors and in 2017, our juniors beat Australia and won tournament.”
Sharing her views Senator Semi Ezdi said: “We have forgot hockey in Pakistan. Khokhar said the PHF had run from post to pillar to get funds sanctioned but those funds were never released. “For the last five years hockey stadiums in Pakistan are closed down. We don’t have stadiums, funds nor hostels where we could house our players and start training camps. No one bother to appreciate our work and no one had time for hockey. Indian Hockey team had a whopping Rs2 billion annual budget. When we request government for financial help, we are told to win without money. We requested government to release funds for Asian Games but no one moved. I arranged money through personal resources and took a loan of Rs25million from friends and sent national team for Asian Games in Jakarta. We were not given the approved budget by the government.”
Shabaz Senior said hockey federation should be given some permanent place, where they could reside players, officials and coaches. “We had to accommodate 15 players in one room.”
Secretary IPC informed the committee that PHF was given Rs 520 million funds in last 5 years. “We were told to stop funds due to poor performance of the PHF. What is the purpose of giving such huge financial assistance, if national team finished at number 12 in World Cup.
Senator Salahuddin Tirmizi said when federation doesn’t have money then how hockey will move forward. Sardar Yaqoob said they had to witness what is sports policy.
Brig Khokhar informed the committee that according to sports policy it is clearly mentioned to take hockey to school-level. Sardar Yaqoob said schools don’t have boundary walls, how they would have hockey grounds? Brig Khokhar replied the PHF was facing acute shortage of stadiums, we demand more stadiums.
IPC Secretary said: “We hand over the budget to Pakistan Sports Board, after the passage of 18th amendment the provinces are responsible for sports uplift. The PHF is an autonomous body and they must generate funds using their own ways.” Brig Khokhar informed the committee that national hockey team had 26 international tours in last 40 months and every tour cost around Rs 20 million. “Sindh government had given us Rs 100 million for World Cup participation. We only had Rs 3.5 million annual grant.”
Secretary IPC informed the committee in 2018, federation was given Rs 9.3 million and the federation should inform about their working so they could get funds as it is provincial issue. Brig Khokhar said every person wants to become manager or secretary and as we remove them or try to tell them rules of business, they get agitated and start unleashing hell on us.
The Nation
Integrity Unit kicks-off
FIH's Integrity Unit members at the FIH Office in Lausanne
Lausanne, Switzerland: The first meeting of the Integrity Unit of the International Hockey Federation (FIH) took take place in Lausanne on 1 February 2019 under the chairmanship of Australia’s Wayne Snell, an international expert in integrity and sports.
The FIH Integrity Unit (FIU)is an independent body which role is to protect the integrity of hockey and to establish effective mechanism for enforcement of the FIH Integrity Code and sanctions for its breach. Its responsibilities include:
- providing assistance on integrity matters and good governance to the FIH;
- ensuring persons covered by the FIH Integrity Code (the "Code") are advised on the proper interpretation and application of the Code (and more generally to raise awareness in respect of integrity matters);
- monitoring the development of integrity issues and recommending updates to the Code;
- appointing panels to carry out investigations into suspected breaches of the Code and preparing a notice of charge where it determines that a person covered by the Code has a case to answer for breach of the Code.
The FIH Integrity Code sets out general obligations and anti-corruption rules to establish clear integrity standards for persons involved in the activities of the FIH. It also includes general duties, such as a duty not to engage in any form of discrimination or harassment. The Code applies in its entirety to FIH Officials, FIH Executive Board Members (including candidates for election to the Executive Board), Committee and Panel Members as well as FIH staff. All parts of the Code, except for specific obligations applicable to FIH executives and staff apply to athletes, officials and event organisers, by virtue of their participation in or their selection to participate in FIH Events.
Any allegation or suspicion of a breach of the Code (or any other matters relating to integrity) must be reported to the FIU, whether by confidential email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or brought to the attention of the FIH CEO.
Integrity Unit Chairman Wayne Snell said: “FIH’s Integrity Unit will protect the clean athletes and give all players the best opportunity to operate to the best of their ability, right from the lowest level to the top level. It will be an independent unit where people can report matters of integrity and seek assistance on integrity-related matters.”
FIH site