Results - News Reports

Munster Men Captured the Mens Senior Inteprovincial series which took place on Friday 26th, Saturday 27th and Sunday 28th November at Three Rock Rovers Hockey Grounds under the watchful eye of the new Mens National Team Coach David Passmore.

Wes Bateman receives the trophy from IHA President John Smyth

10 Harlequins players were included in the Munster Team.

Munster Team:

Wesley Bateman (G.K.)	Cork Harlequins
Ian Hosford (G.K)	Bandon
Richard Arnopp	Cork Church of Ireland
Jason Black (Captain)	Cork Harlequins
Mark Black	Cork Harlequins
Karl Burns	Cork Church of Ireland
Andrew Chambers	Cork Church of Ireland
David Eakins	Cork Harlequins
David Egner	Cork Harlequins
Richard Gash	Cork Harlequins
David Hobbs (V. Captain)	Cork Church of Ireland
John Hobbs	Cork Harlequins
John Jermyn	Pembroke Wanderers
Paul Lombard	Cork Harlequins
Sean Nicholson	Cork Harlequins
Ken Twomey	Cork Church of Ireland
Brian Hayes Curtin	Cork Harlequins
Andrew Herbert	Cork Church of Ireland
Dennis Pritchard	Coach
John Dennis	Manager

Date	Time	Match	Score
26 Nov	20.00	Leinster v Munster	0 - 1 (J. Jermyn)
27 Nov	15.00	Munster v Ulster	1 - 1 (D. Eakins)
28 Nov	12.00	Leinster v Ulster	4 - 0

Results

Munster President John Rose, Wes Bateman and Coach Denis Pritchard

Irish Examiner

Monday 29th Novemer 2004

Leinster 4 Ulster 0

LEINSTER won yesterday but it was Munster who recaptured the interprovincial trophy in Dublin after a two-year gap.

Having beaten Leinster and drawn with Ulster, the southerners were depending on Leinster to do them a favour against Ulster. The host province obliged with a performance that must have impressed watching Irish national coach Dave Passmore.

Not only did they score four unanswered goals, but they also out-played the title holders throughout, racking up seven penalty corners to Ulster's two.

They were led to victory by Graham Shaw, who plays with Annadale in Belfast. He spanked in the opener on 27 minutes, beating his Annadale comrade Johnny Moore with a fierce drive, and Leinster were two up by the break after Peter Blakeney tapped in from a David Bane delivery a few seconds before half time.

Blakeney, who is also a talented cricketer, marked Passmore's card with his second on the resumption, this time with a drag flick at a corner and the final blow was delivered by Blakeney's Trinity club mate Phil Maguire, whose dribble up the left flank ended with a close-range shot past Moore.

The result consigned the defending champions, who came to Grange Road with 11 senior internationals in their ranks, to bottom slot in the three-team tournament.

The trophy was lifted by Munster captain Wesley Bateman - not bad for a side that threatened to boycott the event just a few weeks ago. The 80-year-old competition was saved by the decision to ask each province to play two matches, rather than the four originally proposed.

The format clearly suited the Denis Pritchard-coached Munster outfit, the only unbeaten side over the weekend. They wobbled close to disaster for most of the first half against Ulster on Saturday but turned round only one in arrears, with Timmy Cockram the scorer.

Munster improved as the match went on, equalising through a David Eakins penalty, and they might have stolen the win if Mark Black had converted a clear chance. Instead, they had to wait an extra day and rely on Leinster to do them a favour.

Ulster take a battering

Belfast Telegraph

Saturday 29th Novemer 2004

Ulster fell to what's thought to be their heaviest ever senior interpro defeat in Dublin yesterday as a 4-0 win for Leinster enabled the hosts to claim the trophy.

The boot was on the other foot last season when Ulster won the title with a degree of comfort.

But Annadale and Ireland star Dave Smyth today held his hands up and admitted that the better team had won as the unexpected scoreline suggests.

"We just have to take it on the chin after celebrating our success last year," he sighed.

"It was just one of those days - they had nine or 10 guys at the top of their game and none of us played to our potential.

"To be honest, we were shell-shocked but I just can't put my finger on what went wrong.

"Our preparations went fine and even during the tournament there was no hint of what was to come.

"We played very well against Munster but couldn't capitalise on all our pressure, then this happens.

"They really came at us from the start and won a lot of penalty corners early on and we just couldn't seem to get going."

Ironically it was one of Smyth's Annadale and Ireland team mates, Graham Shaw, who started the rout with the opening goal in the first half.

Peter Blakeney got two after the restart when Phelie Maguire was also on target.

On Saturday Ulster had a lot of pressure but could find no way past Munster goalkeeper Wesley Bateman in the second half.

Lisnagarvey's Timmy Cockram had put Ulster ahead from a penalty corner but Dave Eakins equalised from the penalty spot with six minutes left.

Meanwhile, at local level, North Down stay top of Senior One after a 6-2 win at Cliftonville while Kilkeel stay second after beating Harlequins 1-0.

Meanwhile Armagh will meet PSNI in the New Year's Day Linden Cup final.

And in yesterday's semi finals at Mossley Armagh had to rely on a golden goal winner from Julian Davidson as they beat Ballynahinch 3-2 while Simon Harvey scored the winner for the police against the students.

Jermyn goal denies the hosts

Irish Independent

Saturday 27th Novemer 2004

Leinster 0 Munster 1

JOHN JERMYN was the goal-hero as Munster beat Leinster 1-0 in the opening game of the men's inter-pros at Grange Road last night.

Jermyn, who plays for Dublin club Pembroke Wanderers, scored the only goal after 16 minutes, beating goalkeeper Ian Clarke with a flicked shot from close range.

The winners spent most of the second half on the defensive and ended the game with Jermyn in the sin-bin.

Munster can wrap up the three-team event today if they can beat favourites Ulster (1.0).