They went into the tie needing a win of any sort to progress and Scott Caruth’s early goal allowed them to dream but UHC powered forward in the manner befitting the most successful team in EHL’s brief history.

Bann went into the game under strength without Scott Forbes (foot) and Josh Moffett (hamstring) while the start was delayed for a second time due to a frozen pitch.

Nonetheless, the Co Down side began in the ascendancy and pressed the German defence early on, with Hugh McShane, Dane Ward and Stephen Dowds all hustling the opposition. Indeed, it was the latter who had the games earliest chance, but this was snuffed out by Florian Fuchs.

Bann captain Gareth Lennox was soon called into action, the big Co-Tyrone man made a top class clearance off the line to deny Ricardo Nevado and was called into action again moments later, rescuing his defence with some fine blocks.

The Germans, though, did hit the front from their first penalty corner after an infringement inside the Bann twenty five, a second phase strike from Nevado giving the defence no chance.

A quick change by Mark Tumilty resulted in Bann quickly levelling with the goal of the game from Caruth. Great build up play by Drew Carlisle, Ross Beattie and Bruce McCandless saw Caruth pick the ball up mid-circle and quickly snap the ball past Nicolas Jacobi.

Fuchs close range restored the lead during a period of German ascendancy and it looked like it could have been a complete rout as they quickly added their third and fourth goals. But they rallied and got back into bonus point territory when Bruce McCandless scored after good play by Dane Ward on the ground, readjusting to nudge the ball into the Irish international’s path.

Kai Gremnitz restored a three-goal margin but Stephen Dowds – along with Philip Brown was one of the star performers – flicked home a switch move to earn a second losing bonus point of the campaign.

It’s significance remains to be seen in the race to secure two Irish places in the competition for next term. Initially, it looks as if Russia and France will move up in the rankings and possibly over-haul Ireland but Poland’s poor showing in round 1.1 could see them lose a place in the competition rather than the Irish.

Elsewhere from an Irish perspective, Reading’s Chris Cargo was joined in the last 16 on Sunday by Club de Campo’s Ronan Gormley who got the better of Jason Lynch and his Racing Brussels’ side 4-0.

Lynch had played in one of the ties of the competition when Racing recovered from a 5-2 deficit to draw 5-5 with Club an der Alster, taking off their goalkeeper in the last ten minutes, as Tom Boon ran riot. He scored three times in the closing stages to grab a famous draw.

Stephen Butler and Eugene Magee, meanwhile, were involved in a miracle match of their own as they played their part in Dragons’ stunning 5-4 win over Rotterdam. They trailed 4-2 in the third quarter and were still behind with two minutes to go only to net twice in jig-time to make it five Irishmen in the KO16 with Beeston’s David Ames already in situ.

Banbridge: G Lennox, St Forbes, B McCandless, S Dowds, O Magee, Phil Brown, R McCandless, S McCandless, R Beattie, D Carlisle, H McShane
Subs: Peter Brown, M Bell, D Ward, S Caruth

UHC Hamburg: N Jacobi, F Oldhafer, J Simon, M Falcke, J Furste, M Neumann, D Linnekogel, A Perdoni, M Miltkau, F Fuchs, M Muller
Subs: M Kapaun, K Gremnitz, R Nevado, F Hillman, J Swiatek

Pool F results: UHC Hamburg 2 CA Montrouge 0; Banbridge 3 (S Caruth, B McCandless, S Dowds) UHC Hamburg 5 (J Furste 2, R Nevado, F Fuchs, K Gremnitz)
Final standings: 1. UHC Hamburg 10pts (+4) 2. CA Montrouge 6pts (-1) 3. Banbridge 2pts (-4)

Tired from Friday’s exertions, the Coolnafranky side fell three behind inside 11 minutes as Floris Evers fortuitously opened the scoring, deflecting onto the post only for the ball to rebound back on to Ian Hughes and into the goal.

Man of the match Mirco Pruyser got his first of the tie after a lengthy Taeke Taekema ball cut open the Irish representatives defence but was denied a second when Evers stopped his ball en route to goal before tipping in himself.

