There was plenty of good news for hockey clubs around the country this week with the announcement of the distribution of the Community Sport Facilities Fund. Kinvara Hockey Club topped the list with a grant of €443,700 that will finally give them a home pitch after over 40 years without one. Their days of having to make a 180km round trip from southwest Galway to Athlone to play their matches will soon come to an end.
In all, hockey clubs and schools were granted over €3 million for upgrades of existing facilities and construction of new ones. In another boost for the game in Galway, €387,003 was awarded for the building of a new hockey pitch at Miller’s Lane in the city, while Limerick’s Catholic Institute should go into the new EY Hockey League season with a spring in their step after being granted €198,197 to replace their pitch at Rosbrien.
There will be one significant tweak to Hockey League games this season. Teams will still pick up a point for a draw, but they can gain an extra one if they win the shoot-out that will now follow all tied games.
Loreto open the defence of their league title with a trip away to Ulster Elks, but they will be without the now retired Hannah Matthews, as well as Hannah McLoughlin and Sarah Torrans. The latter pair are among a sizeable group of Irish internationals who will be playing in Belgium this season where Sean Dancer, who stepped down as Irish coach in March, is now in charge of Antwerp club Dragons.
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McLoughlin has moved to Gantoise while Torrans has joined Waterloo Ducks, as has Ellen Curran from Pembroke Wanderers. Charlotte Beggs has left Ulster Elks for Wellington in Brussels, while the Carey twins, Niamh and Michelle, have joined Braxgata from Railway Union. UCD have also lost Sarah McAuley to HDM in the Netherlands where goalkeeper Ayeisha McFerran is back in action for HC Tilburg having been out since March with a knee injury.
Railway Union, who completed a Champions Trophy and Irish Senior Cup double last season, open their campaign at home to Pembroke Wanderers, whose new arrivals include Katherine Egan and Charlotte Cope from UCD.
Institute, who have lost Leah Cleary to Old Alexandra but have added former England youth international Tabby Billingham to their ranks, host newly promoted UCC, while UCD take on Alexandra at Belfield and Pegasus are at home to Ards, last season’s Division Two champions.
Hockey League – Saturday: Catholic Institute v UCC, Rosbrien, 12.30; UCD v Old Alexandra, Belfield, 1.0; Railway Union v Pembroke Wanderers, Park Avenue, 1.30; Ulster Elks v Loreto, UUJ, 2.30; Pegasus v Ards, Queens, 2.30.
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