Combined with a last-gasp win over Muckross in the league, courtesy of Saoirse O’Donoghue’s goal for a thrilling 3-2 success, it puts the Rathgar school still in contention in two competitions.

They showed their Premier class to get the better of Senior One side Our Lady’s Grove in round one before facing an intense battle with Mount Sackville, normal time ending 0-0 while no further goals accrued in extra time.

But a brilliant performance in goal by Lia McCann saw High School win the penalty one-on-one shoot-out 4-1 and advance to the final eight.

There, they met King’s Hospital – victors over St Raphaela’s in round two – in Palmerstown, a tie in which both teams started strong with both sides creating many opportunities. The visitors were the ones to eventually break the deadlock when Jenny Long whipped in a cracking shot into the backboard.

And her side looked more likely to snatch a second but Kings Hospital continued fighting and defending well to stay in the game until a last second goal helped High School to victory on a 2-0 scoreline.

Meanwhile, St Andrew’s were among the major contenders to fall in the last week in a truly remarkable tie with Wesley College. It went to the 14th round of penalty one-on-ones, one of the innovations brought into the competition this term, using the format from the European an Irish Hockey Leagues.

Normal time had ended 2-2 after Lauren McGrane has initially handed Wesley the lead only for Andrew’s to bounce back and lead at 2-1. Anna May Whelan levelled matters to force extra-time and subsequently penalties.

Aisling Naughton notched a third hat-trick of the season for Mount Anville to see them through to a quarter-final date with Wesley, meaning another of the league semi-finalists will fall by the wayside. Naughton’s treble came in a 4-0 success over Holy Child, Killiney with Julia O’Connell also on the mark.

Leinster Senior Schoolgirls Cup, quarter-final draw: Teresians v Loreto Dalkey/Loreto Beaufort; Rathdown v Muckross/Alexandra College; Kings Hospital 0 High School 2; Mount Anville v Wesley College – to be played by February 4

First half efforts from Niamh Sweeney, Sophie Pratt and Anna-May Whelan put them on their way in the first half and they never looked back against the Senior One side.

It starts off a hectic seven-day period in which they will also face Mount Sackville (Thursday, January 19) and High School (Wednesday, January 25) in the Premier League to decide their fate with the three sides all chasing second spot in the Group. Alexandra College confirmed they will top the pool after they got the better of Holy Child, Killiney 3-0.

Elsewhere in the cup, Jane Fennelly’s pair of short corner goals for Mount Anville picked up a big result as they edged past an impressive St Gerard’s outfit 2-1 in an-all Premier tie. And they will have another tricky tie when they travel to Holy Child in round two.

In a similarly tight battle, King’s Hospital got the sole goal to get the better of Santa Sabina and will hope to, once again, the Premier difference tell against Senior One opposition in round two when they meet St Raphaela’s in Palmerstown.

High School, meanwhile, will play what looks to be another round two cracker as they advanced past Our Lady’s Grove and now face Mount Sackville – the pair drew 0-0 earlier in the campaign.

** If you have results, reports and match times, please email hookresults@yahoo.com to help our coverage of this year’s cup and league competitions.

Senior Cup, round one results: Wesley 7 Loreto Bray 0; Mount Anville 2 (Jane Fennelly 2) St Gerard’s 1; King’s Hospital 1 Santa Sabina 0; High School 7 Jesus & Mary College, Our Lady’s Grove 0
Senior Premier League result: Alexandra College 3 Holy Child, Killiney 0
Junior Cup: Mt Temple 1 Mt Sackville 3

Round Two draw (to be played by January 28): The Kings Hospital v St Raphaela’s; The High School v Mount Sackville; St Columba’s/Loreto Dalkey v Newpark Comp/Loreto Beaufort; Holy Child Killiney v Mount Anville; Alexandra College/Loreto on the Green v Mount Temple; St Andrew’s College v Wesley College; Loreto, Foxrock v Newbridge Comp/The Teresian School; Rathdown School v Notre Dame des Missions/Muckross Park

It means they follow St Andrew’s and Mount Anville into the semi-finals as they produced a fine performance in this fixture which was initially postponed from last December due to frost.

