On Friday night, as Connacht was lashed by storm
Hannah coming from Munster, a band of elderly Connacht athletes was
withstanding a similar onslaught of relentless high pressure coming from
Munster’s over-50’s men’s hockey team.
In their opening match of the Masters Hockey
Inter-Provincial series, Connacht’s men drove into the strong wind and rain,
taking the game to their neighbours. Unfortunately, though Brian Rasmussen and
Jarlath Tierney went close, Connacht failed to convert its scoring
opportunities. Against the run of play, Munster went ahead on the stroke of
half time. Connacht then suffered two hammer blows as first James Allison and
then Paul Miller pulled up injured. The protective strappings and kinesiology
tape were liberally applied during the break, but a re-jigged formation,
smelling strongly of deep heat, failed to click and Connacht suffered its first
defeat of the weekend, losing 2-0.
Connacht had travelled more in hope than in
expectation, being without the steady Mike Swan at the helm in defence, Kiwi
John Stevens in midfield and goal-scoring supremo Frank Hogan up front. Regular
goalkeeper, Martin White of NUIG, was away on international duty with the Irish
team in the Netherlands. Three Rock Rovers of Dublin hosted this year’s
tournament, which featured over 300 participants in men’s and women’s teams at
age categories of over-35, -40, -45 and -50.
Saturday morning’s opposition was the fancied Leinster
team. Once again, Connacht started well, but this time it was Damien Henry, who
had been causing the blues problems with his blistering pace on the left wing,
who had to retire due to injury. Leinster took advantage and began to get a
grip on the game, scoring their first before half time. In the second half,
Fergal Moynihan - stepping up from the Youth Academy - turned on the
style for Connacht, bursting through the Leinster defence on several occasions
and having three chances saved. Alan Stephens also narrowly shot wide after a
good move by Sean O’Fiacháin. Connacht failed to maintain this momentum into
the final quarter however, and Leinster eventually closed out the victory by
3-0.
Saturday afternoon brought up defending champions
Ulster. A determined Connacht team, many straight off the physio tables,
responded to the exhortations of Neil Kearns and captain Dermot Nolan in
midfield, and really put it up to the perennial winners. Hugh St Leger stood
firm at centre back, batting ball after ball away, like a cricketer at the
crease. Unfortunately, Ulster were not to be denied. They used their bench
wisely, and brought on fresh legs in the second half to grind out a convincing
win.
Connacht’s stormy weekend ended on Sunday afternoon.
A team depleted by injury and missing the influential Moynihan suffered
defeat to the Exiles, a UK-based team of ex-pats. Over all, having shown great
promise in their early season encounters, it was a below-par tournament
performance by the veterans of the west. The writing had been on the wall,
however after their recent loss in March to Corinthians hockey Club of Dublin,
despite tenacious tackling by new Connacht cap John Folan, formerly of
Galwegians Rugby Club, whose name was first on the team sheet when he heard that
a team called Corinthians was involved.
On a positive note, the tournament introduced four
new Connacht caps, which is an indication of the growth of Men's Masters Hockey
in the west, particularly as a sporting outlet for those who have played other
codes in their youth, such as rugby, hurling or soccer.
Front Row: Pat Boylan, Dermot Nolan, Brian Rasmussen, Garret McDermott, Alan Stephens, Fergal Moynihan, Damien Henry, Jarlath Tierney.
Back row: Victor O’Shea, Paul O’Dowd, Alan Ralph, Hugh StLeger, Paul Miller, Sean O’Fiachain, John Folan, Neil Kearns
