PRESIDENT THANKS BANN VOLUNTEERS
Huge crowds descended on Havelock Park over the weekend to watch Irish hockey at its best as Banbridge Hockey Club hosted the Irish Hockey League Finals.
BHC Club President Neil Madeley stated: “I would just like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank everyone involved in the weekend we simply could not have hosted such a top class event without their help. We have been overwhelmed by the volunteer response from all levels within the club and it is a testament to everyone’s willingness to help that made this weekend a resounding success. Thanks also to Banbridge District Council for all their support in helping us make this happen.”
This is the biggest hockey tournament Bann have hosted since the still recalled European Cup Winners cup in 1985 at Castlewellan Road and the locals pulled out all the stops to put on a brilliant event. Many hours of planning, meetings and hard work all culminated in an IHL weekend that has been upheld by many as the best hockey event put on in Ireland in recent times.
“Anyone who visited Havelock Park over the past 2 days saw the transformation of our grounds from club venue to that of an international quality complex. A truly remarkable feat in such a short space of time! Thanks again to everyone who helped make our vision a reality by making this the best IHL finals so far.”
“Fantastic hockey was on display at our grounds over the weekend, alongside a great atmosphere at Havelock which made it a brilliant tournament for the hundreds of spectators who turned up over the two days. While we would have loved to see Bann lift the IHL title in our home ground, we are proud of the fantastic performances put on by the lads over the weekend.”
Match report from Sunday’s final here