Hermes retained their Statoil Leinster Senior A title at Belfield last night after beating Muckross 3-1 in the final league match of the season. The victory, which completed the first Irish Senior Cup and league double in the club's 33year history, lifted them two points clear of Old Alexandra, who had led the table since January.
After a lively opening by Muckross, who were without Teresa Hurley, Orla Bell and Triona Bowtell, their former player Fiona Manning settled Hermes' nerves with a goal after 20 minutes when she kept her composure to round Sandra O'Gorman and slot the ball home, following a free-hit from the edge of the circle.
O'Gorman went on to make a string of fine saves from Caitriona Carey, Jenny Burke and Manning again before Mary Logue, who was a member of the Muckross side that won six titles in a row up to 1997, made it 2-0 three minutes before the break after good work by Burke on the right.
Burke almost made it 3-0 early in the second half but was again denied by O'Gorman.
In the 41st minute, Muckross pulled a goal back though Ciara O'Connor. Ciara McGrath almost levelled for the visitors soon after, but her short corner strike shaved Tara Browne's right post. A score-draw was all Hermes needed to secure the title, but Logue made certain of her side's ninth successive win in the league nine minutes from time when she finished off a well-worked move involving Burke and Carey. The Leinster champions now join Pegasus, Harlequins and Galway in the line-up for next month's All Ireland League finals in Belfield.
Neil Cooke of Instonians and Alastair Dunne of Cork C of I have withdrawn from the Ireland hockey squad for the three-nations tournament in Padua this weekend.
Midfielder Dunne has a hamstring injury while Cooke, a much respected defender over the past decade, has decided to retire from the international scene. Having won 63 caps, he feels that he is unable to give the commitment at this stage of his career and prefers to step down now to allow a younger player gain a place in the squad for the European Championship in September.
National coach John Clarke has called up Ivan Steen (Newry Olympic) and Francis de Rosa (Pembroke Wanderers) for the Easter trip. Ireland play Switzerland on Friday and Italy on Sunday.
