Donaghadee LHC

Last Saturday, Donaghadee Ladies Hockey Club made the trip to Newcastle to see if they could build on what was a very good 6-1 result the previous week. With goalkeeper Alison McNeice a late cry-off due to illness, super-sub Laura Gibson stepped up to the mark and donned the pads and kickers for what was her first ever session in nets. The Donaghadee forwards though started extremely strongly, and put the home side under a lot of pressure in the opening fifteen minutes. Ashely McCormack continued her great run of form by opening the scoring after a cross was whipped in from right winger Carolyn Scott. A second was added very soon after after a strong break from the midfield, and as happened the previous week, Donaghadee relaxed – too much, as the case was, and Newcastle capitalised on some slack Donaghadee defending to make the score 2-1 at half time.

Donaghadee started the second half as they started the match, but Newcastle refused to lie down, and they found themselves more and more in the game as it became more stretched. The home side began to find gaps in the middle of the pitch, and these were exploited by strong Newcastle runners, with the pressure eventually paying dividends when the ball was turned into the net, past stand in keeper Laura – who until that point had made some great saves. The match was then very evenly balanced, with both sides creating chances, until the dying moments of the game, when a Newcastle forward finally made a tough-tackling Donaghadee defence pay. It was too late for the Dee to respond, with the final score 3-2 to Newcastle.

This result leaves Donaghadee in 6th position in the league, level on points, but with a marginally better goal difference than Instonians, Newcastle and Cooke, with previous opponents, Ballycastle, currently at the foot of Senior 4. This Saturday’s match is against League leaders, Derg Valley, away in Castlederg. The girls have organised a bus, so any supporters wishing to travel with them, please make yourselves known to any of the players – you’re guaranteed the usual good aul’ craic that only a bus full of Donaghadee LHC players can organise!

Training continues every Wednesday at Crommelin Park, Donaghadee, at 7.30pm, and all new faces are welcome!

Every once in a while, you step on to the pitch and everything clicks. And so it was last Saturday when Donaghadee Ladies Hockey Club welcomed newly formed Ballycastle to Crommelin Park. After two closely fought away defeats to Holywood and Cooke, Donaghadee were out to prove that they were up to senior league hockey against a totally unknown quantity in the new team from the North coast. On a bright, warm and sunny Saturday afternoon, Donaghadee won first pass back and really got stuck in right from the whistle. While the teams were fairly evenly matched in the middle of the pitch, Donaghadee looked more threatening from the outset, with Ashley McCormack, Nicky Banford and Carolyn Scott up front peppering the visitors’ goal. The break through came however after Lisa Higgins found herself in acres of space in the middle of the circle. A pinpoint pass allowed her to calmly slot the first goal through a crowded goalmouth into the back of the net.

Donaghadee’s defence, including Rachel Johnston and Robyn McVeigh, were dealing ably with the Ballycastle attacks, and Donaghadee were quick to build on their lead when a Nicky Banford cross found Ashley McCormack, who was rewarded for some really strong running and stick work. At 2-0, Donaghadee perhaps thought the job was done, and sat back a little, when Ballycastle took advantage; a strong run from a midfielder took her through the Dee defence, where she calmy slotted home. From that point on however, only one team ever looked like being the winner, with great support play, good passing and strong tackling from the Dee girls. Nicky showed she’s not just an excellent sweeper when she struck a sweet reverse stick shot into the roof of the net at the back post, with two excellent tap-ins from super-sub Laura Gibson following. Ann Savage, fit kid in midfield rounded off an excellent Donaghadee performance when she pounced on a rebounded shot at a penalty corner. Final score was 6-1 to Donaghadee. The girls travel to Newcastle on Saturday to try and build on last week’s excellent performance.

Training continues on Wednesday evening at 7.30pm at Crommelin Park.

Donaghadee Ladies Hockey Club enjoyed a week off last week after Newry Olympic failed to travel to Donaghadee for the league game scheduled to take place last Saturday. This three points coupled with the three from the win away to Ballycastle the previous week pulls the Dee out of the bottom three and well on their way to mid-table as they prepare to take on Ballynahinch at Crommelin Park this Saturday (26/11), pass back 2.30pm.

