On Monday evening Belfast Harlequins met close rivals, Queen’s University, in a Denman Shield semi final, which had fallen foul of the weekend’s frost.

I have to say that the hockey pitch, Deramore Park, is not my favourite location. I can well understand the economics for Quins to use up their remaining halogen lights, but it results in one half of the pitch having half the luminance of the other.

With the onset of the Christmas holidays and students returning home, Queens were at a disadvantage, only able to nominate 13 players in their squad, 11, of whom, were outfield players.

In the opening minutes, Queens took the game to Quins. Quins hardly had a touch of the ball, when Megan Cochrane found the roof of the net, with her 6th minute strike, to give Queens a 1 – 0 lead. They continued to press, but couldn’t take advantage and led by the solitary goal at the end of the 1st quarter.