News for 07 September 2020
All the news for Monday 7 September 2020
23-time champs to face first time finalists as competitive hockey finally returns
Daniel Nelson celebrates making it 4-0. Pic: Billy Pollock
After six months twiddling thumbs, competitive hockey made a welcome return with UCD and Lisnagarvey setting up a novel Irish Senior Cup match-up – the 23-time champs against a first-time finalist.
Resplendent in sunshine, replete with volunteers, Garvey’s Comber Road put a strong first foot forward into the new normal. Sign-in for the 100 or so supporters allowed in was efficient, a product of Mark Murray’s coding skills and his son Sean’s marketing – it has since been exported to numerous other clubs and businesses.
The summer hiatus gave time for the club to deep clean the clubhouse and surrounds with over 60 souls pitching in and it showed, the place looking as fresh-faced as their young team.
Jonny Bell summed up the mood, saying: “Everyone is just delighted to get back to playing competitive hockey, see a bit of a crowd. The sun shone – it’s just good to see everyone back at the club and a buzz which is what we all wanted.”
His side duly ran out comfortable 4-0 winners over Glenanne, moving a step closer to ending their relative drought which now sits at 15 years.
Ben Nelson set the tone with a pin-point shot from right to left into the backboard after Jonny Bell’s steal preceded a perfectly weighted pass which the striker could not help but chase onto.
Accurate long-range passes were a feature with James Lorimer’s ball instigating the second with Nelson becoming creator when he found himself around the back in space. His delivery meant Cole Chambers needed just one touch to chip over Leo Micklem – who made several outstanding stops – in the 33rd minute.
Glenanne were sluggish in the first half but coach Shane O’Donoghue’s half-time chat looked to have the geed up as Jason Rogan drew the best of James Milliken. Nelson, though, really should have got the third goal but could only bump the post with all the goal to aim for.
It meant Garvey had to wait a bit longer to make the game safe when the elder Nelson, Daniel, latched onto breaking ball from James Corry’s crash into the circle, rising a shot into the top corner – 3-0 with 12 minutes to go.
He added another for good measure when Johnny Lynch – a recent addition to the Irish training panel – made a 50-metre thrust down the right sideline in the dying moments.
“I am certainly feeling old watching them!” Bell said of the youthful influence. “A lot of those guys came into the team two years ago and looked really raw but the development and where they have got to is absolutely fantastic. They are young, they will make mistakes and sometimes we are a bit over-eager to win the ball and aggressive but it does bode well for the future.”
In addition to Lynch, Mark McNellis and Troy Chambers have also been put through their paces by national coach Mark Tumilty, a positive from club and country.
“It’s really important and something we probably didn’t do for the past number of years. You always have a big tournament around the corner and so having this lull is a great opportunity to get these guys in. They will thrive and learn and they have shown they were fast learners.”
And Bell is hopeful of finally winning the Senior Cup for the first time. In 2005, he would have been a reserve on the 18-player squad list; rules at the time meant he would have had to sit in the stands and so he opted instead to play Irish underage cricket that weekend.
Since then, Garvey have endured final defeats to Cork Harlequins, Monkstown and Three Rock Rovers and so he is especially keen to land the famous trophy on the weekend of September 19. It was originally scheduled to be his wedding weekend but that has been pushed back to April 2021.
“It would be lovely to salvage something from the season. We will prepare well in the next couple of weeks and hopefully things go well for us on the day. In cup finals, you sometimes need a bit of luck and things to drop for you!”
UCD will be the opponent after Guy Sarratt’s buzzer beater, the sharp-shooter scoring twice in the final quarter to give them a 3-2 success over arch nemesis Cookstown at Steelweld Park.
The Ulster Premier champions looked in good shape for a cup shock when Michael Kerr and Mark Crooks put them 2-1 up deep into the second half, the latter a glorious backhand off the back of some trickery in the 23-metre zone.
But Sarratt is one of the most lethal weapons in Irish hockey in front of goal and he turned things around. Earlier, Sam Byrne got UCD’s first of the day from a corner before Kerr levelled with a direct drag-flick.
In the men’s Trophy, Waterford’s reign came to an abrupt end as Robin Quigley’s last-minute strike sent Belfast Harlequins through to the final.
Isaac Johnson’s blistering second goal had given the Newtown hosts the momentum in the third quarter but they succumbed to a sucker-punch with the last touch of the game.