Last weekend also saw the girls hosting a very successful Table Quiz in Donaghadee Rugby Club with around 12 teams taking part for their chance to win a Christmas hamper. Top team on the night was the Beauty School Drop Outs, with the Wooden Tops in second place and Harbour Lights in the bronze position. The hockettes have been selling ballot tickets as fast as they can over the last few months, and the draw was made at half time at the quiz, with the following people winning some fantastic prizes:

1st – iPod Touch donated by Ards Fireplaces: Mark Reilly.
2nd – Peugeot Children’s pedal car donated by Regency Cars: Craig Edgar
3rd – £50 Marks and Spencer voucher donated by Stanley Woods and Co Accountants: Tony Bunting
4th – digital camera donated by Pearlow Developments Ltd: Helena Strong
5th – pocket camcorder donated by Northland Developments: Katie Donnelly
6th – £40 voucher for Molly Browns donated by Abbey Tiles: Craig McLarnon
7th – £30 voucher for Pier 36: Hannah McAdam
8th – 6 bottles of wine donated by Stephen Bailie Estate Agents: Jenny Scott

On the night, the club were also delighted to raffle a 2 night stay in the fantastic Shelleven House, and the lucky winner of this prize was Tommy Trimble.

Many thanks to all who took part in what was a very enjoyable night, and also a mention to all the businesses which sponsored the prizes – all support for the club is very much appreciated.

Donaghadee Ladies Hockey Club took a break from league action last weekend when they travelled to East Belfast on Friday night to take on Grosvenor Ladies in the first round of the Intermediate Cup. The Dee were without Nina and Leona Wells who were both on netball duty, and neither Suzie Ferguson nor Teegan Greer could make it due to work commitments. It is a measure of how well the ranks have swelled since last season that, despite 4 first team regulars missing, Donaghadee were still able to field a full team – with all three McAdams stepping up to the plate, not to mention Will McAdam, the Dee’s regular Statman, helping out on the sideline. Mum Siobhan has been a super-sub since the start of the season, always travelling to games and willing to step in as required, with young Hannah returning for this game from a 4 week injury layoff. Hannah’s older sister Gemma stepped in to Teegan’s pads and kickers and did an admirable job, making some very well timed clearances when called upon. It has certainly been a family affair in previous recent years with the aforementioned Wells siblings on the current team, Ann and Kerry Savage playing together a few years ago, along with Jen and Robyn McVeigh team-mates and Carolyn Scott on the same pitch as her umpiring mother, but having three members of the same family on the pitch together may be a first – though we’d love to know otherwise!

Despite the Dee team working really hard as a unit on Friday night, there was little they could do against Grosvenor’s well worked penalty corners, and these were really the undoing of the Dee side – who never really recovered from the first corner won in the opening stages of the match. Dee did have their chances though but were unable to take them and it is Grosvenor who progress to the second round with Donaghadee dropping into the Intermediate Plate. Many thanks to Mike Smyth for umpiring. The Dee are back in league action on Saturday with a home game against Newry, pass back 2.30pm.

DLHC will also be holding their annual Table Quiz on Friday night (18th Nov) in Donaghadee Rugby Club. The evening starts at 7.30 and tickets, while not absolutely necessary are strongly advisable due to limited space, are £5 each from any club member. See you there! For more info on tickets and the club please see http://www.DonaghadeeLHC.co.uk or you can find us on Facebook.

Donaghadee LHC were off on their travels last weekend when they headed for the north coast to play Ballycastle. On what turned out to be a gorgeous day, Donaghadee hopped on their party bus without a win thus far in the league but hopes were high as Ballycastle have struggled to field a team on several occasions already this season, and the Dee girls felt this would be as good an opportunity as any to increase the points tally.

Donaghadee travelled with a full squad plus a few old faces for company – how great to have Avril Fulton, Jill Dennison and Laura Gibson along for the ride. Right from the first whistle Donaghadee got down to business and the whole team were playing for each other, with really good support and off the ball running and it wasn’t long before the first goal came. With the Dee forwards always threatening, Kerrie Turtle finished off a superb solo run with a shot which she neatly slotted inside the post. The second wasn’t long in coming, with Leona Wells – who had a brilliant game in midfield – and Carolyn Scott combining well on the right before the cross came in and found Kerrie in the circle. She made no mistake – 2-0 to the Dee.

Ballycastle did threaten a couple of times with a couple of strong runners, but Nina Wells and Jen McVeigh were mopping everything up at the back, with Suzie Ferguson and Lisa Higgins on the flanks providing additional cover. Carmen van der Schyff put in her usual hard-working shirt on the left wing, with Natasha Cameron playing just behind her in the midfield role. Natasha has been growing in confidence with every game in midfield and she was finding a fair bit of space – getting forward in this game more than she has done in recent matches, and it paid off when she managed to poke the ball home after a melee in the Ballycastle circle. 3-0 to the Dee. Ballycastle were still making a fist of things though and were refusing to roll over, and they duly made it 3-1 just before half time when Donaghadee maybe took the foot off the pedal a little bit.

