Navan Hockey Club

HOCKEY NEWS AND EVENTS.

Navan 1st XI 3
Naas 1st XI 2

Rounding off a brilliant day for Navan, the firs string beat Naas to ensure their best points total in Division 2 to date. Dominating the early stages, Navan showed vast improvements in their overall play, Steven Hardy and Ruairi Clarke squandering chances. The opening scorer remains in doubt as Alan Davis beat two defenders to squeeze through. His touch may not have been strong enough and Ruairi Clarke helped it on but it will remain between the two players who got the final touch.
Naas fought back and controversy reigned when they had a goal disallowed. Taking a free hit from the edge of the area, their player didn't maintain the correct distance from the ball. Captain Ruairi Clarke pointed this out to the umpire, who, having consulted with his colleague, reversed his initial decision of a goal. The umpire can shoulder some of the blame for Naas' ensuing fury, Navan breathing a sigh of relief.
Spurred on by this scare, Navan again took the game to Naas. Midfield titan Shane Dooley was immense again, breaking up play and distributing the ball well, but it was right back Alex McKeever who broke forward to set up Navan's second, his powerful run finding Simon Clarke who selflessly squared the ball to Eamon Lynskey to finish from close range.

After the break, Naas found their stride, pressurising the Navan defence. Francis Houlihan and Chris Booth stayed strong, their partnership blossoming more and more as the season goes on. A goalmouth scramble saw Naas reduce the deficit to one and coach Sinead Dooley rang the changes, replacing tired legs. Gareth Allen showed his improvement to break down play on the left while wonderkid Simon McKeever's movement was too much at times for a faltering Naas defence. Dynamo Eamon Lynskey embarked on an adventurous run, ghosting past several defenders before returing the earlier favour and setting up Simon Clarke for a well-deserved goal, his first of the season and none more important. At 3-1 Navan looked comfortable but some sloppy tackling allowed Naas in for several penalty corners. Naas' specialist dragflicker, "Dav" Davenport nearly capitalised but for some heroic defending by Alex McKeever, one of Navan's outstanding performers. Unfortunately,

despite getting injured in the process, McKeever conceded a stroke, which Charlie Hill converted to pile the pressure on The Badgers. In a game filled with incident, Chris Booth's harsh yellow card was almost overlooked but Navan held on to record their third win of the season and continue their steady improvement in Leinster.

Squad: E. O'Mordha, A. McKeever, F. Houlihan, C. Booth, I. Lawless, G. Allen, S. Dooley, A. McCulloch, S. Clarke, E. Lynskey, R. Clarke(c), S. McKeever, A. Davis, A. Foley, R. Warburton, R. Andrew.

This weeks Fixtures

MENS

Leinster Mens Div 2

Naas V Navan (1st XI) at 1pm @ Naas Sports Centre (SAT 10th)

Leinster Mens div 7
Pembroke 6 V Navan (2nd XI) at 3pm on Sunday @ Pembroke (Sunday 11th Jan)

Leinster mens Div 9

Navan (3rd XI) V Pembroke 7 at 2:30pm @ Mercy Navan (SAT 10th)

LADIES

Leinster ladies Div 6

Navan 1st XI v Tullamore @ 1pm @ Mercy Convent (Sat 10th)

Leinster Ladies Div 14
Navan 2nd XI v Suttonians 3rd XI @2pm @ Mercy Navan (Sun 11th)

Navan (2^nd XI) 2 Corinthians (5^th XI) 0
Saturday 13^th December
Writes Sean Quinn

Centre forward Simon Clarke grabbed a brace of goals as Navan Hockey Club’s second team regained top spot in the race for the Leinster League Division 7 title with this win over former league leaders Corinthians. The first half proved an even battle with both teams showing the quality of league leaders, the second however was dominated by the home side with Clarke registering both strikes in the second 35. Navan did almost everything right from start to finish in this gritty top of the table clash to come away deserved victors, in a fitting close to the 2008 half of the season.