Godfrey Irwin took a Taekema flick to the head and Evers converted the stroke for 4-0 in the 32nd minute. But the biggest cheer of the afternoon came when the Red Army were given a high point to celebrate when Gareth Cuddy won possession in the circle and beat Dutch keeper Klaas Veering.

After that, it was a tough closing phase as the Dutch champions notched six more goals in the closing 23 minutes with Pruyser netting four more while Steven Ebbers and Valentin Verga also weighed in.

Speaking about the game, co-coach Stephen Cuddy said it was one of the toughest days at the office he has endured:

“Today was the biggest wake up call as a coach I think I will experience. during the first second and fourth quarter it really was like they were playing a different game from us. Evers and Verga were simply amazing in their front line. When Floris Evers scores a hat trick in the first fifteen minutes you know your going to be up against things.

“Returning to home we have already spoken about all the areas we need to improve in, they really did outclass us in every facet of the game. From the tournament we will take positives from the first quarter against Reading and the third quarter against Amsterdam. In these periods we showed where we can go as a team.

“We really enjoyed the whole experience and we would love to get back and play here again. I want to thank all the Irish teams who tweeted us so much support. We now turn our thoughts to the IHL game vs Monkstown on Saturday which will be a very stern test.”

Banbridge, meanwhile, need to snag a victory over UHC Hamburg if they are to make it into the last 16 phase of the competition after the German side – two-time champions – beat CA Montrouge 2-0. A one-goal victory would eliminate Montrouge but any bigger win would see the German side knocked out.

Elsewhere, Ronan Gormley will showdown with Jason Lynch for the remaining Pool D qualifying place after Club an der Alster claimed a 2-1 win over Club de Campo. Lynch’s Racing Brussels need just a draw to progress.

Cookstown: I Hughes, G Irwin, G Cuddy, E Butler, I Sloan, A Barbour, S Sloan, D Best, G Allen, T Smyth, K Black
Subs: M Rollins, R Millar, T Hutchinson, M Crooks, J Ames, A Thom
Amsterdam H&BC: K Veering, K Vermeulen, B Bakker, J-W Buissant, T Taekema, R Tigges, V Verga, F Evers, M Pruyser, T Rohof, H Kruize
Subs: S ’t Hart, K Timman, M Schwarz, D Prins, S Ebbers, T van Dinten

Pool A Standings: 1. Amsterdam 5pts (+9) 2. Reading 5pts (+5) 3. Cookstown 0pts (-14)

Pool F fixture (Irish time): Banbridge vs UHC Hamburg, 8.30am Sunday

It leaves them needing a result against two-time champions UHC Hamburg on Sunday, pre-tournament seen as the unrecommended route through the group.

After the start was delayed by half an hour due to a frozen pitch in Antwerp, Bann bounced back well from a nightmare start, falling behind in the fourth minute when Tom Cariolet slammed home a base-line pull-back from Aymeric Bergamo. The IHL champs were certainly the better side in the following phases as Ross McCandless flicked through the French defences to level.

Bruce McCandless missed a gilt-edged chance with a first time sweep after Drew Carlisle and Josh Moffett combined to eliminate goalkeeper Maxine Wilson. They did move ahead when Ross McCandless used his power once more to power-slap a ball through the circle and Scott Forbes popped up at the back post to touch past Wilson.

But the French champions turned the game back their way when they looked at a low ebb as Christophe Thiolon netted from a corner before former French star Matthieu Durchon finished off Joost Jansen’s perfect pass with a delightful touch.

Joris Harou’s goal early in the second half, another perfect touch to a Jansen cross, going high past Gareth Lennox, put Montrouge well clear.

Bann made a strong fist of getting back into the game though their attacks looked slightly one-dimensional at times, seemingly reliant on crash balls into the circle. Dane Ward and Stephen Dowds did go close before Owen Magee’s cross broke to Dowds at the top of the circle and coolly found a route under Wilson on the reverse.

It set up a gutsy final quarter showing, aided by Mikail Azak’s yellow card sin-binning, as Montrouge tied as they only used 13 players in the game. Ross McCandless had a couple of corner shots and there were goal-mouth scrambles, Wilson holding his own and Willy Hoareau while Bruce McCandless’ superb run wreaked havoc.

