Stand by for the finale of the Scottish Hockey domestic season – the Grand Finals including promotion/relegation play-offs at the Glasgow National Hockey Centre.
A nerve-wracking day of elation and deflation lies ahead for the eight teams taking part, only four of whom can emerge victorious by close of play this evening.
The action starts at 10am with second leg (following on from yesterday’s first leg) of the Women’s Div 1/2 promotion/relegation play-off. An Edinburgh derby between Grange EL and Erskine Stewart’s Melville FP to decide which team will claim the place in the Women’s National League Division 1 next season, and who will be playing in Division 2.
That’s followed at noon by the corresponding match in the Scottish Hockey Men’s Div 1/2 promotion/relegation play-off between Hillhead and Inverleith, a match also following on from yesterday’s first leg.
Photo: Duncolm Sports Photography
Then at 2pm the Women’s National League Grand Final is between Edinburgh University v Grove Menzieshill (pictured in action in last year’s final). The Grove team will be desperate for revenge having suffered a double whammy of defeats to their Edinburgh rivals in recent weeks.
The team from Dundee lost out on the league title by the narrowest of margins (only goal difference separated the teams after 18 matches) only to suffer further heartache at the hands of the Edinburgh students in the Scottish Hockey Cup Final when an inspired performance by player-coach Sam Judge – who scored all four goals – saw Edinburgh University claim the trophy in a 4-2 win. Can Grove turn the tables this afternoon, or will the side from Edinburgh claim a domestic treble and with it a place in European competition next season?
At 4pm it’s the Men’s National League Grand Final between Bromac Kelburne and Grove Menzieshill where the team from Kelburne also have a domestic treble on their minds, not to mention the prize of a place in the EuroHockey League on offer to the winner of today’s final.
It promises to be a fascinating encounter between the two sides who finished the Division 1 season locked together on 44 points, with only a superior goal difference enabling Kelburne to take the spoils and claim the title of league champions for the 12th season in a row. An achievement they followed up with a 4-1 win over Edinburgh University in the Scottish Hockey Cup Final.
The match has an added edge with players from the Scotland men’s national team, aka #bluesticks, going head-to-head as they represent their clubs. For Grove Menzieshill look out for Gavin Byers, Michael Ross and Duncan Riddell, with Paul Martin – the latter now retired from international duty – on the teamsheet. The team from Dundee also have a couple of rising stars from the BabyBlueSticks (Scotland U18s), Aidan McQuade and Cameron Golden, in their line-up.
Not to be outdone Kelburne have Lee Morton together with former Scottish players Iain Scholefield, Chris Nelson, Michael Christie – all retired with 100+ caps each – in a team full of international experience. And likewise they have one of the Scotland U18s in their ranks, Neil McIntyre.
It promises to be a fantastic day of hockey at the the Glasgow National Hockey Centre. Let the Scottish Hockey Grand Finals begin!
Matches start from 10am.
Admission on the day: Adults £5/Under 16s and Seniors free.
Additional spectator information is available via the Scottish Hockey website, at the bottom of the page.