After the turn around, Donaghadee were determined not to leave the north coast without the 3 points, and this determination was encapsulated not least by Ali Lawther who had a great game in the centre of midfield, holding when necessary, and getting forward when she could. It was fantastic to welcome back Ruth Kennedy after a number of years away from the club, and she had a superb game when she came on at left wing, turning her marker inside out numerous times and creating a number of chances. It was from one of these mazy runs which released Kerrie Turtle in the circle, and it was brilliant to see Kerrie getting her hat-trick.

With Jen suffering the effects of a heavy head cold, Siobhan McAdam came on at the back and was on hand to make a couple of timely interventions to thwart late Ballycastle attacks, and provide keeper Teegan Greer with the cover required. The final score was 4-1 to Donaghadee and this will serve as a timely confidence booster as the girls are next in Cup action against Grosvenor on Friday night. Many thanks to Mike Smyth for umpiring.

Tickets are now on sale for the annual Table Quiz which is happening on Friday 18th November in Donaghadee Rubgy Club. Space is strictly limited, so please speak to any club member to secure your tickets. Further info on this, and on the club in general can be found at http://www.DonaghadeeLHC.co.uk and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/DonaghadeeLHC.

Senior League 4: Donaghadee LHC 0-0 Mossley LHC

Senior League 4 College Hill 4-0 Donaghadee LHC

Following the postponement of their home game against Newcastle Nomads the previous week due to a flooded pitch, Donaghadee Ladies were back in league action last Saturday when they travelled to the astroturf pitch in Craigavon to play College Hill Ladies. With College Hill winning pass back, Donaghadee found themselves under pressure almost immediately from the home attack but with Nina Wells and Lisa Higgins both in sparkling form, there was no way through for the home side. Donaghadee were unable to shake off the early sluggishness and it wasn’t long before the College Hill pressure paid off – a Donaghadee indiscretion in the circle gave away a penalty corner which was duly converted. The home team made it two just before the break, leaving Donaghadee with a lot to do in the second half.

With a bit of a reshuffle at halftime and crowding the midfield with four players, Donaghadee’s game plan was to stem the flow in the middle of the pitch and try and feed Kerrie Turtle – who ran tirelessly for the entire match – up front. Indeed this started to work and, with the support play starting to come together, the Dee found themselves in the attacking circle on more than one occasion. The College Hill keeper was able for the task however, and despite several gilt edged chances for Donagahdee, kept a clean sheet for the home team. It was a tale of good keeping at the other end too as Gemma McAdam padded up in place of unavailable Teegan Greer, and made some invaluable saves to give the scoreline a modicum of respectability. Final score 4-0 to College Hill.

Another difficult day at the office for the Dee, but with the girls back on home soil – and their preferred gravel – on Saturday when they take on Mossley at Crommelin Park, they will be hoping to find the game which earned them a well fought 2-2 draw with Instonians at the start of the season. Many thanks again to Mike Smyth for umpiring. Fees are now due from all members of the club, and deposits for new kit must be paid immediately. For information on the club, you can find us on the web at http://www.donaghadeelhc.co.uk, on Facebook and on Twitter.

It was a day to forget for Donaghadee Ladies Hockey Club when they travelled to near neighbours Bangor for their second league fixture in the 11/12 season. Bangor have started the season strongly, with two pre-season tournament wins and an opening league victory against Ballynahinch last week already under their belts, so Donaghadee were under no illusions as to the task in hand. Indeed the Dee gave a reasonably good account of themselves in the first half with some of the nice passing which was such a feature of the previous week’s game in evidence again this week, but it all fell apart a bit in the second half with Donaghadee rarely troubling the Bangor defence. Whether it was due to a couple of injuries or the substitutions made after the half time whistle, the Dee defence and midfield were somewhat at sixes and sevens, and they never got to grips with the home attack, with Bangor scoring from open play, from a penalty corner and a penalty flick. However mention must go to keeper Teegan Greer who managed to save one of the two flicks awarded to Bangor, and to young Natasha Cameron who had a storming game having been tasked with man-marking one of the most threatening Bangor forwards – the Bangor striker did not get a single shot on goal when Natasha stepped up to the mark in the second half, so well done Tash! Also on a more positive note, it was great to see Suzie Ferguson back in a Dee shirt after a year out from the game, and yet another new face, Maura Hennessey, making her club debut on the left wing. Many thanks to Mike Smyth for umpiring, it’s much appreciated!

With the next game at home to Newcastle next Saturday, Donaghadee will want to get back out on the pitch to better account for themselves than they did last week and hopefully put this less than impressive result behind them. Pass back is at 2pm at Crommelin Park if you wish to join the growing number of sideline supporters.

