This weekend should prove to be one of the most entertaining couple of days of Ice Hockey that Dundalk will host for quite some time. Although there will only be one IIHL game this weekend, there will be three games on offer. Each will consist of teams and players that compete at different levels. Team Ireland enthusiasts will be given the opportunity to see all three of the Morrison brothers take to the ice in Dundalk. Eldest brother David and youngest brother William will be playing for the Dundalk Bulls on Sunday afternoon while Mark will play with the Belfast Giants on Saturday night and to add to that, Irish players Philip Darcy and Stephen Cooper will also be competing on Sunday against the Bulls. However, that’s not where the Irish interest will end, a large number of future stars of the Irish national teams will take to the ice on Saturday evening in a game of their own.
The highlight of the weekend will undoubtedly be the Elite league clash between the Belfast Giants and Manchester Phoenix. The Giants’ season got off to a torrid start going winless in 7 straight games but with coach Ed Courtenay having threatened all of his players with the axe and following through with the departure of some players and new arrivals, the Giants would seem to be back on track having won back to back games against Basingstoke Bison. They will be looking to continue this rich vain of form and show the people of Dundalk that the last game they played in the Wee County was not the best they had to offer. The Giants will take Team Ireland players Mark Morrison and Hugh Smyth to Dundalk with them along with recently signed players Pete Campbell and Stevie Lyle. The game takes place on Saturday evening with face-off at 7:00 p.m.
The Elite league clash may be the highlight of the weekend but the jewel of the weekend will certainly be the game that takes place prior to it and it has no points riding on the outcome. Having recently announced their planned development and venture into helping grow the stars of tomorrow, the Belfast Giants U-16’s will take on the Dundalk Bulls U-16 team. A game that should prove to be very exciting to watch but also a huge eye opener to many as it will be the first time that they will be able to witness the direction in which the sport of ice hockey in Ireland will take. The Giants will be using this game as a warm up before they embark on their adventure in the Scottish Ice Hockey League, while the Bulls young players will be looking forward to taking on the Belfast Giants in their home town in front of their families and friends. The Bulls players, many of whom are only playing since December just passed, have made tremendous progress in such a short space of time will take full advantage and enjoy every second of the game. The Bulls U-16’s will also include the two players who recently travelled to Finland to the IIHF Development Camp in Vierumaki. Having been selected to represent Ireland at the Camp held during the summer, both Niall Martin and Aaron Gribben will lead the line for the Bulls and show what they learned from the some of the world’s elite. It should prove to be a great affair and an excellent warm up to the clash between the Belfast Giants and the X. The game will take place Saturday evening prior to the Elite League game with face-off at 5:00 p.m. Everyone is more than welcome to attend so please come and show your support of ice hockey in Ireland. For more details and information contact the Dundalk Ice Dome via Dundalk Ice Dome or by telephone on 042 9337256.
The game that will close the weekend will be the only IIHL game of the weekend and will be the clash between Flyers I.H.C and Dundalk Bulls. Having already played each other in a one sided affair ending 26-2 in favour of the Bulls, the Flyers will be hoping to improve on their recent victory against the Latvian Hawks and put up sturdier opposition while the Bulls will look to continue winning ways and win their fourth straight game extending their un-beaten record. This will be the perfect way to end a weekend full of action as well as a great day out for all the family on a Sunday afternoon. It should prove to be an entertaining game and will involve Team Ireland’s stars such as David and William Morrison playing for the Bulls while Philip Darcy and Stephen Cooper will lead the charge for the Flyers. The game takes place on Sunday afternoon with face-off at 4:30 p.m. Tickets are 8 Euro for adults and 5 Euro for children under 16. So come along and enjoy the wonderful atmosphere of the Ice Dome and the IIHL.
For more information on all of the games this weekend, contact the Dundalk Ice Dome via Dundalk Ice Dome or by telephone on 042 9337256.