Railway girls u16s (3rd & 4th years) took on Old Alex in the Leinster Hockey Division 1 league final on Friday night in what is the top league in Leinster junior club girls hockey.
Railway were hoping to win the title for the third year in a row but up against a highly competent Old Alex side and the league match between the two was a very close affair.
The match started at a high tempo and whilst Railway enjoy the best of the opening phases it was Old Alex who began to assert themselves on the game and created several good opportunities without opening the score.
The Alex pressure meant Railway failed to get any fluency in midfield and they created several short corners without converting and Railway were left to rely on counter attacks which did yield some goal scoring opportunities and PCs but they were happy to get to half time scoreless.
The second half saw more territorial dominance from Railway and they created several shots but failed to get clean strikes until Nicole Barry created space for her trademark reverse stick shot high into the net and Railway went 1-0 up. That settled the girls and it was now Alex relying on fast counter attacks which looked very dangerous and with the clock ticking down and seconds left Railway were caught up the pitch and defensively exposed as Old Alex produced the best move of the match from deep in their own half to sprint clear and the Alex left wing scored with seconds left to make it 1-1. In truth, it was a deserved equaliser as there was little to choose between the teams.
Into the 1v1s Railway scored their first and then some time keeping confusion as Alex scored but after the timekeepers whistle and it took the officials conferring to disallow the goal, a Railway miss and again Old Alex scored but after the timekeepers whistle as good footwork and blocks from Chloe Hiles delayed the attacker long enough. It was through a disputed retake after an adjudged GK infringement that Alex levelled matters and sent 1v1s into sudden death.
After Railway missed Old Alex had the chance to win the final but Chloe made a good block and then when Jessica Carroll scored Railways 7th 1v1 it was Chloe Hiles who kept her nerve and excellent footwork to push the shot wide and the girls edged a very close match.
Full credit to both sides for playing a very good final with some excellent skill on show and with real drama where both sides could have won the final.
See attached the video of the girls celebrating after the last 1v1s