While the rugby men of Connacht were doing the province proud in the Sportsgrounds on Saturday, another team of Connacht athletes was battling for the pride of the eagle and sword in Hillsborough Co Down. I’m referring to that much be-bandaged and little-known group - the Connacht men’s over-fifties hockey team.
While that may conjure up images, more of Eddie the Eagle than John Muldoon, this is a group that takes its sport seriously, especially when it comes to carbohydrate loading and warm-down routines. The team features three Irish Masters International players –long-time Irish goalkeeper Martin White of NUIG, midfielder Neil Kearns from Bushy Park and Ian Walshe of Dublin. Players came from Galway Hockey Club, the NUIG Masters, Corinthians of Dublin, Dublin North, Athlone and Mullingar Hockey Clubs.
Battling in the intense, unseasonal heat, and playing four games in two days, the team pulled off some fine performances to finish third in the Masters Inter-Provincials at the weekend.
This annual festival of hockey attracted over 300 Masters players, from twenty teams in men’s and women’s age categories of over 40s, 45s, and 50s. Teams represented each of the four provinces. An Exiles team of ex-pats from Britain and the Irish International Masters Men’s team also competed.
Sources close to the Connacht squad spoke of their low-key build-up to the event, with weekly mixed social hockey sessions, a lot of strategic visualisation and marathon running.
Before the 9am start of Saturday’s opener, captain Neil Kearns delivered a rousing dressing room speech that set the tone for the weekend. Breathing in the heady atmosphere of thermal rubs, magic lotions and anti-aging cream, he declared, “I love the smell of Deep Heat in the morning. It smells like victory.”Choked with emotion, Paul O’Dowd cast off his knee supports saying, “Let’s win it for Mul lads.”It wasn’t long before a pile of discarded strapping, tape, plasters, ankle supports, sweat bands, ice-packs, Batman-style kevlar vests, elasto-pant leg constrictors and elbow restraints threatened to block the door. Player-manager Brian Rasmussen was forced to deem it a trip hazard. “Maybe we should put them back on again, men,” he suggested.
On the pitchagainst The Exiles team, the tackling was hard and the pace was hectic. The roll-on, crawl-off substitutions worked well.Connacht absorbed a lot of punishment (even more than they had previously from the physios, who eventually had to put up a notice on the Treatment Room door stating ‘This is not a time machine’). Early in the second half, The Exiles broke through to go a goal ahead. Connacht dug deep for energy into their fat reserves (which, in fairness, were ample) and fought their way back into the game, with John Stevens (from Connacht Masters’ Youth Academy ranks), the marauding Brian Rasmussen and the indefatigable Neil Kearns getting on top in midfield, while the abrasive Victor O’Shea dominated up front.
With one minute to go, a mazy run down the wing by the flying Dermot Nolan, resulted in a short corner.Using a pre-planned play, Ian Walshe struck a rocket of a shot, which found the corner of the goal, to grab a deserved 1-1 draw for the men of the west.
Afterwards, the team convened to the aptly-named, ‘Connacht Ice Baths’ outdoor tub for muscle recovery, post-match analysis and to psych out the Leinster team with a show of manliness.
Unfortunately, this cold-war, high-stakes mental ploy didn’t pay off. A hypothermic Connacht held Leinster scoreless until half-time, with Martin White in goal pulling off some brave diving saves. However, Leinster, boosted by four internationals, scored twice in the second half, to take the match by 2-0.
Saturday ended with the Tournament Dinner in the Lisnagarvey Hockey Clubhouse, where the men competed well in the queue for the hog roast dinner and compared notes and injuries with the Connacht over-45s ladies’ team, last year’s champions, who were putting up a brave defence of their title.
Another 9am start on Sunday saw the Connacht men take on old rivals Munster. It was backs-against-the-wall time for Connacht in the first half. Ex-army officer Sean O’Fiacháin kept his cool under fire, and, with legendary defender Hugh St Leger and indomitable Dave Meade at the back, withstood attack after attack. Goalkeeper Garrett McDermott stopped several point blank efforts with stick and glove. The second half was a different story.Despite playing without their talismanic marksman Frank Hogan, Connacht made tactical switches and the talented Mike Swan slotted in to steer the attack. Speedy Alan Stephens tormented Munster, before eventually breaking through several tackles, to feed New Zealander, John Stevens (no relation), who scored from close range, for a 1-0 Connacht victory.
On Sunday afternoon, Connacht faced their toughest challenge in undefeated champions Ulster. Buoyed up by their Munster result, Connacht nearly took an early lead when Dermot Nolan’s long delivery was deflected under the feet of the advancing keeper by the athletic Richie Paul at full stretch. Connacht celebrated what looked like the opening goal, but, unfortunately, the umpires saw it differently. Moments later, though, right wing, Paul Miller, milled a cross, which found tireless Jarlath Tierney on the edge of the area, who rifled it home.Characteristically, Ulster fought back to even it up in the second half, and the game finished as a 1-1 draw.
That was enough to put Connacht into third place. They would look back on a tournament, where they competed well, got to catch up with old friends, and to run out in the sun on the field of dreams one more time.
Galway Hockey Club’s President, Dermot Nolan, will be hosting an over-55’s hockey tournament in Galway in the autumn. He sees is as a step on the road to when Galway will have the facilities necessary (two adjacent pitches and club-house) to allow the city to host inter-provincial and international hockey events in all age categories.
Back Row: Martin White, Hugh St Leger, Mike Swan, Sean O’Fiachain, Richie Paul, Victor O’Shea, Jarlath Tierney, Ian Walshe, Garrett McDermott. Front Row: Brian Rasmussen, Paul Miller, Paul O’Dowd, Dermot Nolan, John Stevens, Alan Stephens, Neil Kearns (capt.), Dave Meade.
