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Anon
08-14-2005 4:24 pm
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Match vs France
Well done girls.
all about the result and you got that. best of luck on Tuesday. have a go
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JJ
08-15-2005 4:04 am
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Well the result against France means in reality that we need to beat Spain. Only the one goal will mean that a draw may not be enough due to goal difference. Hate to be a pessimist but the Dutch could score many goals against us on Wednesday!
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jen
08-15-2005 4:55 am
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yes well done girls-the result is what matters n use fought hard n got wot u desrved,keep it up
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EB
08-15-2005 6:52 am
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Result
Well done girls. Got the result, the goals will come. Could have had a lot against them if we had a little ounce of luck, can't believe how negative France were.
Get stuck into Spain, viscous in the circle and punish them.
Minty & I will be cheering ye on in the stand.
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Wizard
08-15-2005 2:27 pm
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Fair play to ya.Played well and deserved a win,but that had to be the most frightfully boring matches I've ever seen.I know passing it around the back and waiting for the space to open up was your tactic.But you never really attacked with any aggression or speed. But when you did attack with aggression and speed you looked very threatining and caused damage,resulting in short corners mostly.
If I was a non hockey player seeing hockey for the first time on RTE I wouldn't be pushed to go near the sport, got to remember girls your the front of Irish hockey right now. Sure winning it would really promote the sport but winning it with style would be that much better.
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Dee
08-15-2005 7:43 pm
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Why did Carey get so little pitch time? We were so lacking in ideas we desperately needed someone with a spark and surely she's still our best option on that front?
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Rebel Rebel
08-16-2005 4:01 am
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Rip off Ireland
Croke Park, Sunday. Upper Cusack Stand ticket: €40. Showed my student ID, got €25 CASH back into my hand. Two matches. Up Cork!
Belfield, Sunday. Going in for the one and last match: €20, the same as paying for the whole day. Didn't book the tickets because the website said that you could pay for individual matches. No student discount. Not the most exciting match but well done to the girls for getting the win.
Seriously, do the IHA have a clue? Bogger that I am, I was only up for the one match so I reluctantly parted with my money for my "ticket" (a nice strip of green paper that I could have made at home, definitely one to add to my collection). If I was from Dublin though and I was only going to make the Irish matches, no way would I pay €60 for three + games (and hopefully more) when I could watch it on the telly for free. Granted most people will be there for the Irish games only so money has to be made then but there's no need to rip us off. I know that people will reply to this with all sorts of comments on the costs of running the tournament and how could I compare the GAA with all their wealth to the IHA who comparatively have none, fork out your money for the cause and stop moaning you tightarse. Fair enough, but aren't we supposed to be encouraging more people to come to the games?
As regards support, my ears were bleeding after Croke Park. Again, fair enough that you can't compare 55,000 people to however many were in Belfield (I'm guessing maybe 1000?). Some people made great efforts with singing and chanting but there was an element of "on your own you muppet" to the whole thing. An IHA official was sitting behind me and I didn't hear one word of encouragement out of her, just moaning about how "awful" the play was. If people are heading to support the girls, let your inhibitions go. Shout like mad, wear green, dye your hair orange, come home hoarse, encourage them all the way. Give them a twelfth player by showing your passion for the game. Don't mind how "awful" some might say you are.... ;)
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TN
08-16-2005 6:08 am
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It makes you wonder where all the money that has gone into the team has disappeared to if the display against ,a very very weak, France is the best we can muster after so much preperation time! Come on girls get your act together today and lets see some set pieces working and some flowing hockey that you are surely capable of! On a slightly different point, its great to see our sport getting so much TV time, it seems Paul Varian is doing a wonderful job for Irish hockey, congrats to all involved in all the recent successes off the pitch!!
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Hockey Fan
08-16-2005 9:48 am
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Rip Off Ireland
I agree with Rebel Rebel - I think the support for the Irish matches would be even greater if the IHA charged per match rather than per day. As a hockey fan, I bought a season ticket for the matches, which was good value. However, some of my 'non-hockey' friends were going to come to the Ireland v France game on Sunday, but decided not to because they'd be charged 20 euro for that one match! IHA should charge less - maybe 10 euro - to watch the last match of the day and get the max. support for Ireland. Otherwise, think the IHA have done really well organising the whole event.
