It was quite the turnaround for the northern university who lost out 1-0 in the intervarsities to Trinity. It is the sole second round tie to take place in Leinster as Portrane, Suttonians, Weston and division two table-toppers Avoca are sent to different corners of the country.

Avoca’s looks the most winnable trip off the back of their early season form as they travel to the seaside to play Bangor, recently relegated and struggling in Senior One without a win to their name.

Suttonians make the journey to Donegal to play Raphoe, never an easy place to travel, having pushed Monkstown close in recent times, while Portrane go to Limerick to face Catholic Institute.

Portadown is Weston’s task, a really tough tie following an impressive start to the campaign. UCC finally received a home tie as they were paired with Antrim while holders South Antrim play an Ulster derby against Campbellians.

It was one of four competitions drawn at the IHA offices on Monday. On the women’s side of the competition, Bray face Clontarf in an all-division three clash.

North Kildare are currently Leinster’s second highest ranked side in this competition and look a decent bet against Ulster Senior Two outfit Kilkeel on home turf.

Newbridge’s impressive start in division two sees them bring form into a trip to face Ballymena while YMCA debut in the competition against Munster division one side UL who recently shocked Cork Harlequins for a famous win.

2011 Challenge finalists Kilkenny have been paired with Saintfield while St James’ Gate’s reward for ousting Portrush – Dave Smith on the mark – sets them against PSNI at the Iveagh Grounds in the final eight.

Two Leinster sides contest the quarter-finals of the women’s Challenge, too, with Botanic welcoming Cashel New Inn for the first time in their history. Monkstown, though, continue to pick up tough draws, travelling to Parkview who are going reasonably well in Senior Three.

Men’s Irish Hockey Trophy, round two (November 26): Raphoe v Suttonians; Cliftonville v Armagh; Portadown v Weston; South Antrim v Campbellians; Bangor v Avoca; Rathgar Chiefs v Queens University; UCC v Antrim; Catholic Institute v Portrane

ESB Electric Ireland Irish Hockey Trophy, second round (November 26): Weston v Dromore; Portadown v Genesis; Waterford v Naas; Our Lady’s v Greenfields; North Kildare v Kilkeel, Bandon v Cork Church of Ireland; Suttonians v Wexford; Cookstown v Galway; Ashton v Knock; North Down v NICS; Victorians v Greenisland; Bray v Clontarf; YMCA v UL; Ballymena v Newbridge; Omagh v Muckross; Fermoy v Larne

Men’s Irish Hockey Challenge, Round 2 draw (November 19): Ballynahinch v Larne; Kilkenny v Saintfield; St James Gate v PSNI; Limerick v Omagh

Women’s Irish Hockey Challenge, quarter-final draw (November 19): Botanic v Cashel New Inn; Dungarvan v Clonmel; Enniscorthy v Kilkenny; Parkview v Monkstown

The site has come a long way since its early beginnings. In the past year, the switch to a website format and the development of the site’s excellent photographic arm, culminating in the Irish Hockey Photographers’ dedicated website, were among the projects undertaken.

During the season, the addition of more video elements and our first ever ‘livestream’ – the vast majority with thanks to Tristan Seaton-Stedham – has been a huge advance.

The first Hook Awards’ night – primarily a fundraiser for Glenanne’s EHL trip at Easter – will hopefully become a regular fixture in the local hockey calendar.

Full league tables, updated on Sunday morning’s based on club submissions were integrated mid-season and the Stats Centre will hopefully be tidied up and improved in the coming months.

For the 2011/12 season, using The Hook’s twitter page, the intention is to be ramp up this service and be able to collate virtually all of the divisional results in a simple, free fashion within minutes of game’s completion and, thus provide the earliest possible league table updates.

During the season, the Hook has endeavoured to travel to as many games as possible, taking in trips to Munster, Ulster, the Netherlands and France to cover as many aspects of our sport to the highest standard.

More details will follow on this in due course but to develop these elements and maintain standards, the site does require a personal financial outlay which is primarily attempted to be covered from those who have donated to the site; 100pc of these funds go back into the Hook’s development.

Should you wish to help the coverage and promotion of Leinster and Irish hockey, feel free to contribute to the site via the ‘Donation’ button on the left-hand side of this page (or follow this link).

Finally, thank you all for taking the time to read, contribute and comment to The Hook. Website hits have increased more close to three-fold this season, an indicator that the Hook’s efforts are being appreciated in some form.

