The report comes during a period of down-time for the Irish men’s team prior to the Celtic Cup at the end of June before a hectic 2012/13 series of competitions.

Autumn sees the men take on the first round of the World League before Ireland set off, most likely, for Argentina in late November for the Champion’s Challenge I.

On the domestic front, despite reaching the Irish Hockey League finals, YMCA still face a tussle for a place in next year’s competition as they battle with Irish Senior Cup semi-finalists Instonians and UCC for the two wildcard places on offer.

Their respective participations have pushed out the season to this remote part of May, making the timing especially unfortunate for the students now in the midst of exam schedules.

Initial suggestions were that they may pull out but an agreement was reached to play back-to-back on Saturday in Belfield in an effort to limit the disruption to study plans.

They will hope Andy and Roger Gray can fire from corners for the Irish Hockey Trophy champions as they bid to boost Munster’s quota to three male entries for a first time. YM look the form team with Will Powderly back to play an influential role at centre-back with their quicker counter style a huge asset.

Inst, meanwhile, might be the main target for UCC but they have bags of top level experience with Paul Gleghorne adding a corner threat to his immaculate tackling.

Mark Irwin and Julian Lewis are combative influences while William Robinson and Chris Kirk add the dash down the right flank with John Watson probing down the left. Inst and YM are Banbridge-bound on Sunday for what could be a dead rubber should both sides beat UCC in the double-header.

On the women’s side, the competition has been reduced to three entries as no Munster side took up their invite to the wildcard event, again the lack of proximity to the regular season a major factor due to Hermes IHL semi-final berth delaying matters.

The IHA competitions committee will address this issue for next season but it narrows the odds for Galway in their efforts to give Connacht a first ever IHL place.

Hermes have the pedigree and, with their internationals available and a panel battling for a place in the European squad, are a side with plenty to prove this weekend.

Again, they will hope to have their place sewn up prior to a trio to Banbridge on Sunday to face Ards as Galway play twice in Belfield – Friday (8pm) against Ards on Saturday (2pm)

Electric Ireland Women’s IHL Wildcards
Friday, May 18: Hermes v Galway, 8pm, Belfield
Saturday, May 19: Galway v Ards, 2pm, Belfield
Sunday 20: Ards v Hermes 12.30pm, Havelock Park

Men’s IHL Wildcards
Saturday 19: Instonians v UCC, 12pm, Belfield; UCC v YMCA, 4pm, Belfield
Sunday 20: Instonians v YMCA 2.30pm, Havelock Park

To see their dream of playing on a new surface come to fruition, they are among a group of three clubs seeking to apply for a loan from the Leinster Hockey Association’s facilities fund.

The new pitch will provide top class playing facilities for the 200 club members of Suttonians as well as all 400 students in Sutton Park school –with whom the club have secured a 20-year lease – aged between nine and 18.

Total cost of the resurfacing comes to €175,000 and, throughout the 2011/12 season, Suttonians club have been raising cash to this end with a target of €75,000 in sight, raising in excess of €60,000 to date.

The expectation is that they will reach the target following their last two fundraising events of the coming season. These include an ASTRO-nomical night on May 25 in Clontarf Castle which begins with a cocktail reception at 7.30pm followed by a four-course dinner with music later in the evening. Tickets are €80 and can be obtained from Nicole Delaney on grantienic@gmail.com.

And the series of events conclude with a golf classic on June 22 in Howth golf club.

They are among three clubs who are aiming to improve their facilities in the coming year. Fingal applying to the LHA for a new shock pad and carpet at ALSAA while Monkstown are seeking to put in a new water-based pitch in Rathdown.

The Glenageary club are aiming to increase their current club membership from 370 to 670 with the new pitch being a key component. They are seeking a €120,000 from the LHA fund with a further €300,000 coming via a sports grant as they aim to raise the total cost of €800,000.

Clubs in the LHA will be invited to vote on each individual application at the LHA AGM on June 6

He has made four changes to the side which went to the Olympic qualifier tournament in Kontich in March with UCD rising stars Niamh Atcheler (pictured) and Anna O’Flanagan awarded recalls in the wake of their Irish Senior Cup win.

