Quins’ Goode to face former team-mates

CORK HARLEQUINS’ Irish international goalie Mary Goode will face her former team-mates at Pembroke Wanderers today when the two sides meet in the ESB Irish Senior Cup at Serpentine Avenue (hit-off 3pm).

Goode will back-bone a very experienced Quins side and, according to team captain Jan Dillon, the Irish keeper has added greatly to their defensive security since she arrived at the start of the current season.

“Mary has been working in Cork for a couple of years now, but she only joined us this season and she has been a wonderful addition to our squad since she arrived,” Dillon said last night.

“Last year she travelled up and down to Dublin to play with Pembroke. She was training with us throughout, but this year decided the travelling back and forwards was too much and she transferred to us. She adds a great deal of experience to our team along with the likes of Rachel Kohler and Karen Bateman,” Dillon added.

She also pointed out that Goode would be able to provide the Cork outfit with an excellent insight into some of the opposition players ahead of the game.

Quins come into the match on the back of a successful 3-1 victory over Railway Union last weekend, a game in which Bateman, Kohler and Marissa Ahern all scored.

They face a side which is joint top (though they are ahead on goal difference) of the Leinster Senior League with Hermes and which Dillon says has been in top form recently. “Pembroke are a top side and are bang in form. I understand they will be missing their former South African international Natalie Fulton, but they will have Louise Henderson, recently returned from Irish squad training in Malaga.

“But we have some fantastic young players too, such as Julia O’Halloran, who was also with the Irish squad in Spain, and we have a nice blend of youth and experience in the side and as long as we can perform to our potential we can come through this test.”

Harlequins have been the dominant force in women’s hockey for over a decade and going into a national cup game without having had a huge amount of competitive games has provided its own difficulties.

“It is not easy and the preparation has been a little hit-and-miss in that regard,” Dillon says, adding: “but teams like Cork Church of Ireland and Catholic Institute have been making big strides in Munster and that’s good. But even so, we often have to train against our men’s seconds or third team just to get competitive action.

“Our back-room team has been great, with Julie Dwyer, Darren Collins and Wes Bateman all involved in coaching, while Finbarr Kelliher is an excellent organiser as manager. But we’re taking nothing for granted going up to Dublin to play Pembroke; we know we have a great chance of progressing and we have to stay focused” she said.

Elsewhere in the ESB Cup this weekend, Cork Church of Ireland have a difficult game away to Ards at Newtownards, while UL have an equally daunting task against Hermes at St Andrews College. Both games hit off at 2.30pm.