This defeat was to be the first defeat suffered by Corinthians this season as they have been carving up teams left, right and centre, until now. The early exchanges saw a slightness of nerves as both teams went through the motions of showing each other respect which made for little in the way of solidity or fluidity of play. After settling down however, both teams visibly grew in confidence to put together some lovely play. Navan had early chances through Eamonn Lynskey who twice fired just wide. The Corinthians response drew some spectacular saves from Navan keeper Allan Gibbons-Mathews who was well worth his clean sheet on the day. The dominance of the Navan Midfield was most likely the deciding factor in the match with skill and pace on the left and right from Simon McKeever and Eamonn Lynskey held together by playmaker Andrew ‘the quiet man’ Clarke, all three performing admirably throughout the 70 minutes. At the back Hugh StLedger complimented the general style leadership of skipper John Lynskey the duo proving absolutely miserly.

It was not long into the second half when Simon Clarke found himself in the right place at the right time to break the deadlock. Quick movement on the right wing by Eamonn Lynskey opened up the Corinthians defence for Lynskey to find Doug Ferris inside Corinthians’ area who unselfishly squared the ball to Simon Clarke who swept the ball into the bottom left corner. Feeling a little safer with the cushion of a goal Navan decided to use the bench and introduce youngsters Dean Weldon and Tomas Bravek, both of whom were unintimidated by the quality of the considerably more experienced opposition. A quick ball into young Weldon however almost ended in the 15 year olds first senior goal for the club but was cleared off the line by Corinthians’ last man back.

Almost straight after this Doug Ferris was unlucky not to get a goal of his own as he saw his shot blaze just wide of the target. It was Simon Clarke who had the final say minutes later as he wrapped the game up with a screamer of a goal. Picking up on a through ball from brother Andrew, he launched a shot into the top corner, the likes of which could not be stopped had they two keepers between the posts. With the second goal killing off any competition from the visiting Dublin side all that was left was for the victorious Co. Meath side to see out the final minutes which they did through an admirable display of passing.

Navan and Corinthians it seems will remain the teams to beat in the New Year as they sit 8 points clear of the chasing pack at the summit of the table and will no doubt continue to slug it out for the Division 7 title.

Navan Team: A. Gibbons-Matthews, H. StLedger, J. Lynskey(c), I. Lawless, A. McKeever, E. Lynskey, A. Clarke, S. McKeever, R. Andrews, S. Clarke, D. Ferris, C. Geraghty, A. Foley, D. Weldon,. T. Bravek, F. Houliha

SAT 13th December 2008:

Leinster League Div 7:

Navan (2nd XI) (2) v (0) Corinthians (5th XI)

Sun 14th December 2008:

Leinster League Div 9:

Glenanne (5th XI) (2) v (3) Navan (3rd XI)

Sat 8th Dec 2008

Leinster League Div 2:

Clontarf (1stXI) (4)v Navan (1st XI) (0)

Result

Match Abandoned after 35 mins due to frozen pitch.

Navan decide to offer Clontarf the win rather than travel up at late notice for a 35 game at 4 - 0 down.

Div 7 Result:

Mullingar (2nd XI) (2) v Navan (2ndXI) (0)

Report to follow.......

Navan (1^st XI) (2) v Skerries (1^st XI) (1)

Saturday 22^nd November

Sportslink, Santry.

^{Points on the board. Navan Hockey Club’s first team registered their first points of the season}

^{with this home win against Skerries in the Leinster League division 2. Navan had to come from}

^{behind in this tense thriller that proved controversial at times.}

^{Skerries, who were top of the league before the game, were expected to come here and collect an easy three points, but The Badgers had other ideas and will have certainly surprised many sceptics with this result. Navan did have to weather an early storm however as Skerries manoeuvred a plethora of chances in the first half hitting the post and forcing stops out of keeper Emmet O’Mordha and centre back Chris Booth. Going forward was generally a counter attacking effort for Navan in this game as time after time the midfield engine of Alan Davis and Ruairi Clarke put wingers Doug Ferris and rookie debutant Simon McKeever into some great positions which took some experienced Skerries defending to thwart.}