Slough-based Hannah Bowe and Loreto’s Niamh Small are also called in to the panel that will travel to London in early June for the Investec London Cup, an event which features four of the world’s top ten sides.

The event will be played at the University of Westminster grounds in Chiswick as part of the opposition’s build-up to the Olympics which get underway in late July. The four players to make way include the midfield trio of Emma Smyth, Shirley McCay and Lizzie Colvin while Lisa Jacob is replaced from the front-runners.

Nikki Evans returns to action after a combination of injury and exams kept her out of Railway Union’s bids in the Irish Hockey League and Senior Cup final weekends.

Ireland meet Australia on June 6 before facing the world number one side, the Netherlands, a day later before potentially playing two classification matches on June 9 and 10 if they finish above third in their three-team pool. Great Britain, South Africa and Germany are on the other side of the draw.

Commenting on the upcoming tournament Pritchard said that the tournament offers the right environment to begin the preparations for next September’s Champion’s Challenge I which is likely to be played in Sardinia.

“This event presents us with an unique occasion to play with freedom, to test ourselves against some of the best teams in the world and to give valuable pitch time to some less experienced players.

“Using well measured performance criteria we can enter every game with a focus for improvement. It’s going to very tough going but we will relish the challenge and embrace the opportunity.”

Ireland National Women’s Squad – Investec London Cup: Niamh Atcheler (UCD, 14), Hannah Bowe (Slough, 24), Emma Clarke (St Albans, 126),
Aine Connery (Hermes, 54), Miriam Crowley (Hermes, 39), Nicci Daly (Loreto, 39),
Nikki Evans (Railway Union, 28), Emma Gray (Hermes, 49), Michelle Harvey (Pegasus, 87),
Sinead McCarthy (Hermes, 51), Anna O’Flanagan (UCD, 16),
Audrey O’Flynn (Hermes, 64), Cliodhna Sargent (Cork Harlequins, 115), Niamh Small (Loreto, 55),
Pamela Smithwick (Old Alex, 14),
Alex Speers (Railway Union, 120),
Nikki Symmons (Loreto, 175),
Chloe Watkins (UCD, 45)

Investec London Cup
Pool A: Netherlands; Australia; Ireland
Pool B: Germany; Great Britain; South Africa

Tournament schedule:
Tuesday, June 5: Netherlands v Australia, 2pm; Great Britain v South Africa, 4.30pm
Wednesday, June 6: Australia v Ireland, 5.30pm; South Africa v Germany, 8pm
Thursday, June 7: Ireland v Netherlands, 5.30pm; Germany v Great Britain, 8pm
Saturday, June 9 and Sunday June 10: classification matches

For their third team, it was a monumental turnaround from the 2010/11 season which saw the side coming dangerously close to demotion. A combination of players moving down from the seconds, a number returning to competitive hockey and the youths moving into more regular men’s hockey meant that the side had a regular core team of about 10 players throughout the season, a stark contrast from the year previous.

The campaign got off to a great start in September with victories against Pembroke Wanderers, Avoca and St James Gate. The first blip of the season came with a loss in an away match to North Kildare, never an easy place to visit.

Rathgar were setting the pace but YM had them in their sight when they met in November with a chance of swapping league lead.

In what was one of the most memorable games of the season, and toughest, YM team dug deep and came away with the win, 4-2, and they retained the lead into the New Year despite a loss to Avoca in their last game of 2011.

Form continued into the second half of the season with solid wins over Monkstown, Rathgar and St James Gate. But, with the lack of consistent game time – out of the cup combined with other fixture issues – the league deciding fixture against Weston who were chasing them down all season was always going to be a close call.

Their plight was made more difficult as YM’s captain Andrew Faulkner dislocated his knee and tore his ACL during the second half and Weston took a 3-2 lead and the impetus in the title race.

The following week, the Y lost again to a lucky Three Rock Rovers side. The pressure was now on to win the remainder of the matches for the season, and for Weston to drop some points.

From their perspective, both scenarios came good. Weston lost to Pembroke, and YM won all their fixtures, closing with an excellent 6-0 victory against North Kildare in the final match of the season with experienced heads like Charlie Carroll, Pete Thompson and Warwick Armstrong on the mark.

