On the back of receiving seven scholarships, Dublin University Ladies Hockey Club (DULHC) went into the weekend of Intervarsities in Three Rock Rovers Hockey Club with considerable momentum. They were competing in the Chilean Cup with their first game against Dublin Institute of Technology (DIT) at 9am on Saturday morning. Trinity was in Group A, along with DIT and Queens University Belfast (Queen’s).
Trinity started slowly against DIT and was the first to concede. This was remedied before the end of the first half with a goal from Ailish Long, one of the recent recipients of a sports scholarship. Similar to the first half, DIT started well after the break, going into the lead for the second time. Once again, Trinity managed to equalise with another Long goal, assisted by an incisive pass from her sister Jenny Long. The game finished on a sour note when a Trinity player suffered a bad injury.
Trinity’s next game against Queen’s wasn’t as close an affair, though Trinity did start well with a great goal only five minutes in. Queen’s recovered well from this and got one back after opening up the Trinity defence. Queen’s took control for the rest of the half, creating numerous goal-scoring opportunities. A score eventually came in the dying moments of the half, with Queen’s managing to snatch a goal from a scrappy short corner.
The second half was no better for Trinity. Five minutes in, Queen’s got its third goal of the game after getting in behind the Trinity defence. For the next 10 minutes, Trinity were the stronger of the two sides and nearly snuck the ball into the Queen’s net, the shot just saved by the opposition keeper. Queen’s punished Trinity’s missed chances with another goal of their own. Clearly bearing the importance of goal difference in mind, with 10 minutes to go Trinity got one back. The game finished 4-2 to Queen’s.
The men fared better than the ladies on the first day, also taking on DIT in what was a frantically paced game. Trinity was first to take the lead with a goal from Cillian Hynes, assisted by Robbie O’Hanlon. DIT was strong on the counter and managed to win a short corner a few minutes later. The initial flick was saved by keeper Hugh Lavery but the ball eventually ended up in the Trinity net. The goal was disallowed and DIT was instead awarded a second short corner. This resulted in a penalty flick which was duly slotted away, giving DIT the equalizer.
DIT upped the ante in the second half and took the lead early on. This goal gave Trinity the jolt it needed and the team began to put more pressure on the DIT defence. This culminated in another great goal from Cillian Hynes, lobbing the keeper to put Trinity ahead. This lead was added to minutes later with a goal from Trinity’s captain, Rory Nichols. Trinity managed to keep DIT out for the last few minutes of the match and the game finished 3-2. Trinity did well to come out on top against a team with plenty of Irish Hockey League players, a clear sign the players are in the process of turning things around after a lacklustre opening to the season.
Today will see the men take on Cork Institute of Technology (CIT), only needing a draw to make it to the semi-final. The ladies fate is less clear-cut. If Queen’s can beat DIT by three or more goals, then the ladies will go through and face University College Dublin in the semi final.