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Corkman
08-16-2005 10:47 am
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Rip Off Republic
Eddie Hobbs might feature hockey in one of his rip off programes on RTE. Good shout Rebel Rebel. I was in the premium section of the Cusack stand just two levels below you for the Hurling on Sunday. The tickets were €40 each and we were treated to two excellent hurling matches and the fact that the Rebels won made it all the sweeter. But to charge a student €20 to get into Belfield to watch one hockey match is typical of the IHA. The reason it costs so much is because you can be dam sure that there are a whole load of green blazers staying in the Montrose Hotel and surronding hotels for the week. They are on a jolly up and we are paying for it. They can't even shout and roar to support their own ladies team. Im glad I got on the train and went straight home!
From my experiences I can tell you that the IHA want to get everything for nothing. They are as tight as a ducks arse. While Paul Varian has done an excellent job on attracting sponsors he is also the man responsible for the ticket prices. No offence to the Irish ladies but the standard of hockey on display in Belfield on Sunday night was not worth €20. As for the green wrist band you received you should keep that for another tournament because I can tell you that the IHA have a couple of thousand of them in storage and will keep using them until they run out.
Why don't they do what the GAA do and print a proper ticket and get a company to sponsor the ticket by allowing them to advertise on the reverse of it.
It is the GAA that are supposed to be know as the Grab ALL Association not the IHA.
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Bemused
08-16-2005 6:35 pm
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Some interesting comments from some others.
I would have been happy to pay E20 for a ticket for tomorrow's match against Holland - but they are all sold out!! Maybe the pricing wasn't so bad afterall especially as there as about 3,500 there tonight - all paying E10. Let's not forget there is a distinction between four match and two match days.
Well done to Paul Varian and all his team. Things are moving in the right direction despite what all the moaners on this site will always say. Shame some of these people don't put themselve forward to contribute to Irish Hockey and maybe we can have a younger more vibrant blazer brigade!!
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????
08-16-2005 8:43 pm
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FAO Bemused
Forgive me but I have to assume 'Bemused' is employed by the IHA!!! Come on, own up!
3,500? Where on earth did you get that figure from? Belfield can barely accommodate half that crowd, even with the temporary stands!
I'm also puzzled by your claim that the Dutch game is sold out....I had no trouble buying tickets for two friends for that match when I attended tonight's Spanish game. When I told the seller that I might need two more tickets tomorrow I was told "no problem, there are plenty left"!!!!
I'm not surprised at those prices! I agree wholeheartedly with the earlier comments on this thread, the IHA are living in a dream world, one that has hockey as a major sport. It's NOT, unfortunately, so please price your 'product' accordingly.
PS Is it just me or have the team been a huge disappointment so far, even tonight? I know, even saying that will bring on a torrent of abuse, but considering the funding poured in to them, for all their trips abroad, are they really any better than the Irish team of 10 years ago or more???
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Ssssssssssss
08-17-2005 3:32 am
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Thought the girls did themselves proud last night and Bridget and Linda played super. Just a pity they wasted a few chances.
Good luck tonight girls will be cheering you all on!
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Jo
08-17-2005 7:14 am
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go on the "hurler from the ditch" ....
go on the "hurler from the ditch" .... hockey live on TV, Belfield packed out and people cramped for viewing vantage points, sponsored shirts, advertising signs around the ground, new national pitch and the munster brigade still not happy ?
mate, there is always something that can be improved but massive strides forward are being made and by the way... no i dont work for or in the IHA which is the usual retort for any supportive comment.
but i can see when things seem to be moving in right direction, unlike you i will be move with the transition and support change to see the sport move forward.
there are so many positives outweighing your arguments that i actually chuckled when i read it again !
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A big supporter of the girls
08-17-2005 12:08 pm
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To the point
Prices are too high for the last game, sure for the whole day €20 but not for the last match, should have been at most €10 just as Bemused and the Corkites were saying.
About funding. The girls aren't exactly getting all this money that you think they are by the way, fine they travelled to Korea (All accomadation and food paid for as were invited), went to Bremen (Again accomadation and food paid for as were invited) and the Celtic Cup.
If we are to move forward we have to be competing in these top tournaments like the KT Cup. Its such a young squad so you can't really compare it to the World Cup team of 10Years ago either although i know Kohler and Sixsmith were quite young at that stage. Average age of the current squad is probably about 23 and have years of experience to gain.