Dowds’ cross to Ward was intercepted at the last while a corner was awarded with 45 seconds to go but Wilson batted it away and Bann were cruelly denied.

It was a tough way to lose but is one which means they must get a result against Hamburg, though they will draw some solace in that they will not face the injured Motitz Furste nor the departed Carlos Nevado.

They did get one point for losing by less than three goals but it will be scant reward and, combined with Cookstown’s 5-0 loss, might make it somewhat of a scramble to retain two places in the EHL for Ireland.

Banbridge: G Lennox, Stephen Forbes, J Moffett, B McCandless, O Magee, Philip Brown, R McCandless, S McCandless, R Beattie, D Ward, D Carlisle
Subs: Scott Forbes, Peter Brown, M Bell, S Dowds, H McShane, S Caruth

Montrouge: M Wilson, J Harou, N Jansen, T Cariolet, A Bergamo, J Jansen, W Hoareau, M Durchon, E Gourdin, C Thiolon, E Perry
Subs: M Mayer, M Azak

Pool A: Cookstown 0 Reading 5 (A Watts 3, R Mantell 2)
Cookstown endured a tough introduction to life in the EHL against competition veterans Reading who showed some scintillating form with goals in each quarter. Richard Mantell scored a pair of trademark penalty corners for the 2010/11 bronze medal winners before striker Andy Watts nipped in for a second half hat-trick.

It leaves them all but out of the competition unless they can conjure up a serious shock against Amsterdam in game two and hope Sunday’s battle between the ’ding and the Dutch side works in their favour.

It was tough going throughout as younger Mantell brother Simon fired a fizzing low reverse, spinning into the circle after a fine run. Ian Hughes denied Richard’s first corner effort in fine fashion but the second was a ripper, flicking in off the inside of the right post.

He doubled the tally with another blistering corner, his ferocious effort sailing into the top left of the goal. It was a dominant showing, pinning Cookstown back with only sporadic breaks but when the likes of Mark Crooks broke clear, it was tough to get support to follow-up.

And Reading did not let up much in the second half as Watts finished off a slick passing move down the right. Ian Sloan did force a decent save from Nick Brothers from the Co Tyrone side’s second corner of the half – the first was not pulled out properly – as Cookstown did enjoy some more forward mobility.

But Watts notched another pair in the closing period, his hat-trick goal a beauty as dived full length onto Jonty Clarke’s weighted pass.

Speaking afterwards, co-coach Michael Haycock reflected on Cookstown’s introduction to the elite competition.”We are obviously very disappointed with the result but are pleased that at times we attacked well and caused them some problems,” he said.

“At 2-0 at half time we were happy enough and still thought that it was possible to get something from the game. We had a short corner during the opening minutes in the third but we just couldn’t convert.

“We knew that this was going to be a very tough test, but it is a level that takes some getting use to. Richard Mantell’s distribution was outstanding and their out letting and platform was to a very high standard.

“On our own team Timmy Smyth was fantastic and he really did look so comfortable at this level which is very pleasing. We now look forward to Amsterdam tomorrow.”

Cookstown: I Hughes, G Irwin, E Butler, I Sloan, A Barbour, S Sloan, M Crooks, D Best, G Allen, T Smyth, K Black
Subs: M Rollins, R Millar, G Cuddy, T Hutchinson

Reading: N Brothers, R Springham, R Mantell, I Mackay, S Mantell, J Clarke, A Watts, R Slater, T Bertram, T Woolven, C Cargo
Subs: J Codling, C Newman, J Hardy, D Tyler

Pool A fixtures (all Irish time): Cookstown vs Amsterdam H&BC, 11am Saturday; Amsterdam vs Reading, 11am, Sunday
Pool F fixtures: UHC Hamburg vs CA Montrouge, 8.30am Saturday; Banbridge vs UHC Hamburg, 8.30am Sunday

It sees Ulster clubs enjoy their first taste of the competition, the sides setting off early on Thursday morning on bus via Dublin to northern Belgium to take in the biggest club competition in the world.

