Date founded 1968 | ||
Grounds Carryduff, Down District Council | ||
Annadale Hockey Club is a hockey club based at Carryduff, County Down. The club currently plays in the Premier League of the Ulster Senior League.
Contents
Formation
The club started life as Annadale Grammar School Former Pupils in 1968. It soon, however, became an open club. The connection with Annadale Grammar School, now Wellington College, is still strong. Coaching continues and the school playing facilities are still used by junior teams.
Early ascent
The club quickly rose through the league structure, gaining promotion to senior status following its Intermediate League win in 1970-71. Senior League 1 was attained for the first time after Section 2 was won in the 1975-76 season.
In 1977, the club lost in the Ulster Section final of the Irish Senior Cup. Consolation came in the form of the club's first senior trophy when the Anderson Cup was won in that same season.
1980s consolidation
The club's initial spell in the top section of the Ulster Senior League lasted five years. There followed a period when Annadale bounced between Section 1 and Section 2. The 1984-85 season saw Annadale win promotion to the top section again, a status that has been held ever since.
A highlight during this period was the success in reaching the final of the Irish Senior Cup.
Millennium successes
The 1999-2000 season saw Annadale win the Kirk Cup for the first time. Finally in the 2002-03 season the club attained the top spot in the Premier League of the Ulster Senior League. The league was won for five consecutive seasons from 2002-03 to 2006-7.
The second team also sampled success, with four Irish Junior Cup wins.
Notable players
Annadale's recent dominance of the Ulster Premier League is due to key players in the 1st XI team. In the recent years many players have represented both Ulster and Ireland. David Smyth and Chris Jackson would be two players mainly responsible for this dominance; however players such as Iain Lewers, Jonathan Moore, Ian Hamilton, David Robb, Jonathan Quigley and Neil Stewart can not be discounted.
Iain Lewers is currently playing professionally in the Netherlands for EHL 2008 Runners Up HGC.