Hockey: Following their two Test matches against Germany last weekend in the National Hockey Stadium at Belfield, coach Riet Kuper has whittled the Irish squad down to 18 players for the European Championships on the same pitch in UCD from August 14th-20th.
The relatively inexperienced Mary Goode and 53-times capped Angela Platt have been named as the two goalkeepers in the squad with Louisa Healy missing the final cut.
Otherwise the Dutch coach had looked towards the experience of players such as Hermes' Linda Caulfield (108 caps) and Jenny Burke (154 caps) and captain Lyndsay McVicker (146 caps) to shape the side for their pool games against Holland, Spain and France. All the other squad members have at least 10 caps with many approaching and exceeding the 50 mark.
Having contained the Germans, the Olympic champions, but now ranked fifth in the world, to three and two goals respectively, Kuper will be hoping her Irish side can do the same against mighty Holland in their pool match. A good containment game against the current number one team in the world would be of huge benefit when the cross-over matches are decided.
Spain are currently ranked 10th, France 19th and Ireland 13th in the world. In final preparation for the championships, the biggest women's hockey event in the world this year, Ireland will play two Test matches against the world number 29 side, Belgium, at UCD this weekend. The first match is on Saturday at 3.30 and the second on Sunday at 12.0.
IRISH SQUAD: M Goode (GK) Pembroke Wanderers, 5 caps; A Platt (GK) Ballymoney 53 caps; F Connery Hermes, 32 caps; L Caulfield Hermes 108 caps; E Cregan UL 64 caps; C Carey Hermes, 47 caps; B McKeever Ballymoney, 38 caps; J Burke (V.Capt) Hermes, 154; J McDonough, Belfast Harlequins 49 caps; C McKean Loreto, 33 caps; E Stewart Armagh, 10 caps L McVicker (Capt) Ballymoney, 146 caps; C O'Brien Railway Union 78 caps; J Orbinson Pegasus, 95 caps; N Symmons Loreto 27 caps; D Casey Cork Church of Ireland 24 caps; K Smyth Pegasus 50 caps; C Parkhill Randalstown 12 caps.
Coach: Riet Kuper; Manager: Julie Dwyer.