Bann start the competition and have already admitted to the Hook they will be focussing on their first tie, the challenge of French champions CA Montrouge, rather than that of two-time champions UHC Hamburg.

Coach Mark Tumilty – who played in Europe in previous times – said on the announcement of the draw that it is important to channel their energy into that first tie. To that end, playing Montrouge on Friday morning allows them a straight run at the game – a situation which Pembroke took advantage of two seasons ago when they put Scotland’s Kelburne to the sword.

“The big challenge for me and the players is too channel our efforts towards the French game as that is the important one regarding qualifying for the next stage,” Tumilty said.

“Too often Irish teams at all levels have come close against the top teams but ended up not winning the crucial game in the tournament.”

It was a point he reiterated on BBC earlier this week. They get a day’s rest before facing the Germans which could mean their fate will already be decided and they would carry the majority of Irish club hopes for advancement.

That is because Cookstown have been handed an absolute brute of a draw, playing English giants Reading and then Dutch kingpins Amsterdam back to back on Friday and Saturday.

But co-coach Stephen Cuddy is buzzing about the challenge ahead which has been likened to a non-league side taking on Champion’s League opposition.

He told The Hook this week about what this moment means for the Co Tyrone club: “This is obviously the biggest test in hockey any of us have faced on the club scene.

“Initially I felt like a non-league coach who has just got Liverpool in the Champions League! On reflection we are not a non-league team and have plenty of talent in our own side that will be able to compete with the players we will come up against next weekend.

“We are under no illusions and we know that we are in the toughest group (Pool A) and most people will expect us to be on the back of heavy defeats. From our point of view, we are determined to give the best possible account of ourselves and have based a lot of our preseason around making sure that we give ourselves the opportunity to do this.”

To this end, the club has played 20 games since the start of August and last weekend’s win over Banbridge in the IHL is a big boost and have spent the past two months researching their opposition.

“We are going to Belgium full of confidence and a wee bit of hope. We have researched the two teams we are going to play and usually you can find a few kinks in the armour of the local sides we play – but Michael and I have found it more difficult to find kinks in the armour of Reading and Amsterdam.

“David Ames has provided us with excellent information on Reading and we have a few spies lurking about on the continent that have been able to tell us a thing or two about Amsterdam.

“Penalty Corners are going to define our tournament and particularly how we defend them! Reading have GB International Richard Mantell and Amsterdam have the legendary Taeke Taekema and the fact that some of players wear a replica shirt of his just tells you how good the man is.”

They travel with a full panel with key forward Timmy Smyth (pictured, below) cleared in midweek to travel, getting his passport just in time after local councillors and MLAs stepped in. For both clubs, it offers their members and local fans a unique possibility, one which Irish clubs have enjoyed to a large extent in recent years, as the other coach, Michael Haycock attests having been to the KO16 in Bloemendaal at Easter.

“The European Hockey league is club hockey at its pinnacle, the way it is presented is second to none. The teams that have preceded from Ireland have done incredibly well. In fact, Glenanne were very unlucky not to get a result against last year’s winner HGC in the KO16.”

Cuddy is keen to pay tribute to the club support: “I would like to stress that we are not going to Antwerp as a first eleven, we are going as a club! The boys and management team appreciate so much the effort that people from Cookstown are making to travel to the tournament. We will enjoy it together; win, lose or draw!”

Chris Cargo, meanwhile, took to twitter to express his excitement in playing an Irish club for the first time in several years since moving to England where he played for Bath Buccaneers before joining Reading.

He is among a series of Irish men playing this weekend, hoping to join David Ames in the last 16 – he helped Beeston to reach that phase with a fine performance two weeks ago.

Corkonian Jason Lynch looks forward to his first taste of the competition with the racing rats of Brussells and he will come up against Ronan Gormley’s Club de Campo on Sunday in the stand-out group of this round. Germany’s Club an der Alster complete a high quality line-up.

Host club Dragons feature ban in-form Stephen Butler and Eugene Magee who both scored in the club’s victory over Daring last weekend which lifted them to top of the Belgian top tier.

