Irish sides battle hard at inaugural Masters World Cup

**Words kindly supplied by Helen Johnston The inaugural FIH approved Hockey Masters World Cup saw 43 teams from 11 countries take part in six competitions in Canterbury last week for a hugely successful event. Ireland sent five teams – men’s O40s, O45s, O50s, and O55s and women’s O40s and O50s – for an intense week of action.

On the women’s side, the Irish O50s team travelled with a squad of 14 players for their first competition. The team was managed by player Dee Mooney, coached by Stu Malcolm and captained by Helen Johnston. Cathy Walsh and Dymphna Hill, both from Cork C of I, represented Munster. They competed in a pool of five teams, starting off against Wales, recording a 2-0 win. Randalstown’s Carolyn Shankey slotted home a short corner rebound and then scored her second with a quick free inside the 23m. From there, she raced into the circle and fired home a shot high into the roof of the net. Wales responded well in the second half but Railway’s Helen Roche, in goals, pulled off a number of saves to keep a clean sheet. On day two, the team faced a strong and experienced England team. Ireland were 1-0 up at half-time courtesy of Three Rock Ladies Maura O’Neill’s shot off a corner rebound. Despite the heroic second half efforts by Old Alex centre back Orla Galvin, however, England ran out 4-1 winners. Facing Australia on a third consecutive day of competition with tired legs being felt, defensive errors were starting to creep in with the hockeyroos scoring three times in the last five minutes to win 4-0. New Zealand were next on the agenda with third place up for grabs. Ireland went 2-0 ahead through an O’Neill penalty stroke and a Shankey short corner switch. The Kiwis got one back in the second half and equalised on the final whistle but Ireland had done enough to warrant a semi final against Australia the following day. Australia went 3-0 up against Ireland in the first half, showing the benefits of an extra day’s rest, and although the green army matched them after the break, they couldn’t find the all-important goals. England’s win over New Zealand meant the kiwis were again the opposition on day six. The Kiwis started the strongest and were 1-0 up at half time and doubled their lead in the 2nd half. Ireland did not give up and chased the match, being rewarded with a goal three minutes from time off a Cathy Walsh (Cork C of I) strike at a penalty corner. In the last minute, Walsh subsequently hit the post from another corner strike with the ball running agonisingly across the goal and off the back line, leaving Ireland fourth in their maiden competition after six matches in six days.