Such indicators, along with the feedback received around the grounds week-in, week-out, make the efforts which go into the site much easier to manage.

All the best for the rest of the summer and I look forward to seeing some of you pitch-side as the Irish men and women pursue their Olympic dream, building toward the European Championships in August.

Stephen Findlater

The Glasnevin team notched up a whopping 57 goals over the season which afforded them the vital goal difference to clinch the title on the last day of the season after they finished level on points with an identical record with the Westmeath team.

The game itself was decided by a well taken penalty flick after a foot on the goal line. It was a hard fought match in torrential rain at times but the team, captained by Kathy Daly, and coached by Gillian McAuliffe & Maeve Madigan, brought home the league title for the club by the final whistle.

It’s the first time in eight years Botanic has won a league title and, after a 16-game unbeaten run and a very tight-at-the-top league the whole way, it was well deserved.

For Mullingar, meanwhile, their second place finish secured a fifth successive promotion showing their rising status.

Carlsberg, Ed Sports and Gilmour Sports also came on board to support the event with proceeds from the event going to support Glenanne’s EHL bid over the Easter weekend.

The awards themselves took on a two-part process with clubs asked to nominate players, coaches and umpires from within their own club and from others to produce the main shortlist.

From those shortlists, the public vote drew well over 4,000 responses and was the most viewed story on the site since moving to the new format at the start of the season. Winners were determined solely on this basis.

Adrian Boehm received the largest percentage of the vote in any category as he took the Contributor of the Year title with a massive 41.72% of the vote for his sterling photographic work that he provides each week.

Indeed, his volume and quality of photos over the last weekend can be seen on the Irish Hockey Photographers website, covering all four of the national finals in Belfield to the highest standard.

Gillian McAuliffe, the woman responsible for the site’s overhaul last summer, took second place in this category just ahead of photographer Deryck Vincent.

The umpire of the year award was the closest category but was eventually taken down by Olympic whistle-blower Carol Metchette (left), coming in just ahead of Fiona Davitt and Kieran Bolger.

Metchette continues to impress in both the men’s and women’s division one games while also showing the tenacity in the past week in the line of duty, umpiring in key games this week despite picking up a shiner sustained in the first meeting of Loreto and Old Alex.

A feature of the umpire’s vote was the spread of nominations in the “Other” option with UDP umpires Karl Chapple and Ali Keogh along with Kris Cholewa picking up a number of votes.

Scott Beattie took the Coach of the Year following a bumper debut year with Sutton Park, winning the northside school’s first Senior title when they claimed the Senior Trophy in dramatic fashion while also reaching the Minor Cup final.

Will Powderly was among the “other” nominations, receiving a high proportion of the public vote while Richard Mason and Didi Cole’s dual-work at Monkstown and Gareth Borland’s role as Leinster U-16 boss and Clontarf player-coach also drew plenty of praise beyond the initial nominees.

Onto the player awards and Dannielle Cummins, Avoca’s first team goalkeeper took the Junior Women’s title just ahead of YMCA taliswoman Tara Powderly.

And another goalkeeper took the Junior Men’s gong, Rathgar Chiefs’ Dan Gribben certainly his side’s most consistent performer until he broke his hand recently in the club’s maiden season.

Audrey McCormack tallied the most votes of any of the categories as the Glenanne woman took home the Senior Women’s Player of the Year. The midfielder continues to be a powerhouse in midfield and the engine which drives the Glens all-action approach.

Finally, Gareth Watkins (below, left) added another personal achievement to 2010 Irish Hockey Club Player of the Year crown, as he topped the Senior Men’s Player of the Year tally ahead of Glenanne’s Joe Brennan.

A big thanks again to Gary Shaw and his crew for putting together the night and to all the people who attended on the night, helped with nominations and voted for the various awards.

The Hook exists for and because of the people that take part in our game at all levels week in and week out and so, to receive the support for this venture and, indeed, the site in general is pretty overwhelming and suggests a need is being fulfilled.

These awards honour just some of the people that make the sport a source of enjoyment for people to be involved in and want to prosper, capturing some of the spirit of the game. Long may it continue.

*** The top three in each category is below with the percentage of the final vote in brackets while also mentioned are some of the people who received sizeable votes in the “other” section and are worthy of mention for their efforts in the past season.

