ESB Irish senior cup final
HERMES 1 - OLD ALEXANDRA 0

If experience is the key factor when it comes to the big days in sport then one statistic relating to the ESB Irish Senior Cup final at Belfield was particularly significant: between them the Hermes players have over 600 Irish caps. Their opponents, Old Alexandra, have less than ten. Little wonder, then, that Hermes went in to the showpiece of Irish hockey as red hot favourites, attempting to become only the third Leinster club to retain the Irish Senior Cup in over 50 years.

In last year's final they beat Ballymoney on penalty strokes, after the game had ended 2-2, but this year their triumph proved considerably more comfortable - even if it was by only one goal.

That goal came after just eight minutes when former American international Molly Powers turned home a loose ball on the line after Alex goalkeeper Shauna Frey had saved Kristin Farrell's shot. When the TV folk tried to shower the American with praise after the game she shrugged her shoulders and said: "It was a nobrainer of a goal". Perhaps, but since she arrived in Ireland two years ago and joined Hermes Powers has had a habit of being in the right place at the right time - as she was in last year's final when she opened the scoring for her club. But despite their superiority throughout Hermes failed to get the second goal that would have calmed their supporters' nerves, due, in no small part, to Frey who was outstanding in the Alexandra goal, making a string of superb saves.

The star of the show, though, was Hermes' Caitriona Carey, named as player of the match after the game. Tired legs, having only returned from international duty with Ireland in Argentina days before the final, like her clubmates Linda Caulfield (the Irish captain) and Kristin Farrell, and Alexandra's Zanya Dahl, meant she was given breaks through the game by her coach Rudi Wortmann.

But when she was on the pitch she shone and was consistently at the heart of Hermes' best attacking moments (including their winning goal), most of which she created with her trademark trickery and sublime skill. Carey, like her club, was playing in her seventh final in 10 years, and this was her fourth victory. If she maintains that success rate her mantelpiece will soon be more laden with medals than that of her brother, Kilkenny hurling legend DJ Carey.

Hermes, then, are guaranteed European hockey next season (this victory assures them of a place in the Cup Winners' Cup), but they still have their sights set on another Leinster League title and, most importantly, they want to Pictured back row (l-r) is Paddy Fogarty, Mick Darcy, Bill Bennett (RIP), Jack Conroy, Johnny Gorman, Donal Walsh, Jim Phelan, Murty O'Donnell, Tom Thornton (RIP) and John Fitzpatrick. Front row (l-r) is unknown, Paddy Dunne, Eamonn England, Mick Flanagan, Paddy Dooley, Jim Hennessy (RIP) and Jack Kelly.