Senior League 4: Donaghadee 2-2 Instonians

Donaghadee Ladies Hockey Club kicked off their 2011/12 Senior League 4 campaign last Saturday when they welcomed Instonians 1sts to a warm, sun-bathed Crommelin Park. Despite the prolonged rain in the days leading up to the game, the pitch was in excellent condition although the lines did require some pre-match attention from club captain Carolyn Scott.

The Dee won pass back and it didn’t take long before the girls in red were threatening the Instonians’ circle. Finding some joy down the right, it was from one such attack that resulted in the first score of the game. Carolyn found room to get a cross in and Kerrie, just as practised in training, managed to tip her stick and direct the ball looping over the helpless Inst keeper’s head. 1-0 to the Dee. Instonians weren’t long in asserting some pressure of their own, and as was the story for much of the game, the play swung from end to end. With Nina Wells and Lisa Higgins protecting Teegan Greer in goal, several Inst attacks were well thwarted, with the midfield of newcomer Leona Wells, last season’s Player of the Year Ali Lawther and youngster Natasha Cameron helping the defence to break up the visitors’ play.

The Dee defence was caught napping just before half time however, and a ball across the face of the Dee goal was well swept in by an Instonians forward. Half-time 1-1 and everything to play for. Pleased with how the ball was being spread around, and with the passing moves starting to link up, Donaghadee began the second half with renewed vigour, with the belief that they could indeed get something from this game. Young defender Hannah McAdam came on to replace Leona Wells in the second half after a solid club debut from the younger Wells sister. Shortly after the restart however, an Inst forward unleashed an unstoppable shot which whistled past Teegan’s head. 2-1 to the visitors.

Donaghadee weren’t done yet and, with Connie Singleton and Carmen van der Schyff linking up well on the left, the Dee continued to ask questions of the visitors’ defence. It was a through ball from midfield from the tireless Katie Donnelly which found Kerrie one on one with the Inst keeper. The centre forward made no mistake and coolly slotted the ball home to make it two apiece. The Dee then spent a spell peppering the Instonians’ circle with crosses which unfortunately weren’t converted, but what was encouraging was the eagerness of the midfield and forwards to keep pressing the attacking circle right until the final whistle. With Siobhan McAdam coming on following Ali L’s withdrawal through injury, enforcing a couple of positional changes, the game became strecthed in midfield and Instonians finished the game strongly but the Dee were able to hold on for a well earned point.

Captain Carolyn Scott was happy with the draw: “I am really pleased with how the girls played today. Instonians are a strong team who have caused us problems in the past and for us to get a point in our opening fixture in what will be a tough league this year, I’m happy with that. We have a number of new players coming in so there will be some bedding in time as we try to find the best positions for everyone, but with the new faces at Senior Training and the record numbers turning up for the first Junior Training session last week, the season has started very positively for us.”

Many thanks to Mike for umpiring and to Stephen Bailie Estate Agents for sponsoring the match ball. The next game is away to Bangor this weekend – see the website www.DonaghadeeLHC.co.uk,www.facebook.com/DonaghadeeLHC or Twitter @DonaghadeeLHC for more details on the match and all other club info.

With the Ulster Hockey Union’s Senior League 4 starting in just a few weeks, Donaghadee Ladies Hockey Club’s training has been well underway for a month or so. The committee has been eager to recruit new faces to bolster the ranks a little, and the rallying cry has not gone unnoticed round the Ards Peninsula with several new players making themselves known. Brian McKee, coach once again for the season, has been champing at the bit to get stick and ball work started and, coupled with the continuing fitness programme, the hockettes are being guided through a busy but worthwhile pre-season schedule. Training continues on Mondays and Wednesdays at 7.30pm.

With the new recruitment policy in mind, there are a couple of upcoming events at the club which will suit both younger players wanting to get into the game, and existing players who would like to come down and give the club a try.

The club will be holding an Open Afternoon on Saturday 10th September at 2pm for anyone over aged 15 who would like to come and give hockey a go. This will be a chance to dust off the old sticks and get involved in a few fun exercises before heading to the Rugby Club to meet the team in a more relaxed atmosphere. Contact details below.

Donaghadee Ladies Hockey Club will once again be running their popular Juniors session for girls of all abilities aged 10-15. Starting on Wednesday 14th September from 6.30-7.30pm and running for 6 weeks, the programme will focus on skills, fun fitness and games. To request a registration form or for more information, please email dlhc@hotmail.co.uk or contact us via Facebook or Twitter.