Alex started strongly with most attacks going through Vanessa Winn at right back who was linking up well with the midfield and marauding up the line into the 25 and circle on numerous occasions.

The forwards were shooting but the Foxrock goalkeeper Rhona Conway-Kenny picking off a series of saves.
Hannah McDermott, Emily Beatty and Louise McPhillips were causing havoc with their pace and link up play but several chances from narrow angles were all kept out.

The deadlock, though, was broken in the 18th minute when a long corner was worked to Erika Hinkson and she beat a couple of defenders before shooting into the bottom corner.

Soon after, Millie O’Donnell grabbed the second when Alex won a penalty corner. Hinkson’s initial shot hit a leg, reseting the set-piece which the Milltown school switched to O’Donnell to score, building a 2-0 half-time lead. It helped build confidence for the second period as coach Miles Warren rotating his forward line, brining in Alison Gibbons, Lauren Power and Anna Roopnarensingh.

They nabbed two quick counter-attack goals, created inside their own half, for Gibbons and Roopnarensingh to make it 4-0. And they continued to dictate the pace which youth Olympian Emily Beatty drive forward at speed to lay up goals for McDermott and McPhillips to score two more goals.

Foxrock’s threat was intermittent with Mollie Lamb – a Leinster U-18 representative as well as lining out for last year’s Dublin U-16 ladiess footballers – showing up well with a number of mazy runs.

But Alex showed their quality and now can confirm their place at the head of the pool should they get a draw against Holy Child, Killiney (4.15pm, Wednesday afternoon in Milltown).

** If you have any stories, reports, fixture times or results from the Schoolgirl’s Premier League or the Schoolboy leagues or any of the cups, please drop us a line at hookresults@yahoo.com

Leinster Schoolgirl’s Premier League Section A (click here for full fixture details)

Pos		Team	Pld	W	T	L	Goals	Diff	Pts
1	•	Alexandra College	6	6	0	0	18:3	15	18
2	•	Wesley College	5	4	0	1	11:4	7	12
3	•	High School	5	3	1	1	14:9	5	10
4	•	Mount Sackville	5	1	2	2	5:7	-2	6
5	•	Loreto Foxrock	5	1	1	3	8:15	-7	5
6	•	Holy Child, Killiney	5	1	0	4	6:14	-8	3
7	•	Muckross Park	5	0	0	5	4:14	-10	0

Aisling Naughton’s superb scoring form continued as she made it seven in three games, grabbing the sole goal for Mount Anville in their win over Beaufort. Andrew’s, meanwhile, were 4-1 winners in their fifth round of games, a result which puts them a single goal behind Mount Anville on goal difference.

The pair meet next week in the final round of the pool stages to determine who takes top spot in Group Two and who they will face in the final four.

Rathdown, meanwhile, concluded their Premier League campaign with a pair of wins, first getting the better of King’s Hopsital 4-0 before rounding out the campaign with a 3-2 success against Loreto, Dalkey on December 20.

It was a strong end to the campaign, the KH win coming after sustaining strong early pressure at Palmerstown. But Rathdown steadied themselves with Orla Macken strong in midfield as both sides used quick counter-attacks to create plenty of chances.

Macken netted a corner just before the interval and Aileen Walsh made it 2-0 early in a high tempo second half, finishing off a one-on-one chance. The home team pushed hard to get back into the game and earned two short corners but were unable to get past Rathdown’s keeper Blathnaid Breslin.

And they were stung once more when great approach work from Millie Barnwell created the third for Lauren O’Leary. Macken added the final goal from a short corner in the last ten minutes and her goalscoring spree continued into the final league game before Christmas when she bagged a hat-trick to gain the points against Dalkey. Macken’s Railway Union club mate Kate Lloyd got two back for the Loreto school.

Senior Schoolgirl’s Premier League (click for full fixtures)

With four wins from four, it puts them in a strong position with St Andrews hot on their heels, also with a perfect record, to make the final four though Loreto Beaufort and St Gerards will hope to upset this course of events.

