Steven Nolan found the net five times against RCSI
Stephen Ludgate
Staff Writer
The hockey intervarsities were hosted by UCC, as the men’s first team travelled to Cork with hopes of qualifying for the semi-finals for the first time in 4 years. This year the competition was increased to 12 teams for the first time with DIT, ITT and UL playing in their first tournament.
The competition comprised three groups of four with the winner of each group qualifying for the semi-finals along with the best of the three runners up. Trinity were drawn in group B alongside hosts UCC, ITT and RCSI. The team got off to a poor start against hosts UCC losing 4-1 despite taking an early lead through Aran Rooney, but hopes for qualification were high after news came through that UCD had lost to DIT. This meant that qualification would likely come down to goal difference and knowing this the team hammered RCSI 12-2 in their next match. Steven Nolan was the star man netting 5 times.
In the final game, a 6 goal win was needed to progress and pip UCD on goal difference, and despite only a 2-1 lead at half time, Trinity pulled through to beat ITT 8-1 and qualify for the semis.
The draw pitted Trinity against Ulster University while UCC would take on DIT in the other. Despite a strong performance in the semis, Trinity lost out to UU 2-0, who took their chances and scored two opportunistic goals. UU went on to lose to UCC on penalties in the final, showing that TCD had not been far off the pace.
The team will hopefully take a lot from the weekend, and use it as an opportunity to push on in the provincial league, where they currently lie in 2nd place in Leinster division 2.
