Newry Olympic Mens 1s 4-3 PSNI

The Mens 1s showed their full potential in their final match of the season on Saturday 20th April 2024, with an exciting and fully deserved win at home against the PSNI, the winners of this season's Intermediate league.

The PSNI arrived at the Belfast Road ground unbeaten in the league and had just been crowned league champions the previous week with a win over runners-up Mossley hockey club. The visitors were determined to finish the season undefeated, but the Newry Olympic mens 1st XI were fired up for the game and weren't prepared to follow the Belfast side's script.

Playing in warm sunshine for a change, the home side were on the attack from the start forcing a number of good opportunities to take the lead. It wasn't long into the first quarter before Corey Large was the quickest to react to a rebound from the PSNI keeper to give the home side the lead. The PSNI were determined to get quickly back into the game and pushed forward with a number of strong attacks, eventually finding the Newry net to make the score 1-1. The game continued to be played end to end. It was Newry forward Keith McWilliams who got the better of the visitors defence and hit an unstoppable shot to put the Olympic men into a 2-1 lead at the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter started as the first had ended, with both teams playing open, attacking hockey. Newry's top scorer, Keith McWilliams got his second and Newry's third, to create some breathing space for the Olympic at the end of the first half with a 3-1 scoreline.

The PSNI side aren't champions for nothing though. From the start of the second half, they pushed forward, winning a number of short corners and eventually got their second goal from a well practiced move, giving Newry's goalkeeper Richard Henning no chance. Spurred on by their goal, the police continued to put the Newry defence under pressure and forced their third score, to end the penultimate quarter 3-3.

It was Olympic's turn in the final quarter to show the champions they weren't going to have it all there own way. Newry played some great hockey and showed the fans what the team is capable of. In an exciting finish to the match, it was Corey Large once again who slammed the ball past the PSNI keeper to score his second and give the home side a well deserved 4-3 win and inflict the first league defeat of the season on the visitors.

It was a great finish to the season for the Mens 1s team and for their captain Josh Porter. Ending the season in a creditable third place in the league and with high expectations for 2024/25.