Hook Hockey

Three Rock Ladies – Women’s Division One

Last Season: Fifth, Division Two; lost promotion/relegation play-off to Corinthian 1-0 aet but promoted after Bray’s withdrawal; Irish Hockey Trophy semi-final; Jacqui Potter Cup, first round

Coach: Geoff Walker

Players In: Ana Fabra (HC Junior, Barcelona), Julie Garvey (Old Alex), Sarah Lovett (Monkstown)
Players Out: Rebecca Evans (UCD)

Summary: With precious little time to prepare for Division One, it was an ambitious move to step up with a fortnight of preparations to work with for Geoff Walker. Nonetheless, there are some decent additions for the new coach with Julie Garvey returning to the club after two years on the road, one at UCD, one at Old Alex.

Sarah Lovett – a Leinster Junior and The Hook’s Junior Player of the Year nominee – moves from Monkstown while Ana Fabra from Barcelona could prove a strong acquisition.

They have a fine goalkeeper in the form of Eimear Fitzsimons, too, but she may emigrate to Canada in the coming months. Limited availability of the likes of Edel O’Rafferty and Claire Barry will be tempered by young players stepping up, the likes of Lauren Haughton running the channels up front alongside the more experienced Suzanne Mellon.

Given the recent elevation, new arrivals might be in the pipeline in the heel of the hunt but, taking over Bray’s Irish Senior Cup draw, they have an imposing step up in round one when Grange Road hosts reigning champions Pegasus.

It will be an early measure of the task ahead re-establishing themselves in the top tier. Promotion has been denied in the past two seasons in extra-time of the promotion/relegation match but playing week in, week out in the top league is a different matter to one-off ties. Walker will hope the second team can feed into the first eleven and, to this end, Irish international Nikki Symmons has been drafted in to assist at this level.

Early season fixtures
First Leinster league games: TBC, league campaign starts on Oct 1
Irish Senior Cup: Oct 8 vs Pegasus (h)