^{Skerries’ goal came midway through the first half through a controversial short corner. Nothing out of place about the awarding of the short corner, more the manor in which it was scored. The official ruling on penalty corners that are hit as opposed to flicked, is that they must not rise higher than the level of the goals backboard. In this case the ball was hit and did rise above the backboard but hit the pole at the back of the goal that supports the net meaning that the shot was too high to constitute a legal goal. While this was obvious to most of the people on the pitch and the far sideline, bizarrely, the umpire standing only a few feet away decided to give it as a perfectly legal goal. This infuriated Navan players on and off the pitch so much so that their performance during the remainder of the half visibly suffered. Skerries were awarded another short corner right on half time, again it was struck and this time it rose right up into the top corner almost bursting the net……..this goal was disallowed.}

^{At half time Navan regrouped and resolved not to let bad officiating get in the way of their performance any longer. They came out in the second half a much stronger unit and Skerries began to look more and more like a team who were there for the taking. Quick movement from Navan forwards began to expose holes in the Skerries defence that could be exploited but a finish remained elusive. At one point Eamon Lynskey was sure he’d scored when he got on the end of a cross and deflected it goalwards, the keeper was a mere spectator as the ball ricocheted off his helmet and over the end line.}

^{Navan’s break was to come from a short corner, but not the traditional Allan McCulloch drag flick that teams have become so accustomed to. Captain Ruairí Clarke acted as the decoy as he utilised some of his better skills to find space close in and finish in style. Skerries’ reply proved somewhat tamer than one would expect of a team topping the table as Navan were in for a short corner once more. Now only five minutes of play remaining things were starting to get tense as defensive nerves on both teams were being tested. This time it would be Allan McCulloch to drag flick but as the ball rebounded off the Skerries keeper it was a free for all in front of goal, with defenders attempting to clear and Navan strikers trying to get something, anything on the ball. In the end the issue was resolved by Navans sweeper Frankie Houlihan who entered the ruckus to hammer the ball between the legs of a despairing goalie.}

^{The final five minutes were and agonising trek for Navan who made things very difficult for themselves as they gave away frees in their own half and lost balls by attempting to walk them out of the defensive area. But nothing Skerries could muster to throw at them would merit an equaliser. So the match was settled in the end as ‘Frankie said Relax’ to give his team all three points. Thus the Badgers can finally move off the foot of the table, above rivals Naas and will feel like they certainly deserve the three points from this encounter.}

^{Navan Team:}^{E. O’Mordha, F. Houlihan, C. Booth, R. Warburton,}

^{A. McKeever, G. Allen, R. Clarke(c), A.Davis, D. Ferris, S. Clarke, E.}

^{Lynskey, S. McKeever, A. McCulloch, R. Andrews.}

Smithfield (1^st XI) (1) v Navan (2^nd XI) (3)

Saturday 22^nd November

Navan 2nds maintained their unbeaten start to the season with a 3 - 1 win over Smithfield. Serial goal poached Damien Lynskey scored the first 2 goals from within 3 meters of the goal before Smithfield replyed with a well worked short corner.

Navan played some good hockey in the second half before Thomas Bravek used a move which came straight out of the ''Lynskey goal poaching handbook'' as he got the final touch from Simon Mckeevers fierce shot from the edge of the circle to seal the win for the Badgers.

Captain John Lynskey was solid in midfield throughout the game with great support play from old timer Hugh St Ledger, Both helping to keep the Smithfield attackers quiet for the most of the game.

Navan Team: A. Gibbons-Matthews, H. StLedger, I. Lawless, K. Lynskey, J. Lynskey(c), S. McKeever, E. Lynskey, Ollie Mitchell, S. Clarke, A. Foley, D. Lynskey, C. Geraghty, P. Woolfson, T. Bravek, S. Quinn.

This Weeks Fixtures:

Leinster Div 2

Clontarf 1st XI v Navan 1st XI

Venue: Mount Temple School

Time: 2pm

Leinster Div 7

Mullingar 2nd XI v Navan 2nd XI

Venue: Mullingar

Time: 12.45

SUNDAY

Leinster Div 9

Glenanne 5th XI v Navan 3rd XI

Venue: St Marks Tallaght

Time: TBD