Lucan Irish

The Lucan Irish are a Junior ice hockey team based in Lucan Biddulph, Ontario. They play in the Provincial Junior Hockey League of the Ontario Hockey Association.

History

The Irish were founded in 1968 as the Lucan Irish Six, named after the Black Donnellys.

In 1982, the Irish won the Western Ontario Junior D Hockey League's championship. They went on to defeat the Langton Thunderbirds of the Southern Counties Junior D Hockey League 4-games-to-1 to win the OHA Cup as provincial champions.

In 1987, the Irish again won the Western Junior D's playoff title. They defeated the Tavistock Braves of the Southern Counties Junior D league 4-games-to-3 to win the OHA Cup for the second time as provincial champions.

In 1988, all remaining Junior D leagues were consolidated into the Western Junior league. In 1991, the league dropped the Junior D label and became the OHA Junior Development League. Starting in 1988, the Irish set out to prove they were the "cream of the crop" in this new league. After the 1988-89 season, the Irish made it all the way to the league finals, but were thwarted by the Lambeth Lancers. In 1990, 1991, and 1992, the same scenario repeated over and over again. The Irish would finish highly ranked in their league, would make it all the way to the finals and three years in a row they would meet the Thamesford Trojans who beat them each time.

In 1999, after finishing second overall in the league standings the Irish fought all the way back to the league final. The Irish defeated the Wellesley Applejacks 4-games-to-3 to win their third ever OHA Cup.

In 2006, the Irish twelfth overall in the OHAJDL standings. As low seed in the standings, the Irish were figured to lose out in the early rounds of the league playoffs. They entered the conference quarter-final against the Exeter Hawks and walked right through them with a 4-game-sweep. The conference semi-final had the same result against the North Middlesex Stars. The conference final was against their rivals, the Thamesford Trojans, whom they defeated in five games to enter into the league finals for the first time in seven seasons. In the final, they met the Delhi Travellers. A tight series, the Irish were not to be denied as they defeated the Travellers 4-games-to-2 to win their fourth OHA Cup.

After the 2006-07 season, the OHAJDL was disbanded and the Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League was formed. In the 2006-07 season, they finished seventh overall in the league. In the league's conference quarter-finals, the Irish met their match in the Thamesford Trojans who defeated them 4-games-to-1.

Season-by-season standings

Playoffs

*1982 Won league, won OHA championship
:Lucan Irish defeated Langton Thunderbirds ''4-games-to-1'' in OHA championship
*1987 Won league, won OHA championship
:Lucan Irish defeated Tavistock Braves ''4-games-to-3'' in OHA championship
*1989 Lost final
: Lambeth Lancers defeated Lucan Irish ''4-games-to-1'' in final
*1990 Lost final
: Thamesford Trojans defeated Lucan Irish ''4-games-to-2'' in final
*1991 Lost final
: Thamesford Trojans defeated Lucan Irish ''4-games-to-1'' in final
*1992 Lost final
: Thamesford Trojans defeated Lucan Irish ''4-games-to-0'' in final
*1999 Won League
:Lucan Irish defeated Wellesley Applejacks ''4-games-to-3'' in final
*2006 Won League
:Lucan Irish defeated Exeter Hawks ''4-games-to-none'' in conf. quarter-final
:Lucan Irish defeated North Middlesex Stars ''4-games-to-none'' in conf. semi-final
:Lucan Irish defeated Thamesford Trojans ''4-games-to-1'' in conf. final
:Lucan Irish defeated Delhi Travellers ''4-games-to-2'' in final
*2007 Lost Conference quarter-final
: Thamesford Trojans defeated Lucan Irish ''4-games-to-1'' in conf. quarter-final
*2008 Lost Conference quarter-final
: Thamesford Trojans defeated Lucan Irish ''4-games-to-3'' in conf. quarter-final

Notable alumni

* Matt Read

References

External links

Irish Homepage

{{SOJHL

Southern Ontario Junior Hockey League teams
Ice hockey teams in Ontario
Ice hockey clubs established in 1968
1968 establishments in Ontario