DCU Host Irish University Hockey Championships with great success - website exclusive

This years Hockey Intervarsity Tournament was hosted by Dublin City University in Kilkenny, on the bank hoiday weekend 25th – 28th October. After a stressful couple of weeks organising the tournament the DCU ladies hockey team could breath a collective sigh of relief as the Hockey intervarsities tournament went off with no apparent glitches, Kilkenny proved the perfect location for the event as all the facilities used were in close proximity to each other.

There was sixteen matches played on the first day of the tournament, DCU mens hockey team had a great result in their first match considering they were missing all of their international players beating Royal College of Surgeons 11 – 1. The DCU womens team also got off to a great start beating Royal College of Surgeons 1-0 with a goal from Doireann Bergazzi Nevin. However, in the afternoon DCU womens team were defeated by a well organised Queens University team. UCC’s hopes for a three-in-a- row got off to a great start as they scored a goal in each half to beat NUIG 2-0.

The second day at the intervarsities proved more difficult for the DCU mens team as they came up against tougher opposition in the form of Trinity and UCC. DCU mens beat UCC 3-2 with superb goals from some of the Irish Internationals, and drew 2-2 against Trinity. DCU mens team had achieved enough to secure a place in the cup semi finals.DCU womens team played an impressive game against University of Ulster, there was no score at half time, unfortunately University of Ulster managed to get past DCU womens solid defence to score and the game finished 0-1 to UU. After a busy second day at the intervarsities, womens teams had achieved enough to secure a place in the semi finals of the plate.

In the semi finals of the plate DCU womens team were up against UL, unfortunately the womens team did not progress to the finals as they were beaten 2-0 by a strong UL team. UL went onto meet Queens in the final of the plate, Queens won the final of the plate. In the womens Chilean cup final UCD, a side riding high in Leinster Division one , secured a 1-0 win and denied UCC a prestigious three-in-a-row.

In the semi finals of the Mauritius Cup DCU mens were up against CIT unfortunately DCU mens lost out to CIT with a final score 4-2. CIT went onto meet UU in the final of the mens Cup, the final finished with University of Ulster retaining their title thanks to a 2-1 win over CIT.

The efforts of some of the DCU players did not go unnoticed at the Hockey Intervarsities Tournament as Doireann Bergazzi-Nevin, Conor Harte and David Harte were all selected to attend trails for the Irish Universities Hockey team, which was announced at the Hockey Intervarsities banquet held at the Springhill Court Hotel.

Photo: Pamela Lee