A division below, their fourth team finally pinned down some silverware after a couple of years knocking on the door.

The side had a fantastic season, going unbeaten at home all year, securing ten wins and a draw. Victories over closest rivals Athy, both home and away, were key to their successful campaign.

Captain Graham Walker came away as top scorer netting 17 goals – including two hat-tricks – from midfield. Leo Micklem, the rookie goalkeeper with a great future ahead of him, had an impressive seven clean sheets as YM continue to produce top class keepers.

Geoff Lenehan also had some incredible late goals over the season before jetting off to concentrate on becoming a professional golfer. Andrew O Leary, Simon Tobin and Ross Gribben all got their fair share of goals while Frank Kelly, Daragh Lyons and Adam Lee kept it tight and organised at the back. Jason Miller and Eoghan O’Mara Walsh brought what money can’t buy, experience.

** If you would like your club’s season to feature on The Hook in the coming weeks, feel free to email all the details on to hook_results@yahoo.com

Having earned promotion three months ago in Turkey, the club have been drawn in a pool to face Denmark’s Orient Lyngby, Italy’s HC Bra and Slovenia’s Triglav Predanovci while the opposite pool features Hungarian, Slovakian, Welsh and Turkish sides. The tournament runs from February 15 to 17, 2013.

Women’s National Indoor Trophy champions Ards will compete in Women’s Challenge event and will travel to Portugal for the event. They have been drawn against Turkish, Welsh and Swedish opposition for the competition which takes place on February 22 to 24.

** Hockey was included among the sports on display on Europe Day at the Civil Service Cricket Grounds, Phoenix Park.

“There is no going back to an era of hatred and animosity. This is the formula we need to bring all the ‘New Europeans’ together. If we are to have a successful expansion of the EU, we must build trust and social capital among the international diaspora here in the Irish Republic. I commend SARI and the GAA for this unique sporting initiative.”

For those who were unable to make it to Belfield, Ronan has sent on his words from the day to extend his thanks to all who have offered their support:

“Mr President, wonderful friends in Hockey, on behalf of my son Chris, his mother Suzanne and our families, I wish to publicly thank you for the incredible support given to us during Chris’s recent traumatic illness.

“Please pass on our sincere thanks to anyone kind enough to enquire and assure them that their support is very much appreciated.

“Throughout this crisis, the hockey community has overwhelmed us with support through texts, e-mails and enquiries to family and friends. We are particularly bowled over by the response to “The Friends of Chris Pelow Fund” set up by Corinthian HC to help with still indeterminate costs. Our thanks to all for their wonderful generosity, organising and contributing to this initiative.

“Today, I can truly say that Hockey Connections saved Chris’s life. From day one his medical care has been in the hands of friends, fellow members of his hockey club, Sydney Uni. His surgeon Sanjeev Gupta, is a past 1st grade player who now plays masters.

“Sydney University HC, together with you the Irish hockey community, prove my long held belief that nothing surpasses hockey as a sport and as a support structure.

“The friendship shown by SUHC has been extraordinary, in particular Moylo, Crenno, Dags, Andy, but so many others too, they’ve all rallied round and have been a fantastic support not only to Chris but to his mother and I. Without this our time in Sydney would have been even more difficult.

“Chris has many really good friends, two happened to be on the ground with him as this crisis unfolded, Ian Slattery and Mark Willis both also past pupils of Wesley College. They stood with him like true friends do giving Chris vital support while he awaited our arrival. At home here Henry Micks, Iain Walker and others who helped drive fundraising efforts, of which we were unaware till much later.

“While in RPA Hospital Chris was granted a four year work visa, having been sponsored by his employers TRC Group, to whom I would like to pay tribute for the support they have shown him. His job is secure and they want him back at his desk when he’s ready. This is of enormous psychological help giving Chris a tangible goal to aim for.

“Through social media ,Facebook and Twitter, Chris kept his friends (and the world) informed of his situation, often without us realising it, the support derived has been a great help.

