Govers: green and gold

JOEL RITCHIE

AMY WADWELL

KEIRAVILLE'S Kieran Govers has been selected in the Australian under 20 hockey squad after a powerhouse performance at the national under 21s titles.

Govers was a member of the NSW team that fell agonisingly short of the national crown, going down 2-1 to Victoria in the final. .

NSW dominated the opening half of the final, before the Vics scored off a penalty corner in the dying stages of the first stanza.

Victoria doubled their lead in the first minutes of the second half with another corner from a penalty corner.

NSW tried hard to crack the Victorian defence before Ian Patterson finished a penalty corner with 11 minutes remaining to reduce the margin to one.

The Blues had further penalty corners in the dying stages but couldn't find an equaliser.

NSW dominated the preliminary stage of the tournament, with Govers scoring five goals.

The forward, who plays for Albion Park in Illawarra men's hockey, managed doubles against Queensland in his side's 3-1 win in round two and a brace in a 7-1 rout of the Northern Territory in round four.

Govers also found the net in a 4-1 victory over the ACT in round five.

NSW went unbeaten through the seven preliminary rounds before sneaking past WA 1-nil in the semi-final.

Govers returned to action for Albion Park on Sunday, bagging a brace in his side's 10-nil rout of Fairy Meadow in round 15 of Illawarra Men's hockey.

Woonona's Airlie Ogilvie was named in the Australian Women's under 20 squad after a powerhouse performance at the corresponding national titles.