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Railway players in u16 & u18 Interpro action
Railway players were representing Leinster at the u16 and u18 interpros in recent weeks
As the underage interprovincial series completed yesterday at Garryduff in Cork it is important to recognise the significant contributions of our Railway players across the teams.
Last weekend at the boys Leinster u18s and u16s won both titles with Stephen O’Leary Hugo Thornton and James Gallagher at Lisnagarvey HC with Stephen also recognised with an individual tournament award too. Despite the heavy rain and win the players performed really well over the four matches in three days.
In the u18s Railway’s sole representative was goalkeeper Luke Murphy and whilst illness limited his pitch time he was instrumental in Leinster winning the title when on Saturday he saved 3 Ulster 1v1s in the bonus point shuttles that meant a win in their final match v Munster was enough to win the title.
In the girls tournament that finished yesterday Railway had 5 girls in the Leinster u18 squad competing at Cork COI, Garryduff. Wins over Connaught, Leinster South and Munster meant their last day match v Ulster was effectively the tournament final. A draw would have been enough to see Leinster win the title but they started on the back foot and were under serious pressure from the start. Ulster won a number of short corners as Railway & Mt Anville’s Jessica Carroll defensive No 1 running instrumental in preventing direct top of circle shots and St Andrews College & Railway goalkeeper Chloe Hiles called into action on a number of occasions including a number of close in saves, clearances and box slides to keep the game scoreless. In Q2 Ulster got the goal they deserved winning a penalty stroke after the Ulster player was impeded by the Leinster defender when about to shoot and it was well converted for only the second goal Leinster conceded in the whole tournament.
It was only in the second half did Leinster start to create their own chances hitting the post and cross bar and particularly in the final quarter it took some good goalkeeper from Ulster to hold on for their 1-0 win.
Leinster and Ulster both finished top on 9 points all with 3 wins and a defeat with Ulster being awarded the title on goal difference.
A big thanks to the Leinster Hockey management teams and LH administration support who have worked tirelessly over the past few months and all the players who were part of the programme along the way and unfortunately did not make the final section.
Finally, it is important to recognise the support of the parents with all the travel to training sessions and the tournaments themselves in Hillsborough and Cork.
Full list of Railway players with their secondary and primary schools
Leinster Girls u18s
Chloe Hiles (St Andrews College / Booterstown NS)
Clara Michelle Howard (Holy Child Killiney / Loreto Dalkey JS)
Isabella Willis (Muckross Park / Loreto OTG Junior School)
Jessica Carroll (Mount Anville / Mt Anville JS)
Nicole Barry (Mount Anville / Scoil San Treasa Mt Merrion)
Leinster Girls u16s
None
Leinster Boys u16s
Stephen O’Leary (Willow Park)
Hugo Thornton (Sandford Park / Rathgar JS)
James Gallagher (St Andrew College / St Andrews JS)
# Charlie Trotter (St Andrews College / Booterstown NS)
Leinster Boys u18s
Luke Murphy (Sandford Park / St Matthews NS)
# Toby Slye-O’Connell (St Andrews College / St Matthews NS)
# - denotes players not permitted to play due to being in Ireland underage panels