Player Interviews
Isobel Joyce - Railway

With the CPP kicking into gear this season, the past fortnight has been among the first periods where Railway Union have managed to train as a group together. Perfect timing, says skipper Isobel Joyce, as the Sandymount club come into the IHL finals weekend off the back of two weeks in camp, their European Club Champion’s Trophy on home soil proving a big success.

They finished the tournament strong, beating Italy’s Libertas San Saba and Scotland’s Grove to claim a bronze medal to go with gold in the European indoors earlier this term, helping to smooth out some rough edges ahead of their tie with Hermes on Saturday.

“We finished well, probably playing our best hockey on Monday. To finish with that going into IHL weekend is probably the best that could have happened; ending on a high will definitely boost the team.

“It’s helped getting our short corners sorted out. I think Hermes were training last weekend but didn’t have their internationals so we might have that over them. Every inch counts.

“Nikki Evans being injured is a big blow and Julia O’Halloran got injured last week in training so didn’t play any part but will be looking to come back in. Those two haven’t been involved but Emma [Smyth], Alex [Speers] and Jean [McDonnell] are of course a massive boost.”

Their European experience is one they enjoyed and want to taste again, adding extra motivation for this weekend. It was a new departure for the club from the weekly grind of domestic competition, offering a fresh perspective.
Nonetheless, with the IHL in mind it did put any celebratory thoughts on hold.

“We didn’t know what to aim for coming into the tournament. We played the number one seeds first and it was probably the hardest game I’ve ever played in.

“We didn’t know what it was going to be like. The international girls have played in tournaments like this before but it’s just a totally different arena.

“Every game being tough isn’t what we are used to. It was very exciting, a challenge and that’s what we want to be playing in so we’re really motivated to get back into it for next year.

“We felt the tournament structure suited us because we have quite a strong squad, finding hard to pick 18 going into the weekend and the subs rolled on and off constantly. The Italians had a very clear 11 that they wanted on the pitch whereas for us, it didn’t really matter who we had on.

“At the end of the tournament, one of the girls was saying ‘I can’t believe we’re being outdone in our own clubhouse!’ The Belgians were celebrating their promotion, singing and shouting and having a great night while we were sitting in the other corner, looking on because we have the IHL.

“Especially at the end of the tournament, we said we want to be back next year, that’s our focus so we can hold on for another week.”

By contrast, Saturday’s semi-final with Hermes – a repeat of 2010 – is one which is part of a growing rivalry, the sides meeting more and more often at the business end of competitions. Most recently, Hermes won 2-0 to claim the Leinster league but Joyce says that the result is hard to draw many conclusions from.

“We played Hermes three times this year – one win, draw and loss – but the thing is our two teams have been changing so much that we’re not that much of a known quantity.

“We don’t know exactly how they’re going to play. It’s the first time both teams will play with their internationals. But I think it will stand us in good stead because the team matured over the weekend, learned a lot. Even dealing with umpires who can’t understand your language or any of that kind of stuff meant we just had to get on with it; none of those shenanigans which you would get in the league from one Saturday to the next.

“People are coming for you when you’re the holders, definitely. I think Pegasus can attest to that. There’s a great rivalry between ourselves and Hermes and, no matter what, we always want to beat each other. I don’t think any kind of holding the title will make any difference next Saturday.”

Interview conducted by Stephen Findlater, Freelance Journalist on behalf of the IHA