Anyways, lets get behind the girls. They might not be pulling out the performances that they deserve but who else is going to get behind them. They really have put their lives on hold for the last few months, and just need that bit of lady luck to get going.
To everyone that was at the Spanish game supporting. It was fantastic and we should all be very proud. Hopefully we can get something out of this Dutch game later.
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keeper
08-17-2005 7:08 pm
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dutch game
i was at the dutch game tonight and iv got to say that the support from the irish crowd was brilliant!the mexican wave and all the singing was brilliant and it showed that every1s out to support our girls!the irish played really well and gave the dutch a gud match and it was a good enough result considering the dutch are the top rated team in the world!
now i know there's going to be some people on this site later complaining about how ireland lost and they should have done something better but come on lets get behind r girls and support them for the rest of the week because they deserve it!
i thought everybody played brilliant tonight and should be very proud of their performance!good luck for the rest of the week girls!!!do us proud again!
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Rebel Rebel
08-18-2005 3:10 am
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Jo
In Cork you'd be known as ......
I absolutely agree that huge strides are being made both on and off the pitch, the media coverage has been fantastic for the event. If I wasn't a supporter of the transition of the game why would I bother belting across Dublin on Sunday to support the girls? My point was that €20 was a bit steep for a student for one match, and that the crowd were a bit sedate on Sunday, that's all. Judging by the coverage on Tuesday and Wednesday the latter changed thankfully.
Best of luck in the next phase of the competition girls, thought the defense have been brilliant the last two games.
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Sam
08-18-2005 12:51 pm
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Having watched virtually all the games so far I have been very impressed by the Irish squad. No they haven't scored the goals they should have but they've improved so much and the discipline level is high. The England - Germany match was fascinating and tactical. Like rugby the game has moved on from the old-fashioned up and at 'em style but is none the worse for that (well most of the time). The atmosphere has been wonderful - two matches packed out and good crowds for the other games. As to the prices - 25 Euro for 2 Gaelic matches as opposed to 20 Euro for two hockey matches! Was there a reduction if you only wanted to stay for one?
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benitez
08-18-2005 3:59 pm
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Sam
Sam, i agree with much of what you say and yes the girls have improved but our attacking game is non existent and it would appear that we have placed so much emphasis on defending and a negative game plan that we have forgotten how to attack and commit people to attack, make 2v1s and force the opposition to defend.
Our forwards though not world class are the best we have and are unrecognisable from the players that terrorise domestic defences. they are hesitant, lacking in confidence and when we do look to attack our movement is to the corners not the penalty spot as the other teams do. For all the quality defending we need to get people forward when we have the ball.
I know how much they put in to their preparation but I am concerned and worried about tomorrow and it will be a disaster if we lose and are relegated etc.
The squad has more quality than we are seeing and I hope I am wrong and they get through tomorrow.
Great crowds and good work by the IHA if only they had more temporary seating..they would get anothe few hundred in. unreal people being turned away from an Irish hockey match.
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benitez
08-19-2005 4:09 pm
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well done
Girls well done today it started off badly but you pulled through in the end and it is mission accomplished as regards top 6 and world cup qualifiers.
best of luck tomorrow. have a go now that the pressure is off.
Looking forward to some good games and a full house
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agree
08-20-2005 4:23 pm
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also disappointed
it was a bit of a rip of in! i was down on the wednesday for the Ireland v Netherlands match and i have to say it was actually a it stupid the way the IHA had the tickets worked out! We were only there for one match an were still charged the ful price of a four match day! Was a rip of! A better idea wud have been to charge by match! And i was more disappointed to have been sitting near a couple of men in the green coats and heard them say "The netherlands have no problems! They'll have it all under their control!" Where was the encouragement for the Irish girls? Well done to the girls anyway the whole way through the Europeans! Unlucky only to come 5th! Well done anyway! Great wins last two matches!
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Sam
08-20-2005 5:48 pm
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They got it right for the last two matches - built on the good defence and scored. I don't think they could have attacked much more against the Dutch - the opposition wouldn't let them! However, progress has been good. Lynsey McVicker's retirement opens the way for another striker for Rome. I'd be interested to hear who scored consitently from open play in the provinces last year and should possibly be in contention.
Totally agree about the seating though am not sure where it would have gone. UCD have rather unsportingly put a road and pitches where the temporary stand was in '94.
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x23
