Nenagh Hockey Club

Munster Men’s League: Nenagh 2-10 Bandon

Nenagh travelled to Bandon Grammar to take on Bandon on Sunday.

With last minute cry offs due to illness, Nenagh were left with only eleven players to take on the might of one of the best teams in Munster. Bandon drew first blood in the opening minute shocking Nenagh with a wonderful goal from nothing. Nenagh returned the favour moments later when some individual brilliance by James Whyte saw him beat three Cork players to score a beautiful reverse stick tomahawk shot. Bandon may have sensed a need to respect their visitors and they immediately turned up the heat and scored three goals in quick succession.

Nenagh fought valiantly all over the pitch. Hockey allows for rolling substitutions which is a critical part of the modern game. With all the subs absent due to illness and injury, Nenagh were already at a massive disadvantage in comparison to the hosts who were able to sub on and off and rest weary limbs. Nenagh leaked several more goals through sheer class and amazing skill by the Bandon side, moving the ball well and getting in behind the Nenagh defence time and again. One bright point in the game came when Nenagh scored a sublime short corner straight from the training ground.

Overall, however, Nenagh were not able to contend with the sheer might of the Cork side and their quality bench.

“No doubt we were up against Bandon’s best players today, that’s hard for a new side to contend with in any competition.

We scored some fabulous goals today though and we will take those positives. We play Laois next weekend in a friendly which will hopefully be a more honest encounter and will allow us to regain some confidence to help us in the fixtures to come,” said Captain Colin Stanley.

Munster Under 14 Girl League: Nenagh 5-2 Cork Harlequins

As both teams took to the pitch it was evident that the bitter cold would affect the quality of hockey played. It was a tight contest with both sides having plenty of good possession in the opposition D. It was Nenagh however who were the victors, with a full squad performance that saw them best the visitors by three goals. Nenagh’s distribution of the ball, especially into wider channels was the difference. Better field position allowed them extra time on the ball where they were able to add a clinical finish that has been eluding the team over the past few games. Excellent goals from Emily Harmse (2) and Laura Walsh buoyed the home side and an additional two goals from Rebecca Connor and Lydia Connolly put the game out of reach of the Cork side.

Munster Under 16 Girls League: Nenagh 0-1 Crescent

Saturday morning saw Nenagh travel to Limerick to take on Crescent.

The freezing conditions were hard for both teams and Nenagh was slower to get into gear but after the first five minutes, began to string some lovely passages of play together putting pressure on the Crescent goal. However, Crescent opened the scoring with a goal from a short corner that Nenagh failed to clear. The heads didn't drop however as Nenagh knew they had the measure of them and continued to press forward with lovely interplay from the backs through midfield and to the forwards. Mae Gannon, Ellen Shannahan, and Abigail Murtagh were causing all kinds of problems and should have been four goals up by half time with all the chances that were created but Nenagh were just missing that last killer instinct. Crescent were strong in attack as well and goalie Aibhlinn Cantwell pulled off some great saves to keep the game competitive.

Nenagh still believed they could win and started determinedly in the second half. Their perseverance was rewarded with a few short corners taken well by Lilly Delaney and Clodagh McLoughney but every effort was just wide of the goal. The final quarter descended into a bit of a farce as the conditions worsened and Crescent ended up playing with just seven on their team as some of the girls withdrew and they camped out in the D frustrating the chances of Nenagh.

"I am very proud of the girls for sticking with it today in what were terrible conditions and very difficult to play in, given the cold", said coach, Hilary Curley.

"We feel that this is another one we could have and should have won. We just need to be more clinical in attack as we are creating the chances but just not finishing them”.