Mount Anville’s win over Dalkey, on a windswept afternoon with squally showers, ended with a deceptive 6-1 scoreline today in Goatstown from an open game.

Naughton went close early on before Kate Lloyd reversed a penalty corner strike which Nicola Walsh saved well. But, from the next phase, Mount Anville scored a great goal as Avril Dooley-O’Carroll quickly launched the ball forward to Vicky Ryan who laid off neatly to Naughton who smacked high and handsome into the top corner.

Her second was even more spectacular after Lisa McCarthy had battled into the circle with the breaking ball roofed first time. Rachel Dooley-O’Carroll added the third after another great McCarthy intervention at sweeper to set the move in motion.

Vicky Ryan made it 4-0 but it was far from one-way traffic as Orla Patton’s midfield battling and Lloyd’s skills up front meant there was always a threat. The Railway player produced a stunning response when she raced past a few defenders before cracking home on her preferred reverse-stick side to make it 4-1 at half-time.

Patton clipped the post just after the break, too, from Dalkey’s second corner but, despite some great saves from Ciara Kirwan, Mount Anville did nab two second half goals with Naughton netting her third goal. The youth international was being shut down quickly by the brave Dalkey defence but finally got a shot off and her strike was augmented by Julia O’Connell’s corner deflection.

Rathdown got the better of Kings Hospital this afternoon. Orla Macken, Millie Barnwell, Lauren O’Leary and Alisha Walsh were all on the mark as they recorded their second win of the campaign.

In Section A, Alexandra College got a vital 2-1 victory over High School to keep their fine run going, leaving the second place very much up for grabs. Mount Sackville threw their hat into the ring with a 3-0 win over Muckross Park to make it a congested race for second with High School, Wesley and Loreto Foxrock also in contention.

Section A: Alexandra College 2 High School 1; Mount Sackville 3 Muckross 0

Section B: Mt Anville 6 (A Naughton 3, R Dooley-O’Carroll, V Ryan, J O’Connell) Loreto Dalkey 1 (K Lloyd); King’s Hospital 0 Mount Anville 3 (A Naughton 3); Kings Hospital 0 Rathdown 4 (O Macken, L O’Leary, M Barnwell, A Walsh); Rathdown 0 St Andrews 4

** If you have any further results and details from the Schoolgirl’s Premier League, please email hookresults@yahoo.com

Leinster Schoolgirl’s Premier League, Section A (click for full results and fixtures)

Pos		Team	Pld	W	T	L	Goals	Diff	Pts
1	•	Alexandra College	6	6	0	0	18:3	15	18
2	•	Wesley College	5	4	0	1	11:4	7	12
3	•	High School	5	3	1	1	14:9	5	10
4	•	Mount Sackville	5	1	2	2	5:7	-2	6
5	•	Loreto Foxrock	5	1	1	3	8:15	-7	5
6	•	Holy Child, Killiney	5	1	0	4	6:14	-8	3
7	•	Muckross Park	5	0	0	5	4:14	-10	0

Leinster Schoolgirl’s Premier League, Section A (click for full results and fixtures)

Pos		Team	Pld	W	T	L	Goals	Diff	Pts
1	↑	St Andrews	6	6	0	0	18 - 3	15	18
2	↓	Mount Anville	6	5	0	1	17 - 5	12	15
3	•	Loreto, Beaufort	5	3	0	2	10 - 7	3	9
4	•	Rathdown	6	3	0	3	14 - 14	0	9
5	•	St Gerards	5	1	0	4	7 - 14	-7	3
6	•	Loreto Abbey Dalkey	4	0	0	4	5 - 15	-10	0
7	•	Kings Hospital	4	0	0	4	1 - 14	-13	0

The away side were first out of the blocks with a strong midfield performance in particular from Leinster players Orla Macken and Sarah Evans; Rathdown’s pressure paid off as Evans netted the opener with a fine individual effort when she rounded the keeper to hit the backboard.

