Women’s hockey – East District make generous donation

International hockey comes to Edinburgh this month and this is a flashback to a Scotland clash with South Africa

Edinburgh University have welcomed a donation from East District Hockey towards their European Club Challenge 1 later this month.

Eight teams from around Europe will compete at Peffermill from May 18 to 21 and the line-up includes hosts Edinburgh University and Milne Craig Clydesdale Western from Glasgow.

Edinburgh are in a four-strong Pool A with Welsh side Swansea City, HC Rotweiss Wettingen from Switzerland and Russian combine HC Metrostroy.

Clydedale Western compete against Gintra Strektr University from Lithuania, Italian side CUS Pisa and Belgian combine Braxgata in Pool B.

It’s the first time a Scottish university has hosted such a prestige event and Eugene Connolly, the university’s director of hockey, said it is a major coup for the university to be hosting the competition.

His squad are seeking promotion to the top tier of European club hockey and the university are major supporters of hockey in East District.

Connolly added: “We have nine men’s and women’s teams in East District and East District have given us a generous donation towards staging the event.

“We are extremely grateful to them for this gesture and are looking forward to hosting a fine tournament which we hope will showcase women’s hockey at its best.”