Waterford were making most of the moves but a couple of Ian Balding and Rory Isaacs’ corner moves went awry.
Quins were hanging on with star man Michael Patterson serving out a yellow card sin-binning only for Stephen McGrath to embark on a mazy run and win a final second penalty corner.
Quigley stepped forward and while his shot looked more destined for a team mate’s deflection, it managed to find its way into the bottom right corner.
Earlier, Patterson had given Quins the lead before Ben McInerney levelled with a smart penalty corner rebound for 1-1. The Belfast side returned to the lead before the break via McGrath whose shot home on his backhand at the second attempt.
Johnson – in his last game before moving to Dublin for college – produced a wonder goal for 2-2, rampaging down the right from 50 metres out, going alone to flick in the equaliser.
But it proved in vain with the visitors grabbing the final berth and a date with Portrane – 3-0 winners over South Antrim – in a few weeks time.
Dylan Eustace scored twice for the Fingal side with Chris Neville getting the other goal.
Lisnagarvey became the first side to reach the women’s Trophy decider with a comfortable 5-0 win at Armagh; they will meet the winner of North Kildare against Portadown.
Men
Irish Senior Cup, semi-finals:
Lisnagarvey 4 (D Nelson 2, B Nelson, C Chambers) Glenanne 0;
Cookstown 2 (M Kerr, M Crooks) UCD 3 (G Sarratt 2, S Byrne)
Irish Hockey Trophy, semi-final:
Waterford 2 (B McInerney, I Johnson) Belfast Harlequins 3 (M Patterson, S McGrath, R Quigley);
South Antrim 0 Portrane 3 (D Eustace 2, C Neville)
Women
Irish Hockey Trophy, semi-final: Armagh 0 Lisnagarvey 5 (A Christie 2, E Brown, K Morris, L Hughes)
The Hook
Lisnagarvey into final as hockey returns in Ireland
By Nigel Ringland
Daniel Nelson was on target twice for Lisnagarvey against Glenanne
Competitive hockey returned in Ireland for the first time since March with the Men's Irish Senior Cup semi-finals.
The competition had reached the semi-final stage when Covid-19 lockdown came into effect six months ago.
Lisnagarvey will now face UCD in the decider after the clubs had wins over Glenanne and Cookstown respectively.
At Comber Road two goals from Daniel Nelson and one apiece for Ben Nelson and Cole Chambers saw Lisnagarvey comfortably defeat Glenanne 4-0.
The opening goal came in the first quarter from a Jonathan Bell interception and superb pass to find Ben Nelson who rattled his shot into the far corner.
Nelson turned provider for the second Garvey goal as he was found in acres of space by James Lorimer and his ball into the circle was turned in by Cole Chambers.
Chances came and went for Garvey and while the visitors showed a little more invention in the second half with Bell having to clear off the line from a penalty corner, the result was never in doubt and the home side added a little gloss to the scoreline late on.
Daniel Nelson latched on to James Corry's crash ball into the circle to slap home a rising shot and then rounded off a breakaway move with Glenanne chasing the game.
Cookstown went behind to a strike from UCD's Sam Byrne but goals from Michael Kerr and Mark Crooks had the Ulster side 2-1 in front in the third quarter.
However Guy Sarratt equalised from a penalty corner and then broke Cookstown hearts with a late winner to send the students through to their first ever Senior Cup Final.
Lisnagarvey will host the the final on Saturday 19 September, with the Women's Irish Senior Cup decider between Pegasus and UCD also being played on the same day at the same venue.
BBC Sport
Victors crowned in day 2 of EH Champs Finals
Boys U18 T3 Final – Rugby & East Warwickshire 5-1 Slough
In the opening match of the day, Rugby & East Warwickshire claimed the Boys U18 T3 title with a clinical 5-1 victory over Slough.
Chances were falling for both sides as they displayed great attacking intent, but it was Rugby & East Warwickshire who showed greater cutting edge when inside the circle.
The team quickly recorded three goals before the break as they made their chances count, despite Slough enjoying large portions of possession.
Slough’s thoughts of a comeback after Jaimal Toor found the net were quickly ended as Rugby & East Warwickshire hit back with two goals within five minutes, the second a thundering drag flick to the roof of the net to seal victory.
Boys U18 T2 Final – Spencer 4-2 Hampton-in-Arden
Spencer emerged victorious in the Boys U18 T2 Final as they topped Hampton-in-Arden 4-2 in a high energy encounter.