It later transpired Shankey broke her finger in the first match but continued to play with it strapped throughout the tournament and Dymphna Hill (Cork C of I) broke her thumb in the semi final and played with it strapped in the 3rd/4th play off, adding more pressure to a panel of players. The Irish O50s player of the tournament was Maura O’Neill. At O40s level, Ireland played in a pool of seven teams in a round-robin format, a very competitive section and, with a squad of 13-15 players, many of whom were in the 45-49 age bracket, it was always going to be difficult. The side was managed by player Ailish Langan, coached by Ben Epstein and captained by Alison Pigot, with Joan Dobson (Cork C of I) the sole Munster representative. They started with two matches on day one, Wales in the morning and England in the evening. Wales started strong and soon Ireland were 2-0 down, getting one back through good play by midfielder Brenda Barrett just before half time. Although Ireland had lots of pressure and corners in the second half, they were unable to get that all-important equalising goal. Six hours later, Ireland were back in action against a strong English side playing their first match. Five minutes in and Ireland were 1-0 down when they faced a penalty stroke but goalkeeper Sinead Guilfoyle saved that effort stroke which rallied the team, keeping the hosts at bay until a late second ended the tie. Australia were next on the agenda and Ireland held them to a single first half-goal but the previous day’s matches took their toll in the second half with the final result 5-0 in Australia’s favour. Newcomers South Africa were the fourth opposition and the women in green stamped their authority on the match with Pembroke players Ash Schutte and Ali Pigot finding the net. The South Africans did get on the score sheet but Ireland ran out 2-1 winners. Against Scotland on day four, despite the best efforts of Marion O’Brien (Swords) and Jane Salter (Glenanne) in scoring goals for Ireland, the final result was 4-2 to Scotland. The Irish O-40s final game was against top of the table New Zealand, and, by this time, injuries and fatigue were setting in to the Irish team. Pigot scored for Ireland and despite the valiant efforts of Linda Jenkinson, Mairead Lyons and Sinead Guilfoyle in defence the Kiwis scored six times to leave the final score 6-1, leaving Ireland sixth in their competition with Sinead Guilfoyle named player of the tournament. In the men’s competition, the unavailability of many players for the entirety of the tournament stretched their resources somewhat, although that didn’t stop two of the three sides being competitive. The O40s, who had Munster men John Wallace and Ivan Moore (Catholic Institute) and George Blackwell (Limerick) on board, relied on Jason Hills’s goals but pool stage defeats to New Zealand and Germany left them facing South Africa in the playoffs, and a 5-2 defeat consigned them to eigthth place. Ashton’s Mark Stockil capped off the O45s tournament in style, scoring the final goal in their 4-1 over the USA that lifted them to seventh place, following a 2-2 draw with Wales in their first playoff match. Another highlight for this team included a 1-1 draw with Spain in the pool stages. The O50s, who had Stuart Egner (Cork Harlequins) and Ollie O’Connor (Catholic Institute) in their ranks, finished their competition in somewhat gentlemanly fashion. 3-0 up against Italy in the 7th/8th place playoff, they allowed the Italians come back to 3-3 and called it a day at the final whistle; no extra-time or penalty strokes were taken, with the countries instead sharing seventh place. ** 2013 is a big year for Irish Masters Hockey. There will be an Interprovincial Tournament in late April. Ireland are hosting the women’s home countries in June in Pembroke, and in August, Ireland will host a European Open Tournament for both men and women at a range of age groups. We would like to increase the number of participants from all the provinces, so if anyone wants to get involved please contact Alison Pigot at 0868386020 or Helen Johnston at 0874191780. IRELAND O40 WOMEN: Sinead Guilfoyle (GK, Pembroke), Ailish Langan (Genesis), Linda Jenkinson (Loreto), Noreen Dockery (Old Alex), Caroline Sharkey (Loreto), Alison Pigot (Pembroke Wanderers, capt), Annie Lawlor (Pembroke Wanderers), Mairead Lyons (Three Rock Ladies), Emma Meir (Avoca), Aisling Schutte (Pembroke Wanderers), Marion O’Brien (Swords), Jane Salter (Glenanne), Brenda Barrett (Alex), Angie Boran (Botanic), Joan Dobson (Cork C of I). Coach: Ben Epstein; Assistant Coach: Stu Malcolm; Manager: Ailish Langan. Results: Ireland 1 (B Bartlett) Wales 2; Ireland 0 England 2; Ireland 0 Australia 5; Ireland 2 (A Schutte, A Pigot) South Africa 1; Ireland 2 (M O’Brien, J Salter) Scotland 4; Ireland 1 (A Pigot) New Zealand 6.  Ireland finish 6th. IRELAND O50 WOMEN: Helen Roche (GK, Railway Union), Janet Clarke (Mossley), Helen Johnston (Railway Union, capt), Maura O’Neill (Three Rock), Anne Kirwan (Genesis), Dymphna Hill (Cork C of I), Bernie Barry (Pembroke), Marguerite Hues (Suttonians), Cathy Walsh (Cork C of I), Pat Stewart (Grosvenor), Deirdre Mooney (Loreto), Carolyn Shankey (Randalstown), Orla Galvin (Alex), Julie Wilson (Mossley). Coach: Stu Malcolm; Assistant Coach: Ben Epstein; Manager: Deirdre Mooney. Results: Ireland 2 (C Shankey x2) Wales 0; Ireland 1 (M O’Neill) England 4; Ireland 0 Australia 4; Ireland 2 (M O’Neill, C Shankey) New Zealand 2; SF Ireland 0 Australia 3; 3/4 play off Ireland 1 New Zealand 2.  Ireland finish 4th. IRELAND O40 MEN: Davy Bolas (Lisnagarvey), George Blackwell (Limerick), Mark Brown (GK, Ballynahinch), Robert Carter (Three Rock Rovers), Paul Fitzpatrick (Capt, Glenanne), Leslie Harrison (Ballynahinch), Grant Hayes (Ballynahinch), Jason Hill (Mossley), Stephen Magee (North Down), Ross McMullen (Clontarf), Ivan Moore (Catholic Institute), Clinton Murphy (Glenanne), Matt O’Sullivan (Bournemouth), Michael Pobloth (Kilkeel), Jonathan Smyth (Clontarf), Gregg Sterrit (Annadale) Ian Stuart (Monkstown), John Wallace (Catholic Institute). Results: Ireland 1 (Ross McMullen) New Zealand 4; Scotland 3 Ireland 3 (Jason Hill 2, Stephen Magee); Ireland 0 Germany 6; Playoffs: Ireland 2 (Jason Hill 2) South Africa 5. Ireland 0 Wales 2; Ireland finish 8th. IRELAND O45 MEN: Bruce Agnew (Lisnagarvey),Martin Collins (Old Georgians HC), Dara Crowe (Catholic Institute), Michael Millar (Cookstown), Mark Murray (Capt, Lisnagarvey), Neil Murray (Leicester), Andy Nye (Lisnagarvey), Lawrence Patterson (Ballynahinch), Nicholas Pheifer (Suttonians), Rupert Pinion (Lisnagarvey), Peter Priestly (Pembroke), William Quinn (Kilkeel), Ali Reilly (Antrim), Martin Rodgers (Kilkeel), Derek Squire (Three Rock Rovers), Mark Stockil (Ashton), Philip Thomas (Cambellians), Herbie Todd (Mossley), Martin White (GK, Galway); Manager/Coach: Jamie Millar (Lisnagarvey) Umpire: Jamie Aiken (Lisnagarvey). Results: Ireland 3 (Ali Reilly 2, Nick Pheiffer) USA 2; Spain 1 Ireland 1 (Will Quinn);  England 5 Ireland 1 (Mark Murray); Ireland 0 Australia 5. 7th-9th classification pool: Ireland 2 (Ali Reilly, Rupert Pinion) Wales 2; USA 1 Ireland 4 (Andy Nye, Ali Reilly 2, Mark Stockil). Ireland finish 7th. IRELAND O50 MEN: Tim Hogg (GK, Instonians), Crawford McKee (Chelmsford), David Woods (Chelmsford), Cedric Christie (Three Rock Rovers), Mervyn McCaigue (Newry), Gerry Hamill (Mossley), Sean Curran (Teddington), Stuart Egner (Cork Harlequins), Peter Chadwick, Kieran McGoldrick (Capt, Larne), Tim Myer, Andy Barlow (Bristol), Ollie O’Connor (Catholic Institute) John McCann, Fergus Stapleton (Reading). Results: England 11 Ireland 0; Australia 7 Ireland 0; Scotland 5 Ireland 0; Playoffs: Wales 3 Ireland 2 (Sean Curran, Gerry Hamill); 7th/8th playoff: Italy 3 Ireland 3 (Mervyn McCaigue, Tim Myer, John McCann) (no penalties taken, game tied). Ireland finish level 7th with Italy.