Pool A fixtures (all Irish time): Reading vs Cookstown, 12pm Friday; Cookstown vs Amsterdam H&BC, 11am Saturday; Amsterdam vs Reading, 11am, Sunday
Pool F fixtures: CA Montrouge vs Banbridge, 9.30am Friday; UHC Hamburg vs CA Montrouge, 8.30am Saturday; Banbridge vs UHC Hamburg, 8.30am Sunday

** To watch all the fixtures live, log on to www.ehlhockey.tv. On television, Cookstown’s tie with Reading is down to be shown on Eurosport 2 live on Friday. For the full broadcast schedule, click here

Pegasus have found out their initial opposition, facing Belgium’s La Gantoise, Russia’s Metrostroy St Petersburg and Lithuania’s Gintra Stretke Universitas but they have yet to find out the venue for their competition which takes place in April. Ireland’s second team – in this case Hermes – moved up a tier by virtue of Railway and Loreto’s strong performances in Europe last term to see the nation’s ranking improve slightly.

** Following a request to tender from the FIH for an Olympic Qualifier, the Irish Hockey Association have submitted a bid proposal to host an Olympic Qualifier in Dublin (March 2012).The proposal from the IHA covers the option of hosting either a dual or single event with the proposal set to be answered in mid-November.

Belgium men’s direct qualification for the Olympics from the European championships opened up this possibility as they were initially awarded the hosting of a qualifier. There is also some doubt over whether India will host a dual men’s and women’s qualifier due to an on-going feud between their two national federations – Hockey India and the Indian Hockey Federation – which has already seen the nation stripped of hosting December’s Champions Trophy.

New Zealand and Australia’s men rubber-stamped their place at the 2012 Olympics on Sunday from the Oceania Cup leaving just the Pan-Am Games to be completed of the continental qualifiers. It tips off on October 19 in Guadalajara with one automatic place in London for both men and women. Four men’s nations will go into the qualifiers from this region while there are six women’s places on offer.

** The IHA will launch Hooked for Life, Long Term Player Development in the coming weeks.. Hooked for Life is a document for coaches that lays out technical information per phase, small sided formats for coaches working with children, goalkeeping information as well as physical, mental and health considerations.

The hockey community and, in particular, all coaches are invited to regional launches for this initiative which will also include an open Q&A forum. For Leinster, questions must be submitted in advance to leinsterhockey@gmail.com before noon on October 17.

There is an opportunity to ask questions, meet with employees and board members of the IHA, learn about Hooked for Life and pick up newly designed game sheets for players aged between 6-13.

To register your attendance (which is free), email coaching@hockey.ie to guarantee a free Hooked for Life resource pack
Railway Union will host the Leinster launch on October 19 at 6.45pm. In Munster, it is on October 26 (7pm) in Cork Harlequins; Connact is on November 9 (7.15pm) in the Claregalway hotel and the Ulster launch is in the Pavilion in Stormont on November 16 (6.45pm).

Co Tyrone side Cookstown, meanwhile, have one of the toughest draws going, paired against Dutch champions Amsterdam H&BC who make a return to the competition after a season’s absence in Pool A. 2011 EHL bronze medallists – and home to Chris Cargo – Reading make up an imposing line-up with two from three to advance to the KO16.

Both sides will play in Round 1.2 of the competition in Antwerp at KHC Dragons, home club of Stephen Butler and Eugene Magee. And while both Irish sides – the first from Ulster to represent the country in the EHL – have a serious job on their hands, Tumilty says Bann’s draw holds plenty of possibility for the Co Down club:

“It is a tough draw for us with Hamburg being one of the top sides in Europe. I feel it is an excellent opportunity for our younger players to get chance to play against Hamburg so they see first-hand how good some of the top players in world hockey are.

“The big challenge for me and the players is too channel our efforts towards the French game as that is the important one regarding qualifying for the next stage. Too often Irish teams at all levels have come close against the top teams but ended up not winning the crucial game in the tournament.”

By way of comparison, Glenanne impressed in a backs-to-the-wall effort against UHC two years ago but the expended energy against a fresh Grunwald Poznan saw them come a cropper on day two. It a lesson Tumilty hopes to heed but, as group top seeds, his side are likely to have a rest day in between their two ties.

