HOCKEY: UCD sprang the big surprise of the Leinster Senior Cup when they beat holders Hermes 1-0 in yesterday's semi-finals, while Railway Union won by the same scoreline against Old Alexandra. Eimear Horan got the winner for UCD five minutes from time after her side had some narrow escapes, twice clearing Hermes efforts off their line.
Railway, too, had to work hard for their victory which came courtesy of an Emma Smyth goal from a short corner midway through the first half.
The win completed a successful weekend for Railway who, on Saturday, beat Pembroke Wanderers 2-0 in the league, with both goals coming from Cathy Kenefick. It was Pembroke's third successive league defeat and they now drop to third in the table, with Loreto moving to second place after their 2-1 win over Old Alexandra. Nikki Keegan, who was given permission by Irish coach Riet Kuper to play in the game, celebrated her international call-up with Loreto's winner in the last minute.
Hermes II, who beat Pegasus II 3-2, will meet Lurgan, 2-1 winners over Pembroke Wanderers II, in the final of the Irish Junior Cup.
On Saturday the Irish Hockey Association announced major reforms in the domestic game that will take effect in September of next year. Two regional conferences (the Northern and Southern Conferences) will be created, in which the leading clubs from Leinster, Munster and Ulster will compete.
The top clubs from the two conferences will then advance to a nine-team national superleague, which will replace the existing club championships.
The entire new competition will span 16-18 weeks, the period for which the IHA's new high performance plan had proposed international players be available to their clubs.
The winners of the senior interprovincial tournament will be entered into the European Club Championships, with the winners of the national superleague representing Ireland in European Cup Winners Cup competition.
Irish Senior Cup winners will no longer qualify for European competition under the new system. As one of the chief advocates of the reforms Irish coach Dave Passmore should be significantly more happy with the proposals than he was with his team's performances in Saturday's 3-2 defeat by Poland and in yesterday's 6-3 win over Italy.
Poland scored three goals from just four attempts on goal, with Ireland replying through Timmy Cockram and John Jermyn, both from penalty corners, leaving Passmore bemoaning Ireland's inability to take their chances.
And yesterday Passmore was unhappy with the defence. "Our defensive work was too sloppy," he said, "while our attacking play was good we lost concentration too often and it was very disappointing to concede three goals."
On a happier note Trinity's Phelie Maguire opened his international account with a hat-trick against the Italians, the first of his goals coming in the opening minute.
Back home Pembroke Wanderers and Three Rock Rovers won through to the final of the Leinster Senior Cup with wins yesterday over Glenanne and Corinthian, respectively. Pembroke were 4-0 up against Glenanne, with Gordon Elliott scoring a hat-trick, before Stephen Butler and Joe Brennan pulled two goals back in the second half. Peter McConnell (two) and Mark Henderson got Three Rock's goals in their win at Grange Road.
