From 22 to 25 August 2025, Holland Elite was delighted to welcome Portadown Ladies from Northern Ireland for their pre-season tour in The Netherlands.

The team, who recently celebrated promotion to the highest Irish league, returned for the second year in a row to prepare for the new season with Holland Elite.

Stay in Eindhoven
The group was accommodated at the 4-star Van der Valk Hotel Eindhoven, conveniently located next to Oranje Rood Hockey Club. Its central location made it an ideal base for both training sessions and matches.

Pre Season Tournament at MHC MEP
The ladies participated in the annual pre-season tournament hosted by MHC MEP in Boxtel, only a 20-minute drive from their hotel. The team played three highly competitive matches and ultimately finished 5th in the tournament ranking.

Match results:
Portadown Ladies – RKHV Union: 1–1
Portadown Ladies – MEP: 0–2
Portadown Ladies – Etten-Leur: 4–3

Special Coaching Experience
On the final day, the team visited HC Den Bosch, where they enjoyed a fantastic coaching clinic from Sjoerd Marijne – former national team coach of both India and The Netherlands. This was an unforgettable experience and a real highlight of the trip.

Successful Tour
All in all, the players and staff had a fantastic time and were very pleased with the organization of the tour. It was a pleasure to host Portadown Ladies again in The Netherlands, and we look forward to welcoming them back in the future.