Railway in shake up for third place

WEEKEND HOCKEY:RAILWAY UNION are through to today's third-place play-off in the EuroHockey Club Champions Trophy, where they will play Grove of Scotland, after a 3-0 win over Italy's Libertas San Saba yesterday at Park Avenue.

Zara Delaney, Alex Speers and Sinéad Walsh got the goals for the hosts, who had drawn their opening pool game with Ukraine’s MSC Sumchanka on Friday before losing 4-2 to Royal Wellington (Belgium) on Saturday.

That defeat ended Railway’s hopes of reaching today’s final, which Wellington and Victorya Smolevichi of Belarus will contest, but the Belgians’ 5-1 win over Sumchanka in yesterday’s final game ensured the Leinster side finished second in the pool.

Following Pembroke and Glenanne’s elimination from the EuroHockey League on Friday, Ireland captain Ronan Gormley remains the only local confirmed with a semi-final berth for the finals weekend in late May – the pinnacle of the club game in the continent.

Gormley was a member of the Club de Campo side from Madrid who hammered former club Pembroke 11-0 in the last 16 of the competition.

And he subsequently helped his new team-mates to a penalty shoot-out success against Spanish rivals Atletic Terrassa yesterday in Amsterdam as they advanced to the quarter-finals.

Stephen Butler – Ireland’s record goalscorer and formerly of Glenanne – will hope to be his opponent in those semi-finals.

He is in final-eight action this afternoon for Belgian club, Dragons, against Reading, who feature former Bangor man Chris Cargo.

On home turf, UCD’s promotion/relegation play-off with Dublin University has been set for Wednesday night at Grange Road, tipping off at 7.30pm.

FIXTURES– Men's Eurohockey League – quarter-finals (today): Bloemendaal v Oranje Zwart, 1.30pm; Dragons v Reading, 11am.