HOCKEY:IT'S LEINSTER versus Ulster in the semi-finals of the Irish Senior Cup at Belfield tomorrow, with UCD taking on Pegasus in the first game of the day, followed by the meeting of Hermes and Ballymoney. The winners won't have much time for celebrating – the final takes place on Sunday at 1pm.
Tomorrow’s game will be the first of two Pegasus versus UCD semi-finals in a fortnight, the teams also paired in the Irish Hockey League. The Ulster champions tend to be marked as favourites for any game, but after their experience in the 2009 ISC final, when they lost 4-1 to the students, they’re unlikely to be taking Jonathan Harte’s side for granted.
Megan Tennant-Humphreys, Caitriona McGilp and Laura Wilson are the only survivors from the starting line-up for that victory, UCD’s first in the competition for 58 years, with three more of the substitutes from that day still in the squad.
Pegasus have also seen many changes, Ireland captain Alex Speers (with Railway Union) among those to leave, but they still have the experienced Arlene Boyles, Claire McMahon and Suzanne Beaney, amongst others, who will want to avenge their ’09 defeat.
Ballymoney return to the scene of their loss in the 2005 final, tomorrow’s opponents Hermes the team that beat them. Hermes should be in good shape after winning the Leinster Division One title a week ago, seven new recruits during the summer revitalising a squad coached by Mary Logue. Logue was coach of UCD in ’09, her captain that day Lisa Jacob – now the Hermes captain.
There’s plenty of cup-winning experience in the squad, then, not least with Jenny Burke, but Ballymoney aren’t short of players who have been through the highs and lows of the cup either, Susie Martin and Bridget McKeever two of several survivors from the team’s ’08 final defeat to Pegasus.
The team won its first Ulster Shield, beating Elks 2-0 last week. Should they reach the final, though, Ballymoney are likely to be without influential midfielder Julie Nelson, who will fly to Spain after the tie to join up with the Northern Ireland football squad.
WEEKEND FIXTURES
Tomorrow – Irish Senior Cup semi-finals (at Belfield): Pegasus v UCD, 10.30; Ballymoney v Hermes, 12.30. Sunday – Irish Senior Cup final, Belfield, 1pm.