In a frantic first-half both teams were looking dangerous on the offense, but it was Hampton-in-Arden who made the breakthrough as Adam Wade found the back of the net with five minutes on the clock.
Though Hampton-in-Arden found themselves 2-1 going into the break, Spencer had been enjoying a spell of pressure, twice coming close in the final moments of the half.
The momentum continued as the side quickly evened things up and took the lead less with two goals less than a minute apart.
From there Spencer couldn’t be stopped as Will Gurney-Champion’s strike five minutes from time ensured the team would walk away with the trophy.
EH Champs 2020 Spencer
Girls U18 T2 Final - Isca 3-2 Beeston
Isca took the Girls U18 T2 Final with a 3-2 victory over Beeston in an evenly contested battle which saw all five goals come in the opening 25 minutes.
An explosive start to the game saw both sides on the scoresheet with little over five minutes played with great attacking play a feature of the half.
Julia Spence hammered Isca ahead with a strong hit on the reverse, although Beeston again replied immediately after, this time Imogen O’Neill finding the back of the net to equalise.
In what was to prove to be the crucial goal, Isca pieced together a well worked penalty corner routine where Betty Stone put the team 3-2 to the good.
The game took a turn in the second-half as both sides appeared more defensively sound with fewer chances allowed. Though Isca spurned a few chances, they proved good value for their victory as resolute defending saw them maintain their hard-fought lead.
EH Champs 2020 Isca
Girls U18 T1 Final – Southgate 1-1 Repton (Southgate win shootout 4-3)
In what was a highly entertaining match, Southgate dramatically topped Repton 4-3 in a penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw.
Both teams looked evenly matched with neither side allowing the other too many clear-cut opportunities.
Able to get on the scoreboard early in the first-half and having held the lead for large parts of the game, Southgate had looked good value to take victory in regular time. However, Eleanor Barlow’s last-minute strike ensured the game would be decided by shuffles.
In a tense stand-off, Lucy Leel, who scored twice in the shootout, bagged the decisive goal to see that Southgate would be crowned champions.
Girls U18 T3 Final – Rugby & East Warwickshire 11-1 Bury St Edmunds
Rugby & East Warwickshire took home the Girls U18 T3 crown with a superb performance against Bury St Edmunds as they stormed to an 11-1 victory.
The team were rampant throughout the match and were two up with less than ten minutes on the clock after Evie Phillips and Kirby Harris found the scoresheet.
Though Bury St Edmunds fought to get back into contention as Holly Reynolds rocket from a penalty corner crashed into the backboard, Rugby & East Warwickshire were always quick to reply.
Having gone into half-time 6-1 to the good, the team added two more immediately after the restart, both courtesy of Gigi Woodward, as the scoresheet reflected their dominance.
Rugby & East Warwickshire continued to add gloss to the scores as they added another three unanswered goals to take the Girls U18 T3 title.
EH Champs 2020 Rugby Girls U18
Boys U18 T1 Final – Harrogate 2-2 Team Bath Buccaneers (Harrogate win shootout 2-1)
The final match of the day saw Harrogate edge out Team Bath Buccaneers 2-1 in a penalty shootout after a gripping game that provided the perfect crescendo to the first weekend of EH Champs Finals action.
A game filled with stunning goals and late drama, it was Harrogate who came out on top despite never being ahead in regular time.
Team Bath Buccaneers took an early lead in spectacular fashion with a truly brilliant goal worthy of a final. With the ball deep in their half, the team launched an aerial all the way to Harrogate’s circle where Will Prentice cheekily lobbed the ball over the goalkeeper to seize the advantage.
Harrogate refused to lie down and equalised with a well worked goal, Hector Bowerman tapping in from close range after the ball had been fired across the face of goal.
Though David Aspray’s penalty corner put Team Bath ahead just after half-time, Harrogate responded with one of their own two minutes from time as they capitalised on the Buccaneers having two players shown cards late on.
In an exciting shootout, Harrogate prevailed as Dan Garlick’s decisive save ensured the team would take glory with a 2-1 shootout victory.
England Hockey Board Media release
Ultimate goal is to create history in Tokyo Olympics, says hockey mid-fielder Goyal
Bengaluru: Indian women''s hockey team midfielder Neha Goyal on Monday said after a successful 2019 and a COVID-interrupted current year, their ultimate goal right now is to create history in Tokyo Olympics.