And they went further ahead midway through the first half when Macken drove home from just inside the circle. Trailing 2-0 at half time, the home side awoke and pushed hard to get back into the game, a convincing performance from Bryony Biggam led to the Bray side pulling a goal back midway through the half.

As Gerard’s pursued the equaliser, the pacy Rathdown counter-attack paid dividends as Macken netted Rathdown’s third when she drove home a fine hit with 10 minutes left on the clock. Gerard’s once again fought back to try and rescue a point but the home side was unable to break down a well marshalled Rathdown rear guard with Blathnaid Breslin excelling between the posts.

The away side secured its first win of the season when Lauren O’Leary tapped in at the back post following a neat build up before Gerard’s last minute goal reduced the deficit.

Shaw’s charges will take great confidence from this result into their remaining pool games. It put a dent in Gerard’s play-off hopes after Mount Anville picked up a result against them last Saturday, too, with a 3-0 win. Underage international Aisling Naughton netted twice – one from the penalty spot – while Rachel Dooley-O’Carroll was also on the mark. The Goatstown school heads up the Section B table with a perfect record to date.

In Section A, High School began their campaign just before the half-term break with a cracking 5-3 win over Holy Child, Killiney.

Holy Child managed to get ahead early but High School held strong and scored their equaliser not long after and moved them ahead with Lucy Barlow’s first of a hat-trick while Emma Russell netted in response with some great goals but could not reel in the margin.

Alexandra College, meanwhile, look well on course for a return to the semi-finals after they produced a brave 2-1 win at a sodden Wesley this afternoon, coming from a goal behind in the last ten minutes.

An even first half had ended scoreless with Emily Beatty’s reverse going over and Hannah McDermott’s corner effort being taken off the line among the best of the chances. Wesley hit the front midway through the second period during their most productive spell as a penalty corner broke down but was returned with interest as the impressive Niamh Sweeney played the ball wide for Lauren Haughton to ghost around the left wing.

She laid off for Inge Dalzell to finish off. And, with Sarah Robinson and Jennifer Anderson looking composed at the back, it might have been enough but for Amber Gleeson’s late show. She won a corner racing down the right which she duly cracked home before Beatty snatched the winner after another right-wing incursion was not cleared. It brings Alex’s record to three wins from three.

** If you have any more results from this season’s Premier League, please contact hookresults@yahoo.com . This is also the address for any reports of fixture updates you may have to hand.

Senior Schoolgirl’s Premier League – Section A (click for more details)

Pos		Team	Pld	W	T	L	Goals	Diff	Pts
1	•	Alexandra College	6	6	0	0	18:3	15	18
2	•	Wesley College	5	4	0	1	11:4	7	12
3	•	High School	5	3	1	1	14:9	5	10
4	•	Mount Sackville	5	1	2	2	5:7	-2	6
5	•	Loreto Foxrock	5	1	1	3	8:15	-7	5
6	•	Holy Child, Killiney	5	1	0	4	6:14	-8	3
7	•	Muckross Park	5	0	0	5	4:14	-10	0

Senior Schoolgirl’s Premier League – Section B (click for more details)

Pos		Team	Pld	W	T	L	Goals	Diff	Pts
1	↑	St Andrews	6	6	0	0	18 - 3	15	18
2	↓	Mount Anville	6	5	0	1	17 - 5	12	15
3	•	Loreto, Beaufort	5	3	0	2	10 - 7	3	9
4	•	Rathdown	6	3	0	3	14 - 14	0	9
5	•	St Gerards	5	1	0	4	7 - 14	-7	3
6	•	Loreto Abbey Dalkey	4	0	0	4	5 - 15	-10	0
7	•	Kings Hospital	4	0	0	4	1 - 14	-13	0

The Ballinteer school notched a 4-1 win over Muckross Park to start their campaign last week before ousting Holy Child Killiney 1-0 on Saturday morning to draw level with Alex on six points.

High School got the better of Killiney 5-3, too, in their one game to date to make it three sides with 100pc records as reigning champions Alex got the better of Mount Sackville with a fine second half showing.

