MEN'S HOCKEY:AS THE first round of Leinster Senior League begins this weekend, players can, perhaps for the first time in the sport's history, genuinely look on this season as one that could lead to an Olympic Games with an Irish flavour next year in London.
By now players will have filtered back to their clubs (most of them playing professionally in Europe) and those that didn’t make the Irish squad but kept check on progress through the European Championships during the summer in Germany, will have seen a team now capable of mixing it with the best teams in the world. Ireland has bridged the gap with the elite world nations.
Finishing in fifth place Paul Revington’s side equaled the country’s best ever finish in the European Championships, beating world number five side Spain 3-2 in the process. As well as the Spanish conquest Ireland’s match against the defending champions England could so easily have fallen their way had a harsh yellow card not been awarded, while the Dutch left the pitch as winners but clearly rattled by Ireland’s new level of play.
What was as equally impressive was that players afterwards, notably Spanish-based captain Ronan Gormley, felt disappointed they hadn’t done better than just one place outside the automatic qualification place for London.
Ireland didn’t qualify for the Olympics but will get a final chance to do so in March, April or May of 2012 depending on where the Olympic qualifing tournament is held.
Traditionally that tournament has six teams and only the winners get a place in London. It’s a tough event but this Irish team will go there without fear. For the top players with clubs such as Monkstown, Pembroke, Three Rock Rovers and Glenanne, who kick off the domestic season tomorrow, there is something more up for grabs this year than provincial and national leagues.
LEINSTER SENIOR LEAGUESaturday: Division one – Monkstown v Railway Union, 1.30pm Rathdown, YMCA v UCD postponed ; Corinthians v Three Rock Rovers 1.00pm Whitechurch Clontarf v Glenanne 1.00pm Mount Temple; Fingal v Pembroke Wanderers 1.30pm AALSA. Sunday, Neville Cup First round – Mullingar v Weston, 12.30pm Tullamore; Monkstown v Pembroke Wanderers, 2.30 Rathdown; Glenanne v Corinthians 12.00pm Glenanne Park; Avoca v Railway Union tbc; Fingal v YMCA 12:00 ALSAA; Portrane v Clontarf, 11.00am Mount Temple
