McVicker calls for move indoors amid fixture chaos

A legend of the women’s game in Ireland has called for hockey to be moved indoors for the winter as the cold snap looked set to cause further fixture chaos this weekend. Lynsey McVicker will be left kicking her heels once more today, after snow and ice caused the postponement of her Ballymoney side’s Irish Senior Cup clash with Cork C of I. That is just one of five games that were called off on Friday, with nearly all of the remaining 11 clashes – bar C of I men’s clash with Pembroke – also in doubt, potentially adding to the fixture chaos already seen this season.

Regular readers of Southern Fried will need no reminding of the saga that ran on for two months following the abandoned Annadale/Cookstown clash, while a number of clubs – particularly in Ulster – will be playing catch-up via midweek games for the rest of the season in an attempt to clear the backlog. Indeed, last month McVicker admitted her side are likely to be playing matches twice a week for the remainder of the season. Another side who could be set for a major headache are Banbridge, if today’s ISC tie at Raphoe in Donegal doesn’t go ahead. The first clash between the sides on January 24 was postponed, and Cork Harlequins await the winners. But with next weekend ruled out due to the U21 interpros, Bann or Raphoe could find themselves still yet to have the first-round tie played by the time the third round comes into view on February 21 – something that will hardly please Quins either. The combination of some prolonged spells of exceptionally cold weather hasn’t been hockey’s only enemy this winter; just a few weeks back, storm-force winds put players’ safety at risk as goalposts wouldn’t stay upright. Munster has escaped the brunt of the problem, but thoughts have naturally returned to renewing interest in the indoor game as a result – which the organisers of the Tony Byrne Cup, an indoor tournament held in the National Basketball Arena that reaches its conclusion on Sunday, will be delighted to hear. McVicker, an MBE, has added her voice of experience to the debate, telling today’s Belfast Telegraph: “I definitely think it is worth considering reverting back to indoor hockey over here, and taking a mid-winter break from the outdoor game.” Indoor hockey was largely scrapped here in the 1990s due to a fall-off in interest, but still maintains a decent profile elsewhere in Europe, with Germany and Austria both favouring an indoor winter season. As the Telegraph points out, McVicker’s former Ireland colleague Clare Parkhill played for Bowdon Hightown in last weekend’s English National Finals day in Birmingham, which was shown live on satellite television. Indeed, the winners of the Tony Byrne Cup – this year entered exclusively by Leinster teams – will represent Ireland in the 2010 European Indoor Championships, with Monkstown and Three Rock Rovers the current favourites based on last weekend’s first group stage matches. The six-a-side game is played with sideboards and is therefore extremely fast, predictably requiring high levels of fitness and technique. Hitting is forbidden, as is raising the ball outside the circle. Footage from last weekend’s Tony Byrne Cup action is available in the two videos below. Pembroke V. Monkstown Indoor 1.2.2009 from Backcast Live on Vimeo. Glennane V. TRR Indoor 1.2.2009 from Backcast Live on Vimeo.