The Castleknock school started brightly with Sarah Hawkshaw leading the line well, pressing high and produced three quick turnovers to create the best chances in the opening quarter as Olivia Smartt pulled the strings in centre-mid while Sarah Daly impressed at centre-back.

On the counter, Alex were forced to attack from deep through Emily Beatty, Hannah McDermott and Lauren Power, but none could test the keeper.

And they were indebted to the covering Amy Ryan to keep the Milltown side on terms into half-time as a pull-back eliminated the Alex goalkeeper but the defender recovered to clear off the line.

In the second half, it was very different with Hawkshaw going off injured with Alex holding the ball for longer periods and from one good phase, Beatty ran past three defenders on the left baseline and passed across goal to Anna Roopnarinesingh to tap in at the far post.

Another mazy run from Roopnarinesingh in a crowded circle lead to a scrambled goal by McDermott for 2-0 but this spurred on Mount Sackville and they got one back through Sophie Boucher.

With the score at 2-1, the game was tight with Alex winning four corners, Erika Hinkson’s drags and a Beatty strike denied by Amy Farrell she was helpless to deny a variation which Roopnarinsingh deflected home to take a well-matched tie.

Pool B is shaping up nicely with four teams currently on three points after the first two series of games. St Gerard’s – coached by Brendon Carolan and Sarah Scott – started their campaign with a 3-1 win over Loreto, Dalkey last Saturday while St Andrew’s and Rathdown won in week one of the competition.

** If you would like to see your team featured here, drop an email to hookresults@yahoo.com with results, goalscorers, reports, fixture times and anything you feel is relevant to help improve this column

Senior Schoolgirl Premier League
Section A: Holy Child, Killiney 0 Wesley 1; Wesley 4 Muckross Park 1; Alexandra College 3 Mount Sackville 1; High School 5 Holy Child, Killiney 3
Section B: Loreto Beaufort 2 Rathdown 1; St Gerard’s 3 Loreto, Dalkey 1

Leinster Senior Schoolgirl’s Premier League – Section A

Pos		Team	Pld	W	T	L	Goals	Diff	Pts
1	•	Alexandra College	6	6	0	0	18:3	15	18
2	•	Wesley College	5	4	0	1	11:4	7	12
3	•	High School	5	3	1	1	14:9	5	10
4	•	Mount Sackville	5	1	2	2	5:7	-2	6
5	•	Loreto Foxrock	5	1	1	3	8:15	-7	5
6	•	Holy Child, Killiney	5	1	0	4	6:14	-8	3
7	•	Muckross Park	5	0	0	5	4:14	-10	0

Section B

Pos		Team	Pld	W	T	L	Goals	Diff	Pts
1	↑	St Andrews	6	6	0	0	18 - 3	15	18
2	↓	Mount Anville	6	5	0	1	17 - 5	12	15
3	•	Loreto, Beaufort	5	3	0	2	10 - 7	3	9
4	•	Rathdown	6	3	0	3	14 - 14	0	9
5	•	St Gerards	5	1	0	4	7 - 14	-7	3
6	•	Loreto Abbey Dalkey	4	0	0	4	5 - 15	-10	0
7	•	Kings Hospital	4	0	0	4	1 - 14	-13	0

Underage internationals Nicola Gray and Deirdre Duke have graduated while youth Olympian Emily Beatty was rested but the Milltown academy was able to cope with the high profile departures in some style.

Irish U-16 strike duo Hannah McDermott and Anna Roopnarinesingh, along with sweeper Millie O’Donnell and midfielder Amber Gleeson have shown they can step up and keep the side at the forefront of the provincial race.

They got the mark in the 12th minute when the rangy Grainne Mulkerrin cut in from the right wing and fed McDermott and her neat flick of the stick turned the defence one way before delivering a pass on a plate for Hinkson. She slammed home from the middle of the circle for the perfect start.

Muckross, though, put up staunch resistance and coach Anna O’Flanagan – an Irish senior international – was pleased with how her emerging side fared in the aftermath of that concession.