His side is currently easing itself into preseason with Scott Caruth and Ross Beattie added to the panel but their young panel is currently waiting for four of their number to return from being involved in the NI Schools game’s team.

Hosts Dragons look to be strong candidates for the KO16 with Rotterdam from Pool E with Swiss top dogs Rottweiss Wettingen left with a mountain to climb.

Jason Lynch’s new club Racing club de Bruxelles will also be present in Antwerp, facing off against Ronan Gormley’s Club de Campo and German side Club an der Alster in what looks the pick of all eight groups in the competition, Pool D.

In Round 1.1, Irish interest is less pronounced with former Cookstown man David Ames helping his side Beeston, the English Hockey League titles winners last term, to face Polo de Barcelona and Poland’s Pomorzanin Torun in Pool C.

Round 1.1, October 7-9 (HTC Uhlenhorst, Mulheim):
Pool B: Atletic Terrassa (Spain), HTC Uhlenhorst Mulheim (Germany), AHTC Wien (Austria)
Pool C: Beeston (England), RC de Polo de Barcelona (Spain), KS Pomorzanin Torun (Poland)
Pool G: WKS Grunwald Poznan (Poland), East Grinstead (England), Dinamo Elektrostal (Russia)
Pool H: Dinamo Kazan (Russia), Bloemendaal (Netherlands), Olimpia Kolos Sekvoia (Ukraine)

Round 1.2, October 21-23: KHC Dragons, Antwerp
Pool A: Amsterdam H&BC (Netherlands), Reading (England), Cookstown (Ireland)
Pool D: Der Club an der Alster (Germany), Club de Campo de Madrid (Spain), RC Bruxelles (Belgium)
Pool E: KHC Dragons (Belgium), HC Rotterdam (Netherlands), HC Rottweiss Wettingen (Switzerland)
Pool F: Banbridge (Ireland), UHC Hamburg (Germany), CA Montrouge (France)

** For more information, click here

Beyond the club’s glory, the result also looks set to copper-fasten promotion for Ireland’s second representatives in European competition in 2012 with Hermes moving up to the third tier of continental competition with Irish Hockey League winners Pegasus playing in the second tier once more.

It was a facile win, Niamh Small this time providing the creative spark. She opened the scoring in the 21st minute before Nikki Keegan netted the second a minute before half-time.

And the Dubliners cut loose after the break, adding three goals in eight minutes to put the result beyond doubt. They all came from penalty corners as tournament top-scorer Nikki Symmons, Cathy McKean and Small all found the net for 5-0.

Nadja Stampfli got a consolation strike 21 minutes from time but another pair of corner goals – Sarah Barnwell and skipper Nikki Keegan on the mark – completed the rout, finally bringing Loreto’s ten-month season to a close in some style.

Rotweiss Wettingen won the other final with a 1-0 victory over hosts Lille while HTC Wien took sixth with a 5-3 win over Penarth.

Loreto: Mary Harkin, Nicci Daly, Nikki Symmons, Nikki Keegan (capt), Rachel Keegan, Niamh Small, Cathy McKean, Hannah Matthews, Aisling Campion, Caitriona Tipping, Sinead McGirr
Subs: Ali Meeke, Clodagh Grealy, Deirdre Fallon, Sarah Barnwell, Louise Madigan
Unused: Sarah Cooney, Louisa Healy

Finals: Loreto 7 (Niamh Small, 2 , Nikki Symmons, Cathy McKean, Sarah Barnwell, Nikki Keegan, Hannah Matthews) HC Olten 1 (Nadja Stampfli); Lille 0 Rotweiss Wettingen 1 (Catia Koller)
6th/7th playoff: Penarth 3 (Kate Morgan 3) HTC Wien 5 (Patricia Ziniel 2, Louisa Thornblom 2,Paulina Okay)
Standings: 1= Loreto 1= Rotweiss Wettingen 3= Lille 3= HC Olten 5. Swansea 6. HTC Wien 7. Penarth

It means they will play second in Group A, Switzerland’s second team HC Olten (11.45am, Irish time) and avoiding the challenge of free-scoring Rotweiss Wettingen.

