Sunday 6th April was another successful junior hockey day for both the u16 girls and u16 boys who both won their respective Division 1 Top 4 play off finals.

First up was the Railway girls who were looking to add the Top 4 playoff title after already winning the Inter Division 1 league and the u16 / Jacqui Potter Cup this year and they took on Monkstown with their five players currently in the Irish underage set up against Railway’s one. It was Railway who took control of the early part of the game with Jessica Carroll and the Railway midfield creating openings and on 7 minutes Nicole Barry opened the scoring, but Monkstown levelled the score with a well worked set piece but that was short lived as a minute later Pia O’Donnell tucked the ball home in a congested circle, and just before half time a Nicole Barry trade mark reverse stick shot was just going wide of the cross bar and was superbly deflected into the goal by Susie Halpin in a moment of brilliance that gave Railway a 3-1 half time lead.

The second half saw Railway create a number of close range changes and one on ones that they failed to convert to extend their league and Monkstown punished this and in particular Anna Butler was their source of much of their forward play forcing another corner which was converted again making the score 2-3 with ten minutes still left changing the complexion of the match. It was Monkstown who looked most likely to get the next goal with a number of further corners and several shots saved by Chloe Hiles but resolute tackling from Jessica Carroll and defensive relieving long range aerials saw the Railway girls complete their first ever treble by winning the League, Cup and Top 4 playoffs, and winning the u16 league for the fourth year in succession.

Special note to u16 girls Head coach Claudia Coyne who has spent five years coaching this age group since they were in 6th class winning various indoor and outdoor trophies along the way with the highlight retaining their league title again and winning the Junior Jacqui Potter Cup as a player (in 2016) and now as a coach.

The Railway u16 boys played YM with the YM boys looking to add a third trophy in their fantastic season after winning the u16 boys league and cup already. Unfortunately, with both sides missing most of their representative players neither side was at full strength for one of the most important Leinster club boys matches of the year highlighting the ongoing dysfunctional nature of Leinster junior club leagues and lack of coordination with the national underage Irish programmes, Leinster development programmes which is a source of much annoyance among clubs, players and parents both boys and girls.

The match started very evenly in the bright sunshine at Wesley College (Railway conceded the proposed neutral venue to YM in recognition of them finish 1st in the league). The missing representative players allowed both sides to use more players in their squads and opportunity for younger u14s to experience an u16 final which will be very positive for their own development. A scoreless first half was testament to some excellent goalkeeping from both sides and a lack of clinical precision in the circle but early in the second half Aodh Molloy finished off a flowing move after a surging run from the ever impressive Charlie Trotter. Railway should have added to their 1-0 lead and in the last five minutes YM created a number of chances of their own and could easily have sent the match to 1v1s.

Railway held on and great recognition for Head coach Kenny Carroll and his u16 squad who played most of the season without most of their representative players. Also a big congratulations to Robin Le Quense and his YM u16 boys in a great year winning the u16 league and cup.

On a more serious note and referenced in the match reports junior club fixtures, Leinster development sessions and Irish u16 / u18 central and regional sessions clashing with junior club and schools semi-finals and final has caused much disruption at this time of the year and no doubt caused overplaying issues for the players involved in all. More joined up coordination is required putting the junior players interests central as used to happen in previous years.