Jane O’Brien’s dangerous reverse-stick effort was charged down well while skipper Maebh Reidy led the line to good effect. A panel consisting mainly of fifth and fourth years, Muckross are being shaped for progression and they shipped a decent amount of pressure but, on the break, were a force.

Alison Gibbons went close for Alex soon after the break from a Roopnarinesingh cross before McDermott won a third penalty corner which Hinkson whipped home with an expert drag-flick to carry the day.

Elsewhere, Mount Anville got their campaign off to a decent start with a 4-2 victory over Rathdown on the other side of the group phase while St Andrew’s picked off a 3-1 win over Loreto, Beaufort to head up Group B.

The Premier League this season has 13 entrants, divided into two groups with the top two going forward to the semi-finals of the competition which will be held on January 23, 2012.

** Please send on any results, fixtures, reports and so on from this season’s Schoolgirl’s Premier League to hookresults@yahoo.com. There is a possibility to cover some matches from time to time in the Evening Herald, too, so please let us know of big upcoming fixtures you may have

Senior Schoolgirl’s Premier League – Group A (click for fixture list)

Pos		Team	Pld	W	T	L	Goals	Diff	Pts
1	•	Alexandra College	6	6	0	0	18:3	15	18
2	•	Wesley College	5	4	0	1	11:4	7	12
3	•	High School	5	3	1	1	14:9	5	10
4	•	Mount Sackville	5	1	2	2	5:7	-2	6
5	•	Loreto Foxrock	5	1	1	3	8:15	-7	5
6	•	Holy Child, Killiney	5	1	0	4	6:14	-8	3
7	•	Muckross Park	5	0	0	5	4:14	-10	0

Senior Schoolgirl’s Premier League – Group B (click for fixture list)

Pos		Team	Pld	W	T	L	Goals	Diff	Pts
1	↑	St Andrews	6	6	0	0	18 - 3	15	18
2	↓	Mount Anville	6	5	0	1	17 - 5	12	15
3	•	Loreto, Beaufort	5	3	0	2	10 - 7	3	9
4	•	Rathdown	6	3	0	3	14 - 14	0	9
5	•	St Gerards	5	1	0	4	7 - 14	-7	3
6	•	Loreto Abbey Dalkey	4	0	0	4	5 - 15	-10	0
7	•	Kings Hospital	4	0	0	4	1 - 14	-13	0

’Garvey were standout performers at numerous levels, their firsts and seconds on both men’s and women’s reaching national finals. Their men’s seconds came home with the Junior Cup with the firsts runners-up in the IHL while their women annexed the Irish Hockey Trophy and a final berth in the IJC.

Add in a first Ulster Premier League title in six years, promotion to the women’s top tier and a string of junior league titles, it was a massive year for the Lisburn club. They took the award ahead of strong challenges from Monkstown, Railway Union ladies and Catholic Institute.

Railway ladies’ case was built on double European medals, winning on their maiden trip to an indoor competition in Bratislava, taking gold in the club Champion’s Challenge while bronze was secured on home turf in the outdoor equivalent.

Catholic Institute were Munster’s queen-pins, ending Cork Harlequins’ epic 15-year reign in the league while they showed well in the women’s IHL to suggest they can be contenders in the coming seasons.

The Town broke their long wait for a senior title when they won the Mills Cup on St Patrick’s Day and added a second in quick succession with the Neville Cup last week.

With their women continuing their rapid rise through the divisions and their men’s seconds continuing dominance of Leinster division three, they were strong candidates.

From the Awards, they will console themselves with the Youth Club of the Year title, a feature of the club who are perennial nominees for their work at underage level.

In the player’s awards, David Ames and Emma Smyth took home the Irish Players’ Player of the Year prizes, voted for by their fellow Ireland squad members. ’Garvey eyes were smiling once again as Mark Raphael was honoured with the Men’s Senior Club Player of the Year title, taking the title ahead of Leinster’s Shane O’Donoghue – a senior debutant at just 18 and scoring 34 goals in his first 27 games of the season.

