Harlequins hoping experience will see them through
Harlequins won this Cup in 2000 and lost last season’s final narrowly while Pegasus have been going through a barren period. Pegasus last won in 1998 and their losing run since was something of an unusual experience for a club long used to success.
Harlequins reached the finals of both men’s and ladies’ cup competitions last season and lost both. Their ladies will be hoping to take the first step towards helping the club improve on that by again reaching the final and last season’s experience represents a huge incentive.
The manner of their loss then in the ladies’ final was especially frustrating. They came back from two goals down to Loreto of Dublin only to surrender a decisive goal in disappointing fashion in extra time.
There have been several changes in the Harlequins’ team since last season and one of the most notable was the emergence of an exciting new attacking talent in Julia O’Halloran. Unfortunately they will not be able to call upon her services for this match.
Julia is a student at Mount Mercy Convent and she is scheduled to play for her school on Wednesday in the Senior Cup final against Crescent Comprehensive of Limerick in a repeat of last season’s final. Under the rules in Munster this prevents her from playing for Harlequins.
The Cork side will draw confidence from the presence of two outstanding players in midfield in Karen Bateman and Rachel Kohler whose international experience will be needed if they are to overcome a difficult challenge.
Kohler suggested her contribution to Harlequins has been helped by her decision to retire from the international scene after more than 150 appearances for Ireland.
She summed up the optimistic outlook prevalent within the club as the members look forward to travelling by charter flight to Belfast tomorrow for both men’s and ladies’ semi-finals by saying: “We are really looking forward to it although it was the least favourable draw we could have got.”
She acknowledged that a match against the highly rated Pegasus was always a big occasion and a huge challenge but added:
“This is one of the years when we are not completely in awe of them. We have been concentrating in training on the bad areas where we needed improvement.”
Pegasus will be powered by some of Ireland’s most outstanding players ... Karen Humphreys (sister of Ireland’s rugby star David), Claire McMahon, Arlene Boyles and Pam Magill included.
They will be deprived of Katherine Maybrin because of Ireland’s preparations for their trip to New Zealand and the Olympic qualifiers.
Pegasus are a developing team who are expected to regain the high ground in Ireland they occupied with regularity up until 1998. Harlequins enjoy a little edge in experience and will be anxious to make that tell.
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