Ulster Hockey – what’s happening?

This is the scene that regularly confronts followers of our men’s fourth and fifth elevens this season – NO HOCKEY.  What is going on at Ulster clubs this season?  Last season our fourths and fifths had a total of 3 walk over fixtures out of 53 scheduled games.  This season so far there have been 5 from 10 with the once strong Annadale a guilty party twice!  This results in us having keen young players simply wanting a game but being disappointed!  The seconds even lost out this week as UCC seconds withdrew from an Irish Junior cup tie.

Is it too much to expect that clubs could organise themselves to field the teams they have already entered into leagues or to evaluate where and why they are going wrong?