No fear factor as Quins primed for Pegasus test

Rachael Kohler believes any psychological scars from bygone days will not be a factor when her Cork Harlequins side meets Belfast powerhouses Pegasus in the semi-finals of the Irish Hockey League at Grange Road tomorrow (12.30pm).

For much of the past two decades, Pegs have been Irish hockey’s dominant force, and carried an air of invincibility on big days on the national stage.

Rachael Kohler: believes tough fixtures against UCC and Institute will stand Quins in good stead. Picture: Ondine Roche

But former Irish international captain Kohler – the most capped player of all time, with 166 appearances to her name – says Quins will have no fears tomorrow.

“It’s probably very different from previous years. We’ve had this idea in the past that we’d never be able to beat Pegasus, when you’ve continuously lost to the same team,” she said.

“But an awful lot of our players don’t even know who Pegasus are so you can’t really look back too much historically on the fixture at all.

“Our squad this year is a real mix and it’s worked really well for us with the experience to steady the ship and the youth to bring a lot of excitement, particularly in the forwards, so hopefully that should stand to us this weekend.”

Like Pegasus, Quins have recently annexed their provincial championship following a late flurry of fixtures.

But the quality of recent fixtures – three battles with fellow title contenders UCC and one with Catholic Institute – has been a huge boost for the Farmer’s Cross outfit in the run-up to the biggest game of their season.

Quins have often had it their own way in that past decade and a half but the students and, latterly, Institute, have closed the margins in recent times.

“Those matches have definitely helped. Before the Munster league may have been one or two team race but this year every game was challenging.  In the last few weeks, we’ve had quite a few pressurised games so we’re hoping this will stand to us.

“Saturday will be a much bigger occasion but we’re used to a couple of must-win league games already in the past few weeks.”

There is nonetheless a healthy mutual respect between the sides, and Pegs’ experienced campaigner Arlene Boyles is anticipating another tough encounter here.

“Like any Munster side, they’ll be difficult to get past, disciplined in the way they play, run for every ball and challenge to the best of their ability.

“Over the years, all of us have played a Munster side that we’ve struggled against and I don’t think Saturday will be any different.”

Arlene Boyles: "All of us have played a Munster side we've struggled against over the years."

It’s an all-Dublin affair in the other semi-final (10.30am), with Railway Union coming face to face with Hermes, the only side to beat them in normal time this season.

Railway’s Isobel Joyce believes her side will be galvanised by their experiences last weekend, when they lost the Irish Senior Cup final to Loreto on penalty strokes, in their first ever appearance in the decider.

“It makes it easier because we made it to the biggest stage and played really well,” she said. “Obviously we lost but we were very proud of the way we played. The nerves we might have had going into Saturday won’t be as strong after that.”

Hermes’ Christine Quinlan quashed any suggestions of a revenge mission for her side, having lost the league decider to Railway.

“I don’t think it’s necessarily revenge but we have a few things we want to put right ourselves; things we need to put to bed. In the Leinster league decider, we didn’t play our best and there was no question of being cheated out of it or anything, they were the better team on the day.”

Meanwhile, Corinthian battle Lisnagarvey in the men’s semis (5pm), with curiosity resting on ‘Garvey’s Jekyll and Hyde form thus far this term.

They have been awesome in the country’s premier competition, but patchy in Ulster’s top tier, requiring them to venture into the wildcard playoffs last weekend to qualify.

It’s a situation which has Corinthian’s South African star Andrew Cronje on his guard.

“They’re in the semi-finals for a reason but we’ve had a good look at them [at last week’s wildcard playoffs] and will have our tactics. They play a high tempo and intensity game so it should be a cracker and we’re looking forward to it.”

The other last four tie brings together Irish hockey’s heavyweights, as Pembroke Wanderers meet Glenanne in a reprisal of last year’s final, which was decided in Pembroke’s favour on penalty shuttles.

Rebecca Barry's pace and dribbling skills will be an asset for Catholic Institute in the IHL wildcard playoffs. Picture: Adrian Boehm

Glens go into this encounter with their tails up after last weekend’s Irish Senior Cup win, while Pembroke must do without Justin Sherriff and Tim Lewis, with Gordon Elliott another who may yet be ruled out.

But Pembroke skipper Alan Giles appeared unruffled by the absence of some star names.

“Certainly they do bring masses of experience and strength, but the squad has been together for the last two or three years and has grown. We do have a lot of depth and experience in the squad so I wouldn’t be overly concerned.”

For Glenanne, it could be an emotional weekend, as three of their older guard will bow out of the club when their IHL campaign ends. Stephen Butler is off to Belgium, while Clinton Murphy and Paul Fitzpatrick are exiting first-team hockey.

It’s a situation that has skipper Joe Brennan hoping the trio can sign off in style.

“For our club, it would be outstanding. We don’t have the luxuries of a lot of clubs. We struggle in a lot of ways to try and do things because the financial backing isn’t always there.

“To do the double would be unbelievable and something we really want to do, especially for people like Graham (Shaw) and Stephen. It may look like we’ve over-achieved but we feel we’ve under-achieved, losing two of these finals. We haven’t won [the All-Ireland] in ten years and it’s the one we want more than anything.”

Meanwhile, the women’s IHL wildcard playoffs are also being contested at Grange Road, with two sides to qualify from the four-team tournament.

Irish Trophy holders Catholic Institute fly the flag for Munster as they bid to qualify for the first time – as are Connacht champions Greenfields.

And Ger O’Carroll’s side have plenty going for them, with Elaine Bromell’s experience holding things together at the back, alongside calm heads such as Sheena Mannion, Christine O’Shea and Keely Cantrell.

Adam Pritchard (left) is one of four Cork men involved in the men's IHL semi-finals, alongside Pembroke team-mates Conor and David Harte and Lisnagarvey's Jason Lynch. Picture: Adrian Boehm

At the other end, the younger brigade of Rebecca Barry and Naomi Carroll provide the fireworks, with Kym Daly doing the midfield probing.

A further boost for Institute comes with the news that Irish skipper Eimear Cregan is eligible to participate, having been cup-tied for Institute’s victorious Irish Trophy campaign.

However, cruciate ligament injury victim Katie Campbell is a long-term absentee, while Roisin Upton is also out after a recent operation.

However, experience at this level dictates that Ballymoney and Old Alex will be favourites on paper. Institute are particularly unfortunate that they find themselves pitched in the toughest wildcard of the three to have taken place so far, with the presence of ‘Money – Irish Senior Cup finalists as recently as 2008 – a particular challenge.

To read full interviews with representatives from each of the IHL finalists, click here.

ESB Irish Hockey League finals, Grange Road, Dublin

Tomorrow

Men’s semi-finals: Pembroke Wanderers vs Glenanne (3pm); Corinthian vs Lisnagarvey (5pm).

Women’s semi-finals: Railway Union vs Hermes (10.30am); Cork Harlequins vs Pegasus (12.30pm).

Sunday

Men’s final: 4pm.

Women’s final: 1.30pm.

ESB IHL Women’s Wildcard Playoffs, Grange Road, Dublin

Today

Old Alex vs Catholic Institute (7.30pm); Ballymoney vs Greenfields (8pm).

Tomorrow

Greenfields vs Old Alex (3.15pm); Catholic Institute vs Ballymoney (5pm).

Sunday

Greenfields vs Catholic Institute (11.30am); Ballymoney vs Old Alex (3.30pm).