WOMEN'S HOCKEY:RAILWAY UNION will attempt this weekend to extend a remarkable record that has seen them unbeaten in all competitions this season, bar a penalty-strokes defeat to UCD in the semi-finals of the Jacqui Potter Cup. And it is the students they meet again tomorrow in the last four of the Irish Senior Cup, the prize a place in Sunday's final against either Loreto or Queen's.
A Railway versus Loreto decider would be an intriguing prospect, a week after the controversial conclusion to their Irish Hockey League final in Lisnagarvey. Julia O’Halloran’s goal clinched the title for Railway, their second in three years, but much of the post-match conversation focused on Nicci Daly’s disallowed “equaliser” in the final minute.
It was, to say the least, an unsatisfactory ending to the occasion, Loreto left feeling hard-done-by, Railway left feeling the focus had been taken off their success. A “re-match” on Sunday, then, would be more than a little interesting. It would also be a repeat of the 2012 final when Loreto won on strokes.
Railway, though, have to get past a UCD side that has had a season to remember too, the 2009 ISC winners seeking their third trophy of the campaign after beating Railway to the Leinster Division One title on “games won”, having already lifted the Jacqui Potter Cup.
Queen’s are the sole “non-Leinster” representatives in the last four, the students beating Randalstown, Portadown and Trinity to reach the semi-finals. Not since 1929, when they beat Maids, has the University reached an ISC final, and they will have to cause a sizeable upset by beating Loreto to emulate the feat.
FIXTURES – Irish Senior Cup (at Belfield): Tomorrow – Semi-finals: Railway Union v UCD, 10.30; Loreto v Queens, 12.30. Sunday – Final, 1.0.
