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YM and Hermes secure IHL berths

Hermes and YMCA needed just one game to negotiate their passage into next season’s Irish Hockey League, after the final day’s play in the men’s and women’s competitions was cancelled.

With two sides to qualify from each three-team tournament, by the end of Saturday’s games, the women of Hermes and Ards and the men of YMCA and Instonians had already qualified for next season’s competition.

The pairs were due to face off in Banbridge yesterday but with both games now dead rubbers – the qualifiers’ pool allocation will be drawn from a hat – the Irish Hockey Association sensibly cancelled the games at the clubs’ request.

YM were always going to be confident in facing Irish Hockey Trophy holders UCC, who were without a number of exam-tied stars and were playing their second game in one day.

The students had earlier gone down 6-1 to Instonians, with Mark Irwin’s first-half strike the sole difference between the sides at the break before the Ulster men cut loose with both Irwin and James Corry notching hat-tricks.

And in game two, YM flew out of the blocks with Andy Walker sliding in to convert in the opening few minutes, before they were stung by a brilliant UCC counter off a defesnive short corner that ended with Shrew Power deflecting high to the net on his reverse for 1-1.

Undeterred, the Y hit back immediately through Marcus Richardson off turnover ball and although the goal glut slowed somewhat, Jonny Bruton arrowed a reverse to the bottom corner for a 3-1 half-time lead.

A largely uneventful second half was mostly notable for Geoff Walker receiving a red card, coming after he’d twice seen yellow for taking out Power in full flight.

And this season’s IHL finalists ensured they’ll be back in the mix next season as Richardson added his second late on after Richard Pedreschi got in around the back and pulled the ball back for the Australian to finish.

In the women’s competition, Hermes trounced Galway bidding to become the first Connacht side ever to feature in the IHL – 8-0 on Friday night, Aine Connery (pictured, above) getting four to all but secure their place in next season’s competition.

And that was confirmed a day later as Ards joined them with a 2-0 win over the westerners, whose resistance was eventually broken by two goals in the final 14 minutes from Chloe Brown.

The Bangor schoolgirl was fresh from being part of a delegation — which included football superstar David Beckham — that brought the Olympic flame from Athens to the UK on Friday.

Irish Hockey League wildcard playoffs, Belfield

Men: Instonians 6 (M Irwin 3, J Corry 3) UCC 1 (G Catchpole); YMCA 4 (M Richardson 2, A Walker, J Bruton) UCC 1 (A Power); Instonians v YMCA, not played; Instonians and YMCA qualify for IHL 2012/13; last game cancelled as it was a dead rubber.

Women: Hermes 8 (A Connery 4, A O’Flynn, E Horan, K McComish, M Crowley) Galway 0; Ards 2 (C Brown 2 ) Galway 0; Hermes v Ards, not played; Hermes and Ards qualify for IHL 2012/13; last game cancelled as it was a dead rubber.

1 Response to “YM and Hermes secure IHL berths”


  1. comment

    May 20, 2012 5:56 pm
    Silly says

    Think the format of the wild card play off needs to be looked at. Silly situation that YM and Inst can go through without playing each other. Not their fault and totally understand why they wouldnt want to bother playing since they both qualify.

    Only one should qualify from play offs. Otherwise rank the teams for the draw so that there is something to play for

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Men's Leinster Senior Division 1

Pos   Team Pld Pts
1 Pembroke 18 43
2 Monkstown 18 38
3 TRR 18 35
4 UCD 18 34
5 Corinthian 18 29
6 Railway Union 18 28
7 YMCA 18 24
8 Glenanne 18 14
9 Fingal 18 13
10 Avoca 18 2
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Women's Leinster Senior Division 1

Pos   Team Pld Pts
1 UCD 18 43
2 Loreto 18 42
3 Railway Union 18 40
4 Hermes 18 36
5 Old Alex 18 34
6 Pembroke 18 16
7 Glenanne 18 14
8 Corinthian 18 11
9 North Kildare 18 11
10 Trinity College 18 7
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Men's Leinster Division 2

Pos   Team Pld Pts
1 Rathgar 15 37
2 Clontarf 15 24
3 Suttonians 15 22
4 Dublin University 15 19
5 Kilkenny 15 15
6 Weston 15 10
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Women's Leinster Division 2

Pos   Team Pld Pts
1 Loreto II 18 44
2 Pembroke II 18 41
3 Genesis 18 32
4 Old Alex II 18 30
5 Three Rock 18 27
6 Hermes II 18 25
7 Railway Union II 18 19
8 Trinity II 18 13
9 Bray 18 10
10 Newbridge 18 7
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