Contributor of the Year (Total votes: 676)
1. Adrian Boehm (41.72%)
2. Gillian McAuliffe (18.64%)
3. Deryck Vincent (18.49%)
Honorable mentions outside of the nominees: Emer Keogh – photographic contributions

Umpire of the Year (615)
1. Carol Metchette (18.21%)
2. Fiona Davitt (14.47%)
3. Kieran Bolger (12.85%)
Honorable mentions: Kris Cholewa, Karl Chapple, Ali Keogh

Coach of the Year (904)
1. Scott Beattie, Sutton Park (22.57%)
2. Graham Shaw, Loreto/Glenanne (14.82%)
3. Mick McKinnon, Railway ladies (10.73%)
Honorable mentions: Will Powderly (YMCA ladies), Richard Mason/Didi Cole (Monkstown); Gareth Borland (Leinster U-16/Clontarf); Mary Logue (Hermes); Brendon Carolan (Pembroke)

Junior Women’s Player of the Year (487)
1. Danielle Cummins, Avoca (28.13%)
2. Tara Powderly, YMCA (23.82%)
3. Sarah Lovett, Monkstown (18.69%)
Honorable mentions: Emma Kilbride (Our Lady’s); Fiona Walshe (Swords); Courtney Watkins (Monkstown)

Junior Men’s Player of the Year (454)
1. Dan Gribben, Rathgar Chiefs (31.5%)
2. Martin Naughton, Avoca (21.37%)
3. Stephen Cairns, Clontarf (16.08%)
Honorable mentions: Harry Spain (Suttonians), Tom Noonan (Clontarf), Paul Kennedy (St James’ Gate)

Senior Women’s Player of the Year (977)
1. Audrey McCormack, Glenanne (22.01%)
2. Chloe Watkins, UCD (14.23%)
3. Kate Dillon, Railway Union (13.61%)
Honorable mentions: Maebh Horan (Trinity), Jeamie Deacon (Railway Union), Sinead Walsh (Railway Union), Nikki Symmons (Loreto), Sinead Dooley (Railway Union)

Senior Men’s Player of the Year (710)
1. Gareth Watkins, Monkstown (21.55%)
2. Joe Brennan, Glenanne (15.07%)
3. Alan Blennerhassett, Corinthian (12.25%)
Honorable mentions: Ali Haughton (TRR); Andrew Walker (YMCA); Brian Groves (Monkstown); Shane O’Donoghue (Glenanne); Andrew Sutton (Corinthian); Fran Lee (Monkstown)

The poll is also still open for the Hook’s Contributor of the Year with the nominees for Junior Player of the Year (those operating for first teams outside of men’s and women’s division one) set to go live later today.

Nominees for these awards have come about from proposals in the various categories, seeking to honour the broad spectrum of Leinster hockey.

Voting will be open up until March 30 with the winners being announced at The Hook’s Awards Night and end of season party – held in conjunction with Glenanne SC – on April 2 in Kobra on Leeson Street.

To secure your ticket for the event, contact Gary Shaw on 087 986 1942 or email shawsie14@gmail.com. Tickets costs €10 and will also include free entry into NV nightclub while there will be finger-food and spot prizes on the night.

Here are the five votes online thus far:

But Corinthian have a rematch of last May’s epic IHL semi-final with Lisnagarvey. Banbridge host Cork Harlequins in another of the high profile ties. Railway face a tester of their optimistic start to the season, travelling to Carryduff to play Annadale.

Weston, meanwhile, renew rivalries with Suttonians – who have taken up the option of playing in the Senior Cup following their Irish Hockey Trophy exploits last term – in the only all-Leinster tie. YMCA host North Down.

On the women’s side, there is no doubt which tie will draw all the attention as Leinster champions Railway Union host Ulster queen-pins Pegasus with Alex Speers facing her former club.

Trinity have home advantage for an intervarsity battle with UCD, hoping to overturn last week’s 4-0 turnover in Santry.
Loreto travel north to play Knock, Old Alex host Randalstown and Bray are en route to Ards in the other Leinster sides in action – Corinthian, Glenanne, Hermes and Pembroke all receiving byes.

In the Irish Hockey Trophy competitions, the men’s draw was not made as fewer than 32 entries were received, making a preliminary round unnecesary. The draw for the first round proper will take place November 6.

On the women’s side, a new name will appear on the IHT with the Ulster Elks and Catholic Institute now playing in the ISC. Botanic bring Lisnagarvey to their Glasnevin base while Weston play Muckross as only three of 11 Leinster sides were paired off in round one. The IJC and Irish Hockey Challenge draws have not yet been made.

