Eddie Gash: New-look Cork Harlequins 'only going to get better'
Muckross's Sophie Barnwell just misses out against Cork Harlequins' Lorna Bateman. Pic: Adrian Boehm
Cork Harlequins coach Eddie Gash knows it will be a steep learning curve this term in the women’s EY Hockey League but says the talent is there to step up this term.
His side drew 1-1 with Muckross in Dublin in just their second competitive fixture for 18 months with Quins fielding six schoolgirls in their panel.
They fell behind in the first half to Laura Hanlon’s finish from the penalty corner injection zone but Michelle Barry levelled in almost identical fashion.
And they might have nicked a result in the closing minute from another set piece but Muckross held on for the draw.
“The girls are disappointed,” Gash summed up afterwards. “They went 1-0 down and fought really hard to come back into it. There are a lot of positives to be taken from it.
“For six of the girls, it is their first game of women’s hockey so it’s great to have that under their belt and I am sure they are only going to get better the longer the season goes on and there will be better days ahead.”
The club stalwart took on the coaching reins this summer from long-time coach Darren Collins knowing there is a strong element of regeneration to the role. A large number of players moved on ahead of the short-lived 2020/21 season with the main replacements coming from the youth section.
Chief among them is Julia McCarthy whose skill videos have gained a decent amount of Instagram traction and she looks well able to put them to good use for real.
It was one of three draws in the women’s EY league with Pegasus drawing with Pembroke 1-1 and Catholic Institute drawing 2-2 at Rosbrien against UCD.
The Limerick side were left frustrated not to take more from it as Liz Ryan and Leah Clery had them 2-1 up with a couple of minutes to go before KJ Marshall scrambled in a late equaliser.
Old Alex were the big winners, Mikayla Power – daughter of Olympic umpire Carol Metchette – firing home twice in their emphatic 4-1 win over Belfast Harlequins.
On the men’s side, Kevin O’Dea’s arrival at UCD was not able to stem the tide against Three Rock Rovers as Ali Empey scored four times against the student club he departed a few weeks ago in a 5-2 result.
In Munster Division One, Catholic Institute beat Harlequins 3-2 in a big performance while Bandon made it two wins from two when they got the best of Ashton 4-2. Colin Kingston, Ross Smyth, David Smith, and Callum McCourt got their goals to give them the early lead in the table.
Annadale 3 (R Davidson, O McElhinney, D Tremlett) Corinthian 3 (C Futcher 2, D Howard); Glenanne 2 (S O’Donoghue, J McCormack) Lisnagarvey 1 (J Lorimer); Monkstown 1 (G Cole) Banbridge 1 (Ph Brown); UCD 2 (S Walker, S Byrne) Three Rock Rovers 5 (A Empey 4, R Spencer); YMCA 5 (R Henderson 3, H McCarthy, M Walker) Pembroke Wanderers 3 (A Sothern 2, J Dale)
Ashton 2 (John Sweetnam) Bandon 4 (Colin Kingston, Ross Smyth, David Smith, Callum McCourt); Catholic Institute 3 Harlequins 2; UCC v Cork C of I - off
Belfast Harlequins 1 (N Lyttle) Old Alexandra 4 (M Power 2, S Robinson, M O’Donnell); Catholic Institute 2 (E Ryan, L Clery) UCD 2 (S Young, KJ Marshall); Muckross 1 (L Hanlon) Cork Harlequins 1 (M Barry); Pegasus 1 (E Armstrong) Pembroke Wanderers 1 (C Foley)
Bandon 0 C of I 2 (Niamh O’Leary, Kay Gaffney); Belvedere 0 UCC 6 (Elva Kerr, Rebecca Kingston, Abi O’Mahony, Sarah Murphy, Jane Murphy, Nikki Barry)
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