The Irish squad heads for the Costa del Sol this weekend for a four-match series against Spain which forms part of both nations’ build-up to this summer’s World Cup.
Coach Graham Shaw has named a large panel of 29 players for the trip, with four teenagers included – Sarah Torrans (Loreto), Emma Buckley (Cork Harlequins), Ellen Curran (UCD) and Erin Getty (Queens).
Having already played each other 11 times in the past two years, including twice as recently as November, the Spanish are familiar foes for Ireland, but have got the better of the encounters, winning eight of the 11 games. The teams meet next Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday.
Before then the bulk of the squad will be on Hockey League duty for their clubs on Saturday, with Loreto facing the formidable task of taking on a UCD side that has seven players on the Irish panel. The students’ victory over second-placed Cork Harlequins last weekend stretched their lead at the top of the table to four points.
Cork will look to get back on track when they host Belfast Harlequins at Farmers Cross, the sides having drawn their first meeting of the campaign back in November. Third placed Pegasus will be seeking their fifth win on the trot when they meet Pembroke Wanderers at Queens.
Champions Trophy
Should UCD, Cork Harlequins or Pegasus win this season’s Irish Senior Cup, the fourth-placed side in the Hockey League will qualify for the Champions Trophy. For now Railway Union hold that position, six points adrift of Pegasus, but just two points separate them from the team in seventh, Loreto, with Belfast Harlequins and Ards in between. The battle for fourth, then, is a tight one.
Railway Union and Ards play the bottom two on Saturday, Railway away to Trinity and Ards hosting Monkstown.
Irish squad
C Cassin, L Tice, E Curran, D Duke, E Russell, L McGuire, K Mullan (all UCD), E Buckley, Y O’Byrne, N Carroll, R Barry, R Upton (all Cork Harlequins), A Meeke, H Matthews, S Torrans, N Daly (all Loreto), G Pinder, E Beatty, A Naughton (all Pembroke Wanderers), Z Wilson, L Colvin (both Belfast Harlequins), G O’Flanagan, K Lloyd (both Railway Union), A O’Flanagan, C Watkins (both Bloemendaal), S McCay (Pegasus), C Brown (Ards), E Getty (Queens), N Evans (UHC Hamburg).
