It was an action packed Sunday of hockey in the Yellow and Green of Railway with the biggest result of the day the Womens 1sts returning to the Irish Senior Cup final after a pulsating match against their Dublin rival Loreto.

Rocked by yet more injuries in recent weeks Head Coach Una McCarthy had to delve deep into the club’s playing resources to put a team up against Loreto with their returning internationals.
The open quarter played out as expected with Loreto dominant in possession and territory but only converting a solitary penalty corner to lead 1-0. Railway started to come into the game with Aisling Utri driving the team forward in the absence of Emma Smyth and Katie Mullan. Railway equalised in the second quarter as a PC deflection found its way to Ciara Utri who forced the ball past Irish goalkeeper Elizabeth Murphy.

The second half became a roller coaster of a match with chances at both ends with Loreto re-establishing their lead through a close quarter chance to make it 2-1. A mix up in the Railway defence left keeper Jade Arundell exposed who then fouled the Loreto forward for a penalty stroke. But in what was a momentum game changer Arundel dived full stretch to save a good stroke and keep the Sandymount girls in the contest. Better was to come as the always impressive Sarah Patton showed her indoor skills with a great base line run and it was Jean McDonell who rolled back the years as she levelled scored and gave Railway a real chance of making the final.

It could have been better as with a few minutes to go centre mid Isabella Willis created a great turnover and played a defence splitting pass for Sarah Patton to find McDonnell again but Murphy in the Loreto goal made a great save.

So it was 1v1s to decide the finalists and Aisling Utri went first and converted with aplomb past Murphy then Loreto’s first shuttle was thwarted by Jade Arundell. Railway scored their second and after another Loreto miss it was left to Hollai Quinn to show experience beyond her years for a reverse stick flick past Murphy to make it 3-0 and when Railway hero Jade Arundel then saved the Loreto third shuttle it was a perfect 3-0 in the shoot out. A real team performance against a Loreto side much strong on paper and where Railway’s resilience was tested and today proved to be the decisive factor in their underdog triumph today.

Railway will play Monkstown in the final who defeated UCD 2-0.

In other hockey today the Boys u14s came from 3-0 down and 4-2 in their league semi-final v 3 Rock to draw 4-4 only to lose on shuttles in a fantastic advertisement for Boys u14 provincial hockey. Leinster Hockey and Hockey Ireland should take note at the development benefits of matches like this with both sides at full strength with their representative players.

Railway boys u16s after their St Patrick’s day victory in the Leinster cup final played local rivals Pembroke W with the Sandymount boys minus their three Ireland u16 they still triumphed over the Ballsbridge club thanks to two James Gallagher goals.