Further disruption expected, admits Ulster chief

THE embargo on all hockey activity in Ireland due to the coronavirus crisis looks certain to be extended beyond the current deadline of March 29 and, indeed, the domestic and national leagues could be declared null and void.

The sport’s governing body, Hockey Ireland, and the constituent branches across the island are to hold a conference call to discuss the way forward over the coming days.

Ulster Hockey executive manager Marc Scott said: “We will be discussing the next steps in the conference call but it seems likely that the suspension will continue.

“The Ulster Competitions Committee will be making contingency plans thereafter and it is still the preferred option to prioritise on getting the leagues completed.”

It’s understood that the worstcase scenario in Ulster would be to scrap the current season completely and start afresh in the autumn.

However, with a proposed restructuring of the top two divisions due to ongoing concerns about the number of mismatches in the current season, that would be far from ideal.

On that front, clubs have been contacted to give their views on a number of options, including a possible increase to three senior leagues instead of the existing two to produce a more equitable format.

However, that could well be put on hold, depending on what transpires in an increasingly uncertain situation over the coronavirus escalation with talk of at least 12 weeks elapsing before any improvement in the circumstances.

Scott added: “Managing to finish the leagues (this season) remains the preferred option but this is reliant on the situation improving and guidance changing.”

Very few issues have been decided across all of the Ulster Leagues so far, with the exception of the second tier of the women’s competition.

Armagh recently clinched the title and, in a normal scenario, would be promoted to the Premier League but that is now up in the air.

At present, the Irish Hockey League, which includes Lisnagarvey, Banbridge and Annadale men along with Pegasus and Belfast Harlequins ladies, has around two-thirds of its fixtures completed.

In the national leagues, the situation is further complicated by the fact that the respective regulation season winners and top teams from the play-offs qualify for Europe.

Another option, if it was unable to complete the current fixture lists in the usual time-frame, would be to start the new season early and resume where the teams left off.

However, that would impact on the next campaign, so there is a possibility that teams could be asked to play each other once rather than twice.