Setanta Sports Trophy

dragonkin

The Irish Hockey Association today unveiled an exciting new international hockey tournament to be held in Ireland for at least the next three years. Running as a joint men’s and women’s tournament, the new invitational competition will feature top world nations competing with Ireland annually in what will be a key preparation event for nations competing in elite European and World competitions later in the year.

Setanta Sports is the title sponsor and will be providing full coverage of all matches of both the men’s and women’s events. The sponsorship is part of a broader three-year commitment from Setanta Sports to Irish Hockey, which will see the sports television network broadcast at least 29 school, club and international hockey matches in full every year. In addition to the Setanta Sports Trophy, the sports broadcaster will now provide coverage of the semi-finals and finals of the Men’s and ESB Women’s All-Ireland Club Championships, the ESB Kate Russell All-Ireland Schoolgirls Championship and the Leinster Schoolgirls Cup Final for a further three years.

The details of the 2007 Setanta Sports Trophy, which will follow a four-nations tournament format, were also released by the IHA today. This competition will be held from 13th June 2007 to 17th June 2007 at the National Hockey Stadium in UCD, Dublin.

In the Women’s Setanta Sports Trophy, Ireland will compete with Olympic Champions Germany, South Africa and Scotland. I n the Men’s Setanta Sports Trophy, Ireland do battle with Canada, Egypt and Wales. Both men’s and women’s competitions will be held simultaneously, providing an exciting festival of high level competitive men’s and women’s international hockey in June.

"This is a fantastic opportunity for the Irish sporting public to see both our senior national teams in competitive action against top hockey nations in their preparations for the Eurohockey Nations Championships in Manchester in August,” said IHA Chief Executive Paul Varian today.

"Our goal in creating this high-level, prestigious annual tournament is to ensure that the Irish sporting public is exposed to top, competitive international hockey year-on-year. In the Setanta Sports Trophy, we have achieved this and we are delighted that Setanta Sports has extended this commitment to Irish hockey and offered exciting hockey competitions to their subscribers. We are very enthused at the prospect of an exhilarating competition this June and for years to come."

"We are delighted to be the sponsors of this exciting new hockey competition and are looking forward to showing the games on Setanta Ireland," said Setanta Ireland CEO Niall Cogley today. "Setanta’s commitment to this event reflects the continued growth of both hockey in Ireland and Setanta Sports. The matches add to the unrivalled sports content that Setanta is now offering its viewers."

2007 SETANTA SPORTS TROPHY DETAILS

Venue: The National Hockey Stadium, UCD, Dublin.
Match tickets will be available online at www.hockey.ie at a 25% discount rate.
All matches televised and broadcast in entirety on Setanta Sports (www.setanta.com).

Involved teams' World RankingsMen’s
Egypt 15
Canada 16
Ireland 19
Wales 25

Women's
Germany 4
South Africa 12
Ireland 14
Scotland 17

Match Schedule

Wed 13th June 2007
Ireland v South Africa (w)
Ireland v Canada (m)

Thursday 14th June 2007
Germany v Scotland (w)
Egypt v Wales (m)

Friday 15th June 2007
Germany v South Africa (w)
Canada v Wales (m)
Ireland v Scotland (w)
Ireland v Egypt (m)

Saturday 16th June 2007
South Africa v Scotland (w)
Ireland v Germany (w)
Egypt v Canada (m)
Ireland v Wales (m)

Sunday 17th June 2007
Women 4th v 3rd
Women 2nd v 1st
Men 4th v 3rd
Men 2nd v 1st

Sounds like good news to me hockey needs to be on TV more!

tywy

w00t! This looks fantastic!

Lisapeep

Wow, this looks fantastic! Anyone thinking of going?

Shuffles

good stuff, how come the mens irish senior cup final is never televised?

dragonkin

It was a few years ago but they haven't done it recently no idea why I think the IHA had to pay for it.

I'd say they'll start trying to televise it again now that this new all ireland league that was announced today is going to be set up.

Sky Sports are also showing hockey highlights from June as well.
I wouldn't be surprised if we see a fair bit more of it especially on eurosport they always get good ratings when they show it and there is a new European league 'made for TV' starting next year, I think Ireland gets to enter one team.

Lisapeep

I think the point Shuffles was trying to make was that the Women's Irish Senior Cup Final is televised so why not the mens! It is a strange one alright.

There's enough men's sports on television these days though so I'm not complaining too much!!

tywy

Well more women play hockey, so there's more of a demand for it... I think.

summerwine

Yep, went to see the two finals, twas a great day and good value at 20 euros in! Irish mens did well beating Canada! Womens team didn't do that bad considering the high level teams they were playing against ! Anyone else go?

The televised matches were great, went out for a few beers over the weekend and it became a topic of talk with the guys (not brought up by me). The lads even admited to watching the games(considering they call it a wooosies version of hurling) !

Its great to raise the profile of hockey in Ireland!!

dragonkin

Didn't see the matches as I don't have setanta unfortunatly and I'm not in Dublin atm. Good to know that the televised matches looked good.
Was there much of a crowd to see Ireland play?

Definitly good to see hockey get exposure! At least setanta adds a bit of competition to the Irish market, I might even subscribe...

summerwine

Well, there weren't a huge amount of people there, i'd say around 200 people. The main stand in belfield was practically full though! But I reckon that if they organised the setanta trophy well and got a few prestigious sides in next year, the tournament could really take off!

Its got potential!!!

Televised matches did look very good, I think it was the dark colour of the pitch in belfield that made the ball more visible and easier to watch!