O’Donoghue was also a runner-up in the U-18 section, Irish Senior Cup final star Ian Sloan the recipient after a bumper year at club, interpro and school level.

This included captaining Ireland U-18 Boys to the gold medal at the Home Nations in Cork in July 2010; Ulster U-18 Boys to the silver medal in the UK Schools and his school team to victory in the McCullough and Burney Cups, scoring hat-tricks in both finals.

Gold in the U-18 interpros also came in November, playing an instrumental role in the recovery from a 2-0 deficit in the decider against Leinster.

The coup de grace, though, was his ISC final man of the match performance, scoring twice and creating two as Cookstown won the title for the first time since 1986.

Kate Dillon took the women’s senior equivalent, capping a superb year in which she was a powerhouse in the indoor and outdoor game, providing umpteen goals from midfield.

She got the nod ahead of former internationals Emma Stewart and Elaine Brommell and Loreto up-and-comer Aisling Campion.

Limerick girl Roisin Upton was the U-18 winner. A key member of Catholic Institute’s double-winning team in Munster, she was also providing the backbone of the Crescent Comprehensive side.

She captained Ireland at U-16 level at the 2010 European Championships 2010 and was vice-captain at the Youth Olympics in Singapore.

In the coaching honours, Michelle Rainey took the top honour for her work double-winning exploits with Pegasus after seven successful years with Ulster and Ireland’s U-16 setup.

Alison McNeill won the U-18 honour, marshalling Ulster U-18s incredible victory in the UK School Games where they got the better of England, Scotland and Wales’ national teams. The province also claimed their third successive interprovincial championship.

Lurgan College were the inaugural School of the Year thanks to their clean sweep of trophies winning the Ulster 1st Schools’ Tournament, the Senior Schools’ Cup, Local leagues Mid-Ulster and league Cups and finishing by winning the All Ireland Kate Russell Competition.

Helen Johnston was a popular winner of the Volunteer of the Year award after many years with her enthusiasm, creative ideas and generosity of time growing stronger each year.

She manages Railway ladies’ first team, was a joint leader of the committee set up to organise the EuroHockey Club Champions Trophy that her club hosted and took on the media duties along with her management role on the European indoor trip to Bratislava.

Among other moments, Johnston generated massive publicity for Irish hockey when contacting Irish Times’ columnist Tom Humphries to invite him to the ISC final. He did and wrote a highly positive article in his popular Locker Room column as a result, garnering large national kudos for the sport.

Newbridge were named Developing Club of the Year. They were founded in 1995 and have since grown to fields four adult ladies teams as well as over 150 U-16 members.

From an initial group of only 11 members, the club has grown year on year and had considerable on-field success this season, namely their first team promoted to Division 2 after just a year in division three while their seconds won division six – their fourth successive promotion.

The introduction of an U-16 team also prospered while they were winners of West Leinster Blitz competition U-14, the Leinster U-14C league and the West Leinster Cup.

David Foster took the Umpire of the Year. A Senior Panel umpire for the Ulster Elks for a number of seasons, he was forced into retirement from top flight hockey this season following surgery and illness.

Undaunted, he has been reluctant to give up umpiring and continues to blow whistle for the Elks junior teams every weekend, some weekends covering two games on a Saturday.

International Irish Rugby player Tommy Bowe – brother of women’s international Hannah – and ex-Irish football manager Brian Kerr were among the guest speakers at the Burlington hotel for the 6th running of this event with Darragh Maloney returning as MC.

Four new inductees to the prestigious Hall of Fame were also named including Olympic gold medallist and current chief executive of the Olympic Council of Ireland, Stephen Martin.

Violet McBride, capped 38 times for Ireland and 64 times for Great Britain – and vice-captain in the 1988 Seoul Olympics – is another to enter the Hall. Former Irish internationals, Cookstown man Mark Burns and Hermes’ player Gwen Doherty were also among the latest additions to the prestigious group.

