Friday, December 12, 2008

Men's IHL: Round Two refixes

All on Sunday

Cookstown v Annadale, 2.30pm, Coolnafranky (Colin Hutchinson, Kieran Bolger)The most contorversial of the refixes, Annadale will hope to recreate the form that saw them lead 4-1 in the third quarter and on course for a bonus point. Cookstown are without Thomas Hutchinson with a broken finger as well as Stuart Smyth. Keith Black and Andy Barbour are back, though. For Annadale, Ulster U-18 Peter Purcell and Irish international Jonny Quigley are both out. In an odd twist of fate, the sides play each other twice in 24 hours at the same venue at the same tip-off time as the pair meet in Ulster league action on Saturday.

Instonians v Pembroke Wanderers, 3.15pm, Shawsbridge (Graham Caulwell, C Beattie)

Pembroke's postponed match against UCD means they can rest up on Saturday or take in Inst's match with Lisnagarvey in Shawsbridge a day before their tie. The big team news is the return of Mark Gleghorne after a lengthy injury though this is offset by Julian Lewis and Mark Wainwright not being available. Pembroke, meanwhile, suffered a blip in midweek against Corinthian but Alan Sothern continues to rattle in the goals. A rematch of last year's ISC quarter-final 4-3 nail-biter. There is also an outside chance of a return for Justin Sherriff who played seconds last weekend in a 3-3 draw with Monkstown.

Fingal v Three Rock Rovers, 1pm, ALSAA (Simon MacAllister, Dan Clarke)Fingal will hope injuries to Paddy Gahan and - once again - David Bane clear up in time for the visit of Rovers while Ben Chillingworth is a long-term absentee. They face a Rovers' side with a few problems of their own but Peter Blakeney, Neil Lyons and Mick Maguire have all been included in an initial squad of 19 for this weekend after missing out recently. The list also includes three goalkeepers - Charlie Henderson, Wendel Armstrong and the Apprentice fifth place finisher, Shane Davey.

Monkstown v Lisnagarvey, 3pm, Rathdown (Andrew Groves, Kris Cholewa)Monkstown face a full-strength Lisnagarvey side at Rathdown on Sunday in a fixture gaining in history and intrigue. Last season's cup semi-final was one of the most famous in the Town's history and they started brightly in the IHL match before players started sliding all over the place. The Town also laid on a good spread last time, sponsored by KBC Asset Management with an impromptu covered stand, hot food and a 20-page colour programme.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Can't wait for the Cookstown/Annadale games. Think Cookstown have a point to prove but will miss T Hutchinson although compensated by Black and Barbour returning.
By the way Cookstown did themselves proud with a great spread in their brilliant clubhouse afterwards, also the programme was the best I've seen so far. If you're up Cookstown way have a look at their clubhouse - - absolutely unique and a great credit to the backroom staff at Cookstown.

Stephen Findlater said...

Good stuff, let me know of your experiences around the grounds on these IHL weekends.

Of the game's I've been to, Monkstown was great last time out and Railway made a good effort too with hot ports on the sideline.

Thought Loreto put on a great show in round one.

Also, the clubhouse in Cookstown has always been welcoming on IJC days that I've been involved in.

Anonymous said...

Agree with the comment about the cookstown club house... they must be desperate if they will miss T Huntchinson...the other Hutchy maybe at a push. Black and Barbour is boost for them but Annadale must have got their form back and in my opinion in Jackson and Smyth have 2 of the best players still in Ireland. From a neutral point of view I have to say that Annadale will also have a point to prove.....Cookstown will probably be the only team in Ireland who dont feel Annadale have been well and truely shafted!! Also travelled up early in the last round to catch the Banbridge vs Lisnagarvey game before ours on the Sunday.....Cookstown must have had some programme to outdo the Banbridge effort....absolutely superb but must have cost a few euro to produce. Also cant believe that matches this big are allowed to happen back to back on one weekend.....are the IHL mad....what happens if there is a major incident on Saturday regarding a mass brawl or red cards......they are pitching the two teams together again 24hrs later with different disciplinary measures for each match.....serious serious questions need to be asked of who thesefaceless people are...anyone know the make up of the committee??

Anonymous said...

Just read that pembroke dont play on Saturday due to opponents exam "pressures" Surely this puts Inst at a massive disadvantage on the Sunday as I presume the Ulster 1st Division is still going ahead??? The IHL seem to just notch up more and more amateurism with every decision. DO THEY HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH EFFORT, TIME AND MONEY CLUBS HAVE INVESTED IN THIS. STOP LETTING US ALL DOWN!!

Anonymous said...

dale v cookstown....OFF..dale appealed decision....

Anonymous said...

Excuses of exam pressures is a joke?
3rock played Railway without Haughton, Lyons, Darling, Blakeney, Shanahan all in exams at the time of the game.
Not to mention Henderson and Maguire(Phelie) missing too.
Thats 7 players who would all start usually and they made no excuse.

Anonymous said...

cookstown sympathise with dale. nothing they could dom and if they were in dales shoes, would do exactly the same thing

Anonymous said...

Firstly, an excellent Blog on hockey not only for Leinster, but for IHL/ISC news etc. I would like to comment on a few areas where I think you can improve this site, and also on some posts RE: IHL RD 2 refixes.
1. People who are going to express an opinion on teams, individual players (positive or negative), should be made to give a name, instead of hiding behind a faceless 'anonymous said...'. This will at least give some credibility to their opinion and status in the game, and stop idiots being able to post their random comments to make up for their own deficiencies as a player/spectator in our sport.

2. Cookstown were responsible for
providing what a home team is stipulated to provide in an IHL home match ie programme, sound system, scoreboard etc. Everything else such as the weather conditions, and the effect it had on the pitch and playability is unfortunately not something Cookstown has control of. It was the sole resposibility of the umpires and TO to decide on starting the game and abandoning the game due to H&S issues from the conditions. It was not influenced wither way by Cookstown. How this situation is Cookstown's fault bemuses me! It is an unfortunate situation Annadale find themselves in, but A - if the match was played at Annadale, would there be this negative press towards Cookstown if the match was abandoned.
B - would Annadale uphold the same arguement if the result was not in their favour in the third quarter?
C - EHL rules are EHL rules for their weekend tournament. IHL rules are IHL rules for our season. Same format for playing/officiating, different time scale as it is a League format. Its not difficult to see the difference!