Men’s Irish Senior Cup 1st round (November 13)
Corinthian vs Lisnagarvey; Annadale vs Railway Union; Cork C of I vs Kilkeel; Banbridge vs Cork Harlequins; Cookstown vs Pembroke Wanderers; Monkstown vs Bangor; Weston vs Suttonians; YMCA vs Nth Down
Byes: Bandon, Fingal, Glenanne, Instonians, Mossley, NI Civil Service, Three Rock Rovers, UCD.

ESB Ladies ISC 1st Round (November 13)
Trinity vs UCD; Knock vs Loreto; Railway Union vs Pegasus; Queens Univ vs Ulster Elks; Old Alexandra vs Randalstown; Ballymoney vs UCC; Ards vs Bray
Byes: Armagh, Belfast Harlequins, Catholic Institute, Corinthian, Cork Harlequins, Glenanne, Hermes, Lurgan, Pembroke Wanderers

ESB Ladies Irish Hockey Trophy 1st Round (November 6)
Kilkeel vs Ballymena; Botanic vs Lisnagarvey; Dromore vs Parkview; Weston vs Muckross; Newbridge vs Cork C of I
Byes: Ashton, Avoca, Bandon, Belvedere, Carrickfergus, Clontarf, Cookstown, Diocesan, Fermoy, Galway, Genesis, Greenfields, Greenisland, Naas, NI Civil Service, Nth Down, Nth Kildare, NUIG, Our Lady’s Terenure, Portadown, Raphoe, Suttonians, Three Rock Ladies, Victorians, Waterford, Wexford, Omagh

They lost at the first time of asking to Railway Union but were reinstated due to a player eligibility issue and replayed against the Park Avenue outfit on Friday night, taking the laurels 3-1.

And they carried that momentum into the final with Emma Russell striking a goal in each half before the excellent Anna Roopnarinesingh pulled one back with seven minutes to go with a superb solo goal.

A few late corners almost forced extra-time but Hermes’ defence marshalled by Jane Fennelly and with midfield dynamo Laura Gray to the fore, they survived the tension to take the cup.

In the other finals on the day, Niamh Barry scored the second half winner for Botanic IV (pictured) to claim their first cup title in eight years as they withstood a late onslaught from Dalkey in front of a large, noisy crowd at Grange Road on Saturday.

Barry got the final touch after a scramble ensued at short corner time to seal the division 11/12 crown.

It proved a nice present for the absent captain Mo Smyth who was unable to play after being stranded in Amsterdam since the previous Thursday due to the fallout from the Icelandic volcano.

In the division 7/8 decider, Mini Douglas struck with virtually the last touch of the game to hand Railway Union IV the division 7/8 cup while Monkstown II won the division 13/14 cup 3-2 on penalty strokes after tying in normal time with Navan II 1-1.

U-16 Jacqui Potter Cup final:
Hermes 2 (Emma Russell 2) Old Alex 1 (Anna Roopnarinesingh)

Women’s Division 7/8 Cup final:
Railway Union IV 1 (Mini Douglas) Pembroke VI 0

Women’s Division 11/12 Cup final:
Botanic IV 1 (Niamh Barry) Dalkey 0

Women’s Division 13/14 Cup final:
Monkstown II 1 Navan II 1 Monkstown win 3-2 on penalty strokes

**********************************************

Last week at Belfield, meanwhile, Old Alex II were pipped to the Irish Junior Cup title by a formidable Randalstown II side who came from a goal behind to end the Milltown club’s double dreams.

Sylvia O’Mahony netted from the second phase of a corner after Becca Coll’s initial shot had created havoc but two goals from Pamela Muir and one from Courtney Burns swung the tie the Ulster side’s way.

* Adrian Boehm’s photos from the Old Alex II vs Randalstown II fixture can be seen here. Apologies for not posting sooner.

No doubt where the tastiest of the ESB Senior Cup second round ties as St Andrew’s hosts Hermes and Railway Union as two of the competition’s big guns face off. Mick McKinnon’s side have been flying thus far and showed the depth of their squad in last week’s win over Glenanne as a number of players struggled with flu.

He will be hoping Helen Stevenson, Emer Lucey and Tricia O’Dwyer will show no further ill-effects and that Nikki Evans – on her first match-up against her old club – can manage more than the 20 minutes she produced last week.

