HOCKEY: Hermes completed a highly successful European Cup Winners Trophy campaign in Italy yesterday, winning promotion for Ireland to the A division of the event next season by beating Budejovice of the Czech Republic in their gold medal play-off.

Instonians, meanwhile, retained Ireland's position in the men's B division, where 2006 cup winners Cork Harlequins will compete next season, trouncing HK Marathon 8-2 in Austria, with Chris Barnes getting four goals, to relegate the Croatian side.

Jenny Burke and Aoife McCarthy, with her first goal for the club, got the scores that gave Hermes a 2-0 victory over the Czech side. Villafranca of Italy also won promotion yesterday.