“During the past few weeks, Chris has enjoyed being back in Dublin amongst family and friends. He delighted in watching Corinthian II win the IJC for the first time, just five days after coming home – a great homecoming party – well done lads.

“Chris returns to Sydney at the end of the month to continue his re-hab to regain full mobility, independence and importantly, to return to work

“I’ve no doubt that he will have much to contend with both physically and mentally, but if these past few months are anything to go by, he’s up for these challenges helped by continuing support from Hockey Connections here, in Sydney and beyond.

“Thank you one and all.”

Ronan Pelow

It was something which skipper Mark Black agreed is a likelihood in the wake of the Farmer’s Cross club’s 4-3 Irish Senior Cup win over Railway Union.

He told The Hook: “I was planning on retiring but we’ll have to revisit that one. Another year in us? The EHL should be interesting!”

That they managed to annex their second Irish Senior Cup title will be cause for great wonder for many years. Their only other win, back in 2006, was seen by many as the fruition of a golden generation, their third final in the space of four years, with a crop of players in their prime.

No fewer than nine of that side – many of whom are now well into their 30s – now have a second medal as their experience and corner efficiency saw off a Railway Union side at the opposite end of the spectrum.

Fielding four schoolboys in the match day 16, it made for a novel final pairing which few could have predicted at the season’s start. The tussle they served up was light on tactics but made for a thrill-a-minute contest.

Dan Hobbs double and a close-range volley from Colin Ross turned logic on its head as Railway – gunning for a first title since 1938 – bossed most of the play.

But they never found a smart enough pathway through John Hobbs’ defensive line while Chris Daunt picked off a string of top saves.

Their two early goals owed much to fortune as Mark English’s baseline pull-back found an inviting foot to deflect into Rob Abbott’s path for a simple finish.

David Egner equalised when Paul Lombard’s miscontrol fell his way but Railway had the lead when Daunt stood on a crash ball that Karl Chapple snapped up. With English inspiring much down the left wing, Railway looked well placed to push on.

But Quins’ ability to win corners, especially via former international David Eakins, allowed the Cork side to maximise their returns from what attacks they did have.

Dan Hobbs ripped home one low to level at 2-2 on 46 minutes and two minutes later he aimed one higher and further into the corner for the lead. Ross all but assured the result with ten minutes left when Hobbs’ drag was rebounded by Egner onto the bar.

Peter English got one back with three minutes to go from the penalty spot but Quins played the endgame well, skipper Mark Black – another former international – playing out time.

Reacting afterwards, Black added it was something he scarcely could have envisaged earlier in the campaign. “I can’t believe it. It’s amazing for the club, for the lads like David Eakins there who has been playing 14 years, in his fourth senior cup final and has never won one,” he said.

“It’s been a long journey for some of us but this is the prize.I never expected us to be back in this arena. If you said at the start of the year, we’d be winning the Irish Senior Cup, I wouldn’t have put money on it; it’s just amazing.”

He also paid tribute to coach Phil Oakley who has helped the club manage to get back Munster superiority from Cork C of I in the past two seasons, adding this cup title for good measure.

“Phil’s dedication with us has been massive. It’s been a learning curve for him, too, it being the first men’s side he has coached. We’ve worked well as a team together. A couple of the older heads have been helping Phil along, too, and he has a big future ahead of him.”

Both Black and Lombard brothers were said to be donning the black and white for a last time. With a EuroHockey League campaign to come, such threats may well be put on hold.

For Railway, it brought to an end a ground-breaking season, getting into the IHL places with a fourth place Leinster league finish and a first ISC final place since the 1970s.

Kenny Carroll afterwards spoke graciously and at length in the post-match speech, citing the incredible influence of coach Ian O’Keeffe, crediting him with “bringing Railway from the bottom of division one” to this point. With just two players at the 30 mark and the majority with most their 20s still to come, they could push on further if all stay together for a few more seasons.