Club of the Year: Lisnagarvey
Youth Club of the Year: Monkstown
Coach of the Year: Michelle Rainey
Developing Club of the Year: Newbridge
School of the Year: Lurgan College
Senior Women’s Player’s Player of the Year: Emma Smyth
Senior Men’s Player’s Player of the Year: David Ames
Senior Female Player of the Year: Kate Dillon
Senior Male Player of the Year: Mark Raphael
U18 Coach of the Year: Alison McNeill
U18 Female Player of Year: Roisin Upton
U18 Male Player of Year: Ian Sloan
Umpire of the Year: Davy Foster
Volunteer of the Year: Helen Johnston
Presidents Award: Peter Jackson

Siobhan Woods gave the Sutton-based school the lead in the ninth minute, capitalising on a defensive error. And they kept Temple quiet until deep in the first half, only a flurry of corners just before the break belatedly threatening.

But the second half was more favourable to the Clontarf school as Hayley Manning scored from a goal-mouth scramble to level with seven minutes left and force extra-time, though only after Evelyn Dawkins pulled off a superb stick-save late in the day.

In a nervy extra-time, Taylor was the most alert to rob a defender and coolly grab the winner to keep the title on the Malahide road for another year.

The school’s Senior B side, meanwhile, got the better of Holy Faith, Clontarf 4-2 in their Senior B final. They came from a goal behind, too, with goals from Elizabeth Grainger’s double allied to Katie Lynch and Aisling Burke’s strikes.

On the boy’s side, St Killians created a little bit of history on Wednesday when they contested a first ever ‘A’ final when they fronted up against St Andrew’s.

It was not to be a first title as they missed out 2-1 but they can draw huge encouragement from their year, especially their semi-final 3-1 success against Wesley College.

They raced out of the blocks that day, building a 3-0 advantage. Three minutes in, Nathan Cawley’s quick free created the first as he found Luca Frischauf who offloaded to Samuel Hegner to sweep a lovely ball to Dan Raymond to score.

Tom Nisus got the second, robbing a ball high up the field and picked his spot and, after plenty of Wesley pressure, he popped up again for an imposing half-time advantage.

Wesley got one back in the second period but they were unable to further break down the Clonskea school’s defences, giving Killian’s a big day out, showing the progression the school is making under the tutelage of coach Tom Parsons.

On Wednesday this week, meanwhile, Mount Temple got the better of St Columba’s in the Junior B and U-13 B league finals.

Temple’s 1st year team, led by John Mullins, got a breakthrough midway through the first half when Christian Bauer bounced a shot into the goal.

Columba’s came back strong, making it 1-1 at half-time but first touches of the game for subs Adam O’Brien and Sean Lillefosse combined for an excellent goal and Darragh O’Flaherty’s first goal for Mount Temple completed a 3-1 win in which left-back Sean Jacob picked up the man of the match nomination.

At junior level in Booterstown, another Mullins, John’s older brother Kevin, led the team to victory. They were made to weather a Columba’s storm early on before taking the lead from a Mullins’ penalty corner.

And a run of five goals within 15 minutes from Matthew Dawkins, Sean Cassidy, Matthew Owen, Robert Duggan, and Andrew Jameison-Murphy were key to the win.

The second half was a tighter affair with the score at the final whistle 8 3 to Mount Temple, Andrew Lambe and Jameison-Murphy adding the goals.

North Dublin Schoolgirl League finals:
First Year Premier: Mount Temple 0 Santa Sabina 1; Minor Premier: KH 2 Mount Temple 0; Junior Premier: KH 1 Santa Sabina 0; Senior Premier: Mt Temple 2 Santa Sabina 1

Leinster Schoolboy League finals:
U-13 Boys A League final: St Andrews 2 St Killians 1; U-13 B final: Mount Temple 3 St Columba’s 1; Junior B: Mount Temple 8 St Andrews 3

Schoolboy final fixtures:
Senior A league: St Andrews vs Wesley, 2pm, Booterstown; Senior B league: Dundalk vs Newpark/High School, 3.30pm; Minor A league: St Andrews vs Wesley, 3.30pm, High school; Minor B league: Mount Temple vs St Killians