Evans appears to have settled in quickly but Jean McDonnell remains the main scoring threat with two hat-tricks already to her name this year. And her combination work with Emma Smyth and Cecelia Joyce could be the unlocking of this tie.

Hermes, for their part, have had a stop-start beginning to the season but the introduction of Aine Connery and the red-hot form of Anna O’Flanagan means they have a chance. Jill Hodgins will be unavailable for first team action for the next couple of weeks as she recovers from her marathon exertions though did hint that athletics could be her new calling in an Irish Times’ interview.

Old Alex face IHL opposition in Cork, travelling to Harlequin Park to face the reigning Munster champions. It will be another tough, learning curve for Ivan Ovington and Miles Warren’s evolving side who have shown their capacity to battle.

A scarcity of goals to date means that fighting spirit has been the modus operandi as a series of retirements has hurried the introduction of a number of teenagers. A first win last Sunday was timely and they can treat their trip to the base Karen Bateman et al as a shot-to-nothing.

At Beaufort, Loreto’s Lizzie Colvin faces her schoolgirl club, Armagh, for the first time since moving to Dublin to study at the start of 2008/09. She was the seventh of Mick McKinnon’s charges to earn an international cap whilst at the club in a four year period before she moved to Loreto.

The northern visitors currently top the Ulster women’s Premier League with impressive wins over the Ulster Elks and Ards though a 5-1 loss to Ballymoney last time out means their actual level remains to be determined.

Pembroke will hope to reflect more of Sunday’s draw with Hermes than last Saturday’s loss to Corinthian when they host Glenanne while UCD will be looking to erase memories of their controversial loss to Hermes in the league when they travel to Bray. Key to that battle is dealing with former members Linda O’Neill and Catherine Murray.

Beyond the Leinster sides, IHL newcomers Ards and UCC provide an intriguing battle. Pegasus and Randalstown is the big game involving two Ulster sides and serves as a double-header with the club’s respective second teams facing off in the refixed junior cup tie.

Elsewhere, the Irish Hockey Trophy tips off with 18 of the 42 entrants into the fray. Winners Ulster Elks’ elevated status means they are eligible to retain their title but finalists Catholic Institute compete once more.

Genesis are the highest-ranked Leinster-side involved this weekend and, with a solid young side, aided by the quality of Laura Barry, may fancy repeating last year’s semi-final run. But they face a hazardous trip to Queen’s who showed enough in the Varsities to be a force to reckon with and are currently unbeaten in Ulster’s second tier.

Weston travel to Banbridge; Clontarf are off to Galway to face NUIG while Botanic are Belfast-bound to play Knock. meanwhile, there are home draws for Avoca, Newbridge, Kilkenny and North Kildare.

* The draw for the ESB Irish Senior Cup third round will be made on Sunday at 12pm in Pembroke in conjunction with the IHA’s EGM. There will also be a Governance Review Presentation at this meeting. To find out more, go to www.hockey.ie.

ESB Irish Senior Cup Round Two (Saturday)
Hermes v Railway Union, 3pm, St Andrews; Pembroke v Glenanne, 2.30pm, Serpentine Ave; Loreto v Armagh, 2pm, Beaufort; Ards v UCC, 2.45pm, Ards LC; Cork Harlequins v Old Alex, 1pm, Harlequin Park; Pegasus v Randalstown, 2.30pm, Queens; Bray v UCD, 1pm, Loreto Bray; Lisnagarvey v Ballymoney, 2.30pm, Hillsboro

ESB Irish Junior Cup (Saturday)
Pegasus II v Randalstown II, 1pm, UUJ

ESB Irish Hockey Trophy (Saturday)
Banbridge v Weston, 4pm, Havelock Park; Queens v Genesis, 1pm, Queens; NUIG v Clontarf, 2pm, Dangan; Avoca v Ashton, 1pm, Newpark; Kilkenny v Galway, 3pm, Kilkenny College; Parkview v Coleraine, 2.30pm, Ballyclare HS; North Kildare v Kilkeel, 3pm, Caragh Road; Newbridge v Carrickfergus, 1pm, St Mary’s Naas; Knock v Botanic, 1pm, St Coleman’s School

It was the seventh win in-a-row for Malahide’s firsts, winning against the side that pipped them to the division 10 title last season.

The side are pictured in their newly sponsored gear, supplied by Gannon Properties and the new pitch will hopefully aid the growth of hockey in North Dublin along with Botanic’s pitch in Glasnevin which is also close to completion.