After heading into the tournament with high ambitions, Dublin University Ladies Hockey Club (DULHC) failed to progress to the semi-finals of this year’s hockey intervarsities in St Andrew’s College in Booterstown. Despite overcoming Dublin City University (DCU) in their opening game, two defeats against Queen’s University Belfast and University College Cork (UCC) meant that Trinity’s hockey players exited the tournament in the group phase.
It wasn’t long after tip-off in Trinity’s first encounter before DCU were sneaking in for the game’s opening goal, after subjecting DULHC to immense pressure early on. Trinity, however, did not waste any time in formulating a response, with captain Ailish Long striking minutes later to level the scores.
At 1-1, DCU gained the upper hand once again and were good value for their second when they got it. But they hadn’t accounted for Long’s sharpness, as Trinity’s in-form striker nabbed two more to complete her hat-trick and snatch a 3-2 win for Trinity.
Spirits were high as Trinity went into their second game with Queen’s, despite increasingly wintery conditions making things more difficult. Things quickly went south for DULHC, however, as Trinity alumnus Anna Boland put Queen’s into an early lead. Tori Hastings doubled their advantage soon after, touching home after a cleverly worked short corner pattern to make it 2-0 and consign DULHC to defeat. With the sides facing again next week in the league, coach Brian Scully will look to learn lessons from this weekend’s defeat.
A semi-final spot was still on the cards for Trinity before a Sunday-afternoon clash with UCC, but hopes were soon dashed as a very strong UCC side put DULHC to the sword, scoring twice from short corners before adding a couple more to send Trinity towards the exit door with a 4-0 win. Long, ever-industrious, was Trinity’s best chance at creating something, but UCC’s high press meant they never looked particularly threatened and in the end were deserving victors.
Trinity will have left intervarsities with a sense of disappointment, but it will hardly scar what has been an excellent start to the season overall. After suffering relegation from the EYHL at the tail end of last season, DULHC have made almost a perfect start to life in Division 1 of the Leinster League with three wins and a draw in their first four games. Along the way they have found the net 15 times – and more impressive still is the fact that they have yet to concede a single goal. It seems a little early to speculate, but if Scully’s charges can maintain their current form then it’s difficult to see anybody stopping them.
DULHC have also been in action in a new division, the Irish Hockey League (IHL) Division 2, which will give them an immediate chance at obtaining promotion once again to the EYHL. The IHL 2, which is running alongside the Leinster League, features two groups of five sides, all vying for a return to the top table of Irish hockey. After an opening-day defeat to Corinthian, Trinity will be out for revenge when they take on Queen’s in Belfast next Sunday.
