Early contenders make their mark at All-Ireland Schools
Some of the early contenders for the All-Ireland Schoolboys Championship title emerged from a competitive day one around Dublin.
Pool 1 started with a bang as St Andrew’s and Bandon GS shared a high octane 1-1 draw. Tom Varian opened the scoring for Andrew’s but the west Cork side replied in the second quarter with youth international Rob Sweetnam firing home a corner.
What an opening day! @leinsterhockey1 @UlsterHockey @Munster_Hockey @hookhockey #AllIreSchools pic.twitter.com/uFkLRUrpwy
— The Kings Hos Sports (@KingsHos_Sport) October 23, 2019
Wallace HS lead the way in the group thanks to a 6-0 victory over Cookstown High. The Lisburn side have two tough games on the agenda on day two against Andrew’s and Bandon.
High School and Banbridge Academy look set for a big showdown in Pool 2 after their big wins on the opening day. The Rathgar side were 5-0 winners over reigning champions with two goals in the first quarter setting them on their way via Harry Lynch and Evan Jennings.
Bann beat Methody 3-0. Eddie Rowe got the only goal of the first half before adding his second after the break with Ben Ingram also getting in on the act.
Pool 3 saw two close-run battles end 2-1 in the favour of King’s Hospital and Ashton. KH’s goal came from Thompson brothers Mitchell – a cricket international – and fourth year Henry with Daniel Girvin getting the reply for Sullivan Upper.
In the second game of the day in Palmerstown, Kevin O’Dea struck twice in their 2-1 win over Kilkenny College with Tim Cope getting the reply.
Big W for the first game of the All Ireland’s. HS 5 – 0 Newtown (E Jennings x2, E Breen, C Beatty, H Lynch) 🔴⚫️ pic.twitter.com/ZZLoT6jUMx
— HSDHockey (@HockeyHsd) October 23, 2019
Pool 4 sees Wesley and Friends as the sides making the early running. Wes beat Newpark 3-1 with all the goals coming in the second half, Ben Cullen putting them in front from a corner rebound.
Tom Power finished off Craig Mackay’s pull-back for the second with 12 minutes to go and Adam Walker made the game safe before Daragh Grogan’s strike for the Blackrock side.
Friends, meanwhile, swept to a 3-0 win over Regent House with Ollie Kidd scoring on the double.
All-Ireland Schoolboys Championships
Wednesday, October 23
Pool 1: St Andrew’s 1 (T Varian) Bandon GS 1 (R Sweetnam); Wallace HS 6 (T Curragh 2, D McElhinney, S Boyd, M Taylor, B Clarke) Cookstown HS 0
Pool 2: High School 5 (E Jennings 2, H Lynch, E Breen, C Beatty) Newtown School 0; Banbridge Academy 3 (E Rowe 2, B Ingram) MCB 0
The @IreBoysJag are running a fundraiser at Wesley during the All-Ireland Schools; pick up your delicious baked treats while enjoying the games and support Irish hockey’s rising stars! pic.twitter.com/IEBYBJN8Sv
— The Hook (@hookhockey) October 23, 2019
Pool 3: King’s Hospital 2 (M Thompson, H Thompson) Sullivan Upper 1 (D Girvin); Ashton 2 (K O’Dea 2) Kilkenny College 1 (T Cope)
Pool 4: Wesley College 3 (B Cullen, T Power, A Walker) Newpark 1 (D Grogan); Friends 3 (O Kidd 2, M Aughey) Regent House 0
Thursday, October 24
St Andrew’s: High School v MCB, 9.15am; St Andrew’s v Wallace HS, 1.15pm
High School: Wallace HS v Bandon GS, 9.15am; Kilkenny College v Sullivan Upper, 11.15am; High School v Banbridge Academy, 1.15pm; Ashton v Sullivan Upper, 3.15pm
King’s Hospital: Newtown School v Banbridge Academy, 9.15am; Wesley v Regent House, 11.15am; MCB v Newtown School, 1.15pm; King’s Hospital v Kilkenny College, 3.15pm
Wesley: St Andrew’s v Cookstown HS, 9.15am; King’s Hospital v Ashton, 11.15am; Bandon GS v Cookstown HS, 1.15pm; Friends v Wesley, 3.15pm
Newpark: Friends v Newpark, 11.15am; Regent House v Newpark, 3.15pm

Friday October 25
Tasmanian Shield
Semi-finals: 9.15am, both at Grange Road
Final: St Columba’s, 2.30pm
Herbie Sharman Perpetual Shield
Semi-finals: 9.15am – High School/Wesley College
Final: Wesley College, 2.30pm