Girls' Hockey and mixed Tug-of-War

The Girls' Hockey and the mixed Tug-of-War were played out in torrential (and I mean torrential) rain on Saturday 5^th July at Imphal Barracks, York.  All but one of the regions made the girls' hockey and were rewarded by driving rain and lightning bolts for their efforts.  Nevertheless the girls struggled on and completed all their games.  They were all to be congratulated for their perseverance and fortitude in the face of appalling conditions.  At one stage the drains next to the pitch in York were spouting water upwards yet the pitch itself stayed remarkably playable.  In truth it lived up to its name of an ‘All Weather Pitch' in some style.  The girls from Northern Ireland were largely a new team (only two or three from last year's winning team) and frankly were not expected to get to the finals, however lucky penalty flicks and extraordinary goal saves in the semi-finals allowed them through to the final.  This, like the Federer/Nadal match, was played far too late in the gloom of an overcast evening.  North West faced Northern Ireland and nearly succumbed.  In a closely fought contest that ran to extra time and then penalty flicks, North West finally beat Northern Ireland 4-3.

Umpires were provided yet again by the Norton Hockey Club reinforced this year by an ex Army Hockey Umpire Lt Col Jackman from 42 Bde.  They faced the same inclement weather and unlike the players were not able to resort to pitch side shelters between matches.  ACFA is enormously grateful to them for their commitment and resilience.  Next year the competition will again be played at York on Sat 4^th July 2009.

Lt Col Richard Quicke

• Back to news articles »