"Our sole focus is on the Tokyo Olympics at the moment. We have been working hard on our fitness in the last few months and we will do everything we can to keep getting better at our game in the next few months.
"We had a fabulous 2019 after winning the FIH Women''s Series Finals and booking a place in the Olympics through the FIH Hockey Olympic Qualifiers," Goyal was quoted as saying by a Hockey India statement.
"We have competed well against top teams in the recent past and therefore we have the belief that we can make history in Tokyo next year. It''s our ultimate goal," added the 23-year-old.
Goyal, who has played 75 matches for the national team so far, is currently at the SAI South Centre in Bengaluru for the national camp which concludes on September 30.
Recollecting the hardships she and her family faced while trying to pursue a career in hockey, Goyal said: "It was really tough for me when I started playing hockey in the fifth standard. My mother would work day and night to make sure that we had enough food and therefore it was very difficult for her to save some money for my equipment.
"And once I made it to the top level, I faced numerous injuries and was out of the Indian team for a long time. However, the most important thing for me was that I never gave up."
Goyal considers former India captain Pritam Rani Siwach as her inspiration.
"When I was in the fifth standard, I used to see Pritam didi''s photographs in the local newspaper and I used to go and watch her play in a local ground. One day she asked me why I go to the ground everyday and it was then I told her that I want to play the game," she said.
"Since my parents couldn''t afford hockey equipment for me, Pritam didi provided the equipment to me and encouraged me to work hard on my game. I wouldn''t have reached where I am today without her support."
Outlook India
Hockey coach Graham Reid and his wife Julia reveal love of incredible Indian cuisine!
Australian hockey coach Graham Reid and his wife Julia have been at the SAI campus in Bengaluru for months now. Their love for South Indian cuisine has only grown.
By Rahul Venkat
One of the most intriguing aspects of incredible India is its diversity of food. With every state having its unique touch, the huge spread of India food can leave a foreigner completely flummoxed.
From the north Indian tandoori to the Chettinad down south and from Mumbai’s ubiquitous vada-pav (potato in burger buns) to the staple fish curry and rice of eastern India, food is a romantic experience for anyone visiting the sub-continent.
Spicy, tangy, greasy or just sweet, Indian food can be tough to deal with but Indian men’s hockey team coach Graham Reid and his wife Julia are handling it pretty well.
The Australian husband-wife duo has been living at the Sports Authority of India (SAI) campus in Bengaluru for the past year and has grown quite fond of the chefs there.
“The food here is fantastic,” Julia Reid tells the Olympic Channel. “The chefs here are really good.”
“I, for one, especially love the sambar (a lentil-based vegetable stew) here. My lunch has at least one bowl of sambar every day,” Graham Reid chimes in.
“We have a few different chefs here and each of them add their own twist and flavour to it, so we also have some variety there.”
Graham and Julia Reid have lived in different parts of the world – they grew up in Australia, they have spent time in the Netherlands during Graham Reid’s time as assistant coach of the Dutch team and now have been in India for the better part of the past one and a half years.
Adjusting their tastes and trying new cuisines comes naturally to them, so the Reids adapted quickly to the novel Indian flavour.
“I think one of the most fantastic things about being in lockdown is that it allowed the chefs to experiment a bit with the cooking,” Graham Reid noted.
“We were lucky that the team had gone home so they did not have to adhere to their restrictions,” he chuckled.
Coming soon: Reids speaking Hindi
While they have certainly enjoyed their time and food in India, one of the things that Graham and Julia Reid regret is not learning to communicate in Indian languages – be it the widely spoken Hindi or the local Kannada.
“We have absolutely not learnt anything since we came here, it is a big embarrassment really,” admits Julia Reid. “We are not doing well with it at all.”
Graham Reid saves their blushes because he feels it is more difficult to learn a new language as they grow older.
“I spoke Dutch when I was in the Netherlands but the thing is I already had a head start. I learnt some of it in my 20s because I played in the leagues there,” said Graham Reid.
“Having said that, learning the local languages is one of the top things on our wish-list. The beautiful thing about the Indian hockey team also is that there are so many languages spoken by different players, although Hindi may be most common.”
And Julia has made up her mind to do something about it soon.
“I think once things start opening up again, we will get someone to teach us. Clearly doing it by ourselves is not working,” she laughed.
Julia teaches English and communication skills to players in her husband’s camp - a vital role for Graham Reid as the Indian team prepares for the Olympics in Tokyo next year.
Olympic Channel
