 Player Interviews
Isobel Joyce - Railway
Railway Union skipper Isobel Joyce believes that last Sunday’s gut-wrenching ESB Irish Senior Cup final will only strengthen her side’s resolve when it comes to their bid to annex a first national outdoor title.
 The Park Avenue outfit produced a storming comeback last Sunday against Loreto, recovering from a two goal deficit to tie the game at 2-2. Emma Smyth drew a superb save from Louisa Healy while a last second Nikki Evans corner strike was incredibly blocked by Clodagh Grealy; either chance could have won the tie for Railway but the Beaufort outfit nicked the Cup on penalty strokes.
But Joyce believes that, rather than lick their wounds, her side can draw massive confidence from their performance before their grudge match with Hermes on Saturday morning (10.30am) at Grange Road.
“Sunday makes it easier because we made it to the biggest stage and played really well. Obviously we lost but we were very proud of the way we played. The nerves we might have had going into Saturday won’t be as strong after that.
“To come back when we could have easily dropped the heads and not put in the performance but everyone in that dugout had the belief that we could win and that showed in the second half.”
The exam-tied Hannah de Burgh-Whyte is the one player to make way from Railway’s match day panel of 18 for next weekend but, otherwise, the panel were unscathed and raring to go for their seventh head-to-head – including two indoor ties – this season with Hermes.
Their opponents are the only team in 30 outings this season to beat the Sandymount club in normal time this season, performing an eye-catching league and cup double in late January.
A stunning second half performance saw Hermes record a thumping 5-1 win on the Saturday followed by an Aine Connery wonder strike on the Sunday to settle the Jacqui Potter Cup tie.
But the quick turnover of fixtures, especially with the club’s maiden national title secured seven days later, beating Hermes in the National Indoor Trophy, meant that any negative vibes were never left to fester.
“Having to play them in the indoor cup final helped us to forget about the fact they beat us, winning 7-4 told us we were better than that result.
“Also, it would have been tougher had we not had the cup game the day after the league game. The Leinster Cup was never our priority so we didn’t holding any fear and said to ourselves ‘all we want is to show we’re not a 5-1 team’.
“We played really well and I honestly think if we hadn’t played that day and let it linger for a certain amount of time, they probably would have got in our heads and built a psychological barrier.
“It was a defining moment. We then had to beat them to win the league which takes away the fear we might have had if had festered.”
Round six of their dust-up proved the most crucial, Jean McDonnell’s only goal handing the side the Leinster title but national titles are now the priority.
On arrival at the club, Mick McKinnon laid out a three year plan to fulfil that target and is hoping his side can take it. They enter this weekend’s competition as the only newcomer to the final’s weekend but Joyce believes the competition is the one which is most amenable to their style
“We feel the IHL is our best format, it definitely suits us. We’ve a very fit 16 players and everyone on that bench could start on any team in Ireland. Emma Smyth and Sinead Walsh would both come off while the five forwards all rotate and we’ve really quick midfield and forwards as well. Where some teams might have only 12 players they want to play, we don’t have that fear."
Interview conducted by Stephen Findlater, Freelance Journalist on behalf of the IHA |