Like Saturday, the Dubliners started well with Caitriona Tipping batting home a volley following a nice move down the right involving Nicci Daly and Cathy McKean after 10 minutes.

Nikki Symmons followed up soon after with the first of a pair of drag-flicks before she and Irish international team mate Daly were rested.

During that period, skipper Nikki Keegan was sin-binned while a defensive error opened the door for the Spartans as Bridget Radice pulled one back for 2-1 at half-time.

The international duo restored, Symmons passed to Daly who made it 3-1 but Swansea applied some pressure and were rewarded with Radice’s second goal.

But Loreto finished stronger, going back on the attack, stealing the ball in midfield and winning a corner which Symmons forced home.

In combination with Railway Union’s bronze medal in the European Club Champion’s Trophy at Easter, the result gives Ireland a great chance see a clubs promoted at least one tier for the 2011/12 season. Lille’s scratchy 4-3 win over HTC Wien saw them take second in the pool and they will play Wettingen in the other final.

Meanwhile, Emma Clarke became the first Irish woman since Sarah Kelleher in the late 1990s to claim a Euro Club Champions Cup medal – the highest tier in the continent – when she helped Leicester to silver.

They were unable to upset 12 in-a-row winners Den Bosch but Saturday’s semi-final win over Slough made a little piece of history for Clarke who rejoins the Irish setup this week ahead of a busy summer of hockey, starting with the FIH Champion’s Challenge in Belfield next Saturday.

Loreto: Louisa Healy, Ali Meeke, Nicci Daly, Nikki Symmons, Nikki Keegan (capt), Rachel Keegan, Cathy McKean, Hannah Matthews, Aisling Campion, Caitriona Tipping, Sinead McGirr
Subs: Clodagh Grealy, Deirdre Fallon, Sarah Barnwell, Niamh Small, Sarah Cooney
Swansea: Sophie Trigg, Natalie Blyth (capt), Jaynaya Boyles, Katrin Budd, Bridget Radice, Robyn Wilford, Sophie Clayton, Bethan Fisher, Carys Tucker, Danielle Jackson, Abigail Welsford
Subs: Llian Trew, Natasha Marke, Lisa Daley

EuroHockey Club Champion’s Trophy II (Lille) results
Group A: HC Olten 4 Penarth 0
Group B: Loreto 4 (N Symmons 2, N Daly, C Tipping) Swansea 2 (Bridget Radice 2); Lille 4 HTC Wien 3

Standings: Group A: 1. Rotweiss Wettingen 10pts (+11) 2. Olten 6pts (+2) 3. Penarth 0pts (-13)
Group B: 1. Loreto 15pts (+8) 2. Lille 10pts (-1) 3. Swansea 6pts (-1) 4. HTC Wien 2pt (-6)

EuroHockey Club Champion’s Trophy II (Lille) finals: Loreto vs HC Olten, 11.45am (Irish time); Lille vs Rotweiss Wettingen, 2pm

In much more pleasant conditions to Friday’s torrential rain, the Beaufort side started much better with Nikki Symmons dominated in midfield, aided by superb performance from Sinead McGirr, Hannah Matthews and Aisling Campion.

Moving the ball well and utilising an aggressive full press, Loreto stunted the French side’s long-ball ambitions with a string of interceptions in centre-field and profited in due course.

Ali Meeke scored a well-worked first following a Symmons’ shot which the strike did well to deflect. The same pair combined for the second, too, as a well-worked set-piece was Symmons crash for Meeke to touch home and 2-0 at the break, the youngster having quite an impact following her 14th minute introduction from the bench.

And the game was done and dusted in the 46th minute when Campion intercepted. The ball was quickly transferred from right to left and, following some neat interchanges, Nicci Daly clinically found the net, Niamh Small providing the spadework.

From there, Loreto rang the changes while Lille were reduced to ten when Yasmina El Harouni was shown yellow to help matters. Sarah Cooney suffered a similar fate but it was too late to have any effect.

Swansea’s 3-1 success against Wien in the day’s other game means Loreto are not quite confirmed a top two spot but know a draw or win guarantees top spot in the pool.

A loss to the Welsh side would open up the permutations can of worms with an outside possibility of dropping them into third in the group should Lille beat Wien.

