EIGHT players from Dysynni Hockey Club represented their county team Eryri over the weekend in Swansea at the Girls County Championships. Two of Dysynni’s young players represented at U15 level and six at U17 level, writes Crona Hodges.

The U15s Girls from North Wales put up a solid performance for their first game beating Afan Nedd Tawe 8-0 but only managed two draws in the rest of their pool games, 0-0 against Gwent and 0-0 against Cardiff.

The girls had another chance against Cardiff in the final after beating North-East in a thrilling shuffle competition.

Happy to avoid another shuffle competition the Eryri U15s just had too much for Cardiff and secured the gold with a 2-1 win.

Hoci Cymru Young Ambassadors had a great deal to do at the competition and Young Ambassador Molly Hodges came away with an Officiator’s Medal for her services to the event.

The result for the U15s was all the more special for Dysynni as the team were coached and managed by Lynda Bennett and Ryan Goddard respectively, both from Dysynni Hockey Club in Tywyn.

This is the second year in a row that the duo have led the U15s girls from Eryri to gold at the County Championships.

The U17s tournament followed the next day and Eryri once again faced Cardiff in the pool games.

A close game resulted in a 1-2 defeat for the girls from North Wales but they secured two 2-0 wins against both Dyfed and Glamorgan Valleys getting themselves to the semi-finals one again.

They girls battled on in incredibly wet and cold conditions; it was a tense game against Gwent in the semi-final but a 2-1 victory was secured and it was another final to be played for the Eryri girls, once again against Cardiff.

The game was very well matched with both teams hungry for the win and playing brilliant hockey, but it was Eryri who clinched it with a thrilling reverse stick goal from Dysynni player Alicia Bishop in open play.

Once again it was the girls from the north who brought home the gold from the Hoci Cymru County Championships.