Connacht bid for history in U-23 hockey interpro decider
Connacht will travel to Rathfarnham on Sunday to take on Leinster in the final of the U-23 women’s hockey interpros, the first time the western province has reached the decider in the age category (3pm).
The squad, which is captained by Fiona Kelly, will travel to the home of Three Rock Rovers full of confidence after a 1-0 win over Munster in Limerick last month booked their place in the final, with Kelly playing a captain’s role when bagging the only goal of the game.
The young squad – the side that beat Munster featured six Leaving Cert students will go into the game as underdogs, having been beaten 2-0 by Leinster earlier in the series. Leinster boats a perfect record, having beaten Munster 1-0 in the round-robin series, but Jen Hyde’s squad will fancy their chances of creating another upset on Sunday.
Hyde has named her squad for Sunday’s game, and once again it has a youthful look, with five LC students named in the 18-strong panel: the Salerno trio of Ciara Dunne, Amy Keenan, and Aoife Quinn are joined by Coláiste Iognáid’s Camille Keane, and Megan Clinton of Moate CC.
There are nine NUIG players in the squad, including Quinn, with Teagan Stanley representing Galway HC; the Heatherington sisters, Robyn and Allie, play for Old Alex; Trinity’s Alison Hennessy is also in the squad; while Kelly plays her club hockey with Catholic Institute.
“They’re believing in themselves again and representing Connacht with renewed pride. As a coach watching the girls support one another and play for each other has been my greatest success. Whatever happens in the final I couldn’t have asked for a better squad to work with,” Hyde says.
For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.
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