Rottweiss Wettingen have claimed top spot in Group A following wins over Penarth and Olten in the three-team pool.

Loreto: Mary Harkin, Nicci Daly, Nikki Symmons, Nikki Keegan, Rachel Keegan, Niamh Small, Cathy McKean, Hannah Matthews, Aisling Campion, Caitriona Tipping, Sinead McGirr
Subs: Ali Meeke, Clodagh Grealy, Sarah Barnwell, Sarah Cooney
Lille: Marguerite Parent, Juliette Parent, Salome Dain, Marie Blondel, Charlotte Boyer, Margaux De Galzain, Louise Lebaindre, Sunita D’Halluin, Lourdes De Zabala, Henriette du Buisson, Ines Lardeur
Subs: Jeanne Mennesson, Melusine Labbaye, Julia Wouters, Yasmina El Harouni, Marie Billore-Journe

EuroHockey Club Champion’s Trophy II (Lille) results
Group A: HC Olten 0 Rottweiss Wettingen 2
Group B: Loreto 3 (Ali Meeke 2, Nicci Daly) Lille 0; Swansea 3 (Sophie Clayton 2, Abigail Welsford) HTC Wien 1 (Kathrina Mayrhofer)

Standings: Group A: 1. Rottweiss Wettingen 10pts (+11) 2. Olten 1pt (-2) 3. Penarth 0pts (-9)
Group B: 1. Loreto 10pts (+6) 2. Swansea 6pts (+1) 3. Lille 5pts (-2) 4. HTC Wien 1pt (-5)

Sunday, June 12, Group A (times GMT): Penarth v HC Olten, 11am; Group B: Loreto v Swansea, 1pm; HTC Wien v Lille, 3pm

Butler scored the Antwerp side’s third goal in the 3-3 normal time tie and also netted from the spot in the penalty shoot-out. To see highlights of the final, click here.

Phelie Maguire’s KHC Leuven reached the semi-finals of the competition in what looks to be his final game in Belgium as he looks to pastures new.

** The Eastern Regional Development Officer is organising a hockey clinic for Monday, June 20 in conjunction with the UCD Men’s 4 Nations Cup.

The initiative is to get the participants to attend a training session with three International players. The clinic will have a maximum capacity of 24 participants who will get the opportunity to share the pitch with the internationals so they can get a grasp of the skills required to play at the highest level. This session will be led by Lucas Piccioli, our Eastern Development Officer.

Time will be allocated for autographs and photos so be sure to bring a marker and a camera if you are coming to the clinic. If your school would like to take part, please get in touch with Lucas Piccioli now at lucas.piccioli@hockey.ie or ring 01 7163266 for more information.

** The IHA currently has an open invitation to take part in a ‘Mini 4 Nations’ – also run in conjunction with the 4 Nations – on June 22 where each school will compete as a country of their choosing.

Schools can choose from China, France, Ireland and Pakistan. Such initiative provides pupils with the ideal opportunity to learn about another country, which can be incorporated into school work.

The ‘Mini 4 Nations’ will be played as a 6 a-side festival for boys on a quarter of the pitch with no goalkeepers. The competition is open to 5th class and 6th class boys only. The festival also includes free entry in to the Pakistan vs China game in the evening.

The day will be an exciting opportunity for local schools to take part in a fun festival with an educational twist.
If your school would like to take part, please get in touch with Lucas Piccioli at lucas.piccioli@hockey.ie before June 15.

** UCD, Corinthian and Pembroke alunmni John McInroy has just completed an incredible journey in his native South Africa; to see the final stages of his Toyota Redsockfriday Unogwaja Challenge, check out the video below.

McInroy and three friends set out to emulate the feat of war soldier Phil Masterton-Smith who, in 1933, could not afford the train fare from Cape Town to Durban to take part in the ‘Comrades’ marathon.

He then put himself in the history books by cycling a distance of 1,730km to get to Pietermaritzburg and the following day he raced the Comrades and placed 10th. This ultimate story of passion, will power and triumph is why the UNOGWAJA – named after Masterton-Smith’s Zulu nickname, the hare – 2011 Challenge was created.