Railway Union: S O’Keeffe, K Chapple, R Nair, K Carroll, M English, P English, R Forrest, R Abbott, E MacArthur, F Keaveney, J Duncan
Subs: R Devlin, D McCarthy, A Garcia, F Maher, R Boreland

Cork Harlequins: C Daunt, D Eakins, P O’Driscoll, J Hobbs, D Hobbs, J Black, M Black, P McLaughlin, D Egner, P Lombard, D Lombard
Subs: S Nicholson, R Hobbs, B Hayes-Curtin, S Ross, C Ross
Umpires: D Clarke, G Conn

Once again, it was a heartbreaker for Loreto as a manic 65th minute saw the Beaufort side two inches from glory and, less than 30 seconds later, they were picking the ball out of the goal.

The inside of the post came to the students rescue as Niamh Small delicately deflected Nikki Symmons’ artfully crafted through-ball.

It was just an ounce too delicate and the metallic ding fell kindly for UCD who countered brilliantly. Niamh Atcheler got a hold of the ball and launched it to Chloe Watkins on the right edge of the Loreto circle, behind the cover defense.

O’Flanagan raised up in support and while the cross did not eliminate Louisa Healy, it had a welcoming angle to dink up and over a sliding keeper, scrambling to get across. It piled on the pain for Loreto seven days after they fell in the Irish Hockey League decider in controversial fashion.

But what Johnny Harte and his team has achieved this term, winning a treble, is made all the more impressive as he only had the experience of one player of the 2009 vintage – captain Laura Wilson – to call on.

Five others had experience Senior Cup finals before but all had been on the losing side. Fittingly, Wilson was to lift the trophy in what could prove to be her last game in a College jersey.

They started in flying form as Nicola Gray swept the first corner of the game left of the Loreto goal where injector Atcheler waited gleefully to push home.

Loreto’s first half form was disjointed but, with Nikki Symmons switched to a midfield role, found a stuttering increase in rhythm by the break. Hannah Matthews capped it with a brilliant ramped touch to Symmons’ slap-shot for 1-1.

And the panache and momentum held true after the turnaround. Nicci Daly almost created the perfect narrative riposte when she finished off a superb interchange with Cathy McKean to put Loreto ahead.

She had been denied a brilliant equaliser a week ago that would have forced extra-time against Railway Union. It felt like a redemptive moment of sorts.

But the students had other ideas, getting back on terms in the 49th minute when Rachel O’Reilly was the last woman off the floor in a goalmouth melee to claim the equaliser, Deirdre Duke and O’Flanagan the instigators.

The closing phase was played out at break-neck pace with Loreto looking the more likely to nab a winner as Daly probed down the right wing. But Brenda Flannery picked off a series of brilliant tackles, protecting her back four from the base of midfield.

And the winning came in that fateful minute. Symmons’ disguise pass picked out Small for a deft touch but the post was kind and Niamh Atcheler retrieved the ball. Her lengthy overhead fell to Watkins and her pass was weighted for O’Flanagan to steal the show.

For coach Harte is was a moment to savour, too, having missed out on the title when coach of Pembroke and he paid tribute to the manner of his side’s victory.

“There was nothing easy all season in our Irish Senior Cup run, really hard and competitive teams throughout. Today could have gone either way in the last 10 or 15 minutes and luckily enough, we got on the right side of it.

“Thank God they hit the post rather than it going in because, at that stage, whichever team scored, it was going to be very difficult to come back so late on.”

UCD: S Davis, S Greene, R O’Reilly, N Gray, L Wilson, C Watkins, B Flannery, N Atcheler, A O’Flanagan, D Duke, D Gorman
Subs: L Ewart, C Hill, K Collins-Smyth, N Farrell, J Deacon

Loreto: L Healy, A Meeke, N Daly, S McGirr, N Symmons, C McKean, R Keegan, L Colvin, N Small, S Clarke, H Matthews
Subs: N Keegan, S Barnwell, O O’Shea, H Mulcahy, J McGirr
Umpires: M Flahive, C Metchette

Indeed, they were well deserving of the honour for a composed second half performance in which they created more against a Lisburn side perhaps feeling last weekend’s efforts in their legs.

Kenny Carroll, Ravin Nair and Richie Forrest were a concrete block around the circle while Stephen O’Keeffe saved numerous efforts, most notably picking the flight of Timmy Cockram’s final hooter drag.

And they always have the firepower up front to pick off their share of goals. Karl Chapple got the first on five minutes when Mark English arrowed a reverse-stick ball from the right.

It clunked the post where Rob Abbott picked up the rebound which John Tormey saved but only into the path of Chapple to score.

Garvey did enjoy plenty of first half possession but little penetration until Forrest (deliberate foot) and Carroll (ugly sliding tackle) were both binned. With two players extra, the Lisburn men leveled as Andy Forrest latched onto a rebound off O’Keeffe.

But Peter English re-established a half-time advantage when he muscled in a high drag-flick for 2-1 at the break.

Cockram was credited with the second equaliser from a heavilty deflected, 40th minute corner but Railway looked the more likely to swing the tie their way from then on.

It was swift counters that were their modus operandi as Abbott nearly thrust through while Mark English’s reverse stung the palm of Tormey.

Steven Arbuthnot almost capitalised when Peter English’s slip left him clean through but O’Keeffe met him at the top of the circle and saved with confidence.

But Railway were getting in position to launch a volley of crash balls before taking the lead for a third time in the 64th minute.

Many players had stopped for what they thought would be a penalty corner but Mark English quickly pulled back to the dotted line and was unchecked before hitting the circle and unleashing a cracking mid-height shot that Tormey barely saw.

Garvey pushed on – swapping Tormey out for an extra outfielder – and were rewarded when Stuart McNeice won a last minute corner. The first effort was blocked by a foot before Cockram aimed low but O’Keeffe capped his performance with an excellent stick-save.

They now will now hope to end a 73-year wait for the Irish Senior Cup, their last success coming in 1939 – their fourth title in a decade at the time.

Railway Union: S O’Keeffe, K Carroll, R Nair, P English, E MacArthur, F Keaveney, R Forrest, M English, R Abbott, K Chapple, J Duncan
Subs: D McCarthy, F Maher, A Garcia, R Boreland, R Devlin

Lisnagarvey: J Tormey, J Bell, B Waring, S Arbuthnot, D Buser, R Arneill, P MacDonnell, M Raphael, T Cockram, R Forrest, G Thompson
Subs: J Dowling, G Bittle, M Harte, S McNeice
Umpires: G Caulwell, R Johnston

Cork Harlequins 4 (J Hobbs 2, D Hobbs, D Egner) Instonians 3 (P Gleghorne 2, M Irwin)
Cork Harlequins netted twice in the closing 15 minutes to come from a goal down to come within one game of claiming their second Irish Senior Cup crown.

Hobbs brothers John and Dan won the corner battle with Paul Gleghorne – scoring three to the Irish international’s two – in a game which was short of picture perfect hockey but loaded with grit and grind.

Gleghorne had twice put Inst in front, his first coming in the seventh minute from the third of a string of corners, the first two of which saw William Robinson crack runner Jason Black on the foot.

In response, John Hobbs pushed low for 1-1 in the 32nd minute but the lively John Watson won a fourth corner for Inst just before the break. The Shaws Bridge side repeated the routine, a little switch left and a Gleghorne flick pushed them back in front.

After Harlequins went through their deck of flickers – Dan Hobbs and Dave Eakins having a go – before John Hobbs had another go and duly scored.

Parity again only lasted two minutes as a rare, well-crafted move saw Julian Lewis find Watson on the left edge of the D and he cracked across to Mark Irwin for a simple touch in.

But Quins had the experience to stay alert, probing the edge of the circle and eventually weedling a route through as David Lombard drove in and squared for Dave Egner to finish off.

Two more corners came and went before Dan Hobbs drove home a powerful winner six minutes from time and the European dream lives on for Quins.

Cork Harlequins: C Daunt, J Hobbs, R Hobbs, J Black, S Nicholson, M Black, P Lombard, D Lombard, D Eakins, D Egner, P McLaughlin
Subs: P O’Driscoll, B Hayes-Curtin, D Hobbs, C Ross

Instonians: N Skillen, M Irwin, C Kirk, J Watson, M Martin, P Gleghorne, J Corry, S Redpath, W Robinson, J Lewis, S McWilliams
Subs: P Young, P Brown
Umpires: G Conn, D Clarke