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They both support Manchester United, list Roger Federer as their sporting idol and pick out Crash amongst their favorite movies – but twin brothers Conor and David Harte also have plenty of less superficial things in common.

For a start, the 23-year-olds will both line out for Ireland’s senior hockey team at the EuroHockey Nations Championships in Germany, starting this weekend, with qualification for the 2012 Olympics the major carrot awaiting the top three finishers.

Hailing from Co Cork village Ballinspittle, a couple of miles from Kinsale, the duo will be forming a crucial part of Ireland’s rearguard act, with goalkeeper Dave bossing a defence that includes renowned pass-master Conor in front of him, hoping to continue what has been a whirlwind summer for the Irish side.

As children, the Hartes hurled for Courcey Rovers and were fond of the big ball too, and both cite Tyrone manager Mickey Harte – a cousin of their father Kieran’s – as a major inspiration, particularly his “as you think, so you shall be” pearl of wisdom.

“It is hard not to find inspiration from a relation who has achieved incredible results and success in his own sporting field,” explains Dave. “Having a background ourselves for many years in GAA, and especially with our father and his Tyrone background, Mickey Harte’s philosophy and views on sport have always taken account of personal development both on and off the pitch.”

The Harte twins photographed at UCD yesterday. The duo head to Germany with the Ireland team for the European championships this week. Picture: Paul Sharp/Sharppix

Things changed when the boys went to Bandon Grammar School in 2000. Elder sisters Emer – also a senior Ireland international – and Ciara had played hockey there, and their brothers followed suit.

Playing in one of just five schools in Munster that offers the sport to boys, the Harte twins fast became stars, helping BGS to a first All-Ireland Schools title in 2005 after two consecutive final losses.

Cork Harlequins were also helping nurture their considerable talents, and the boys won an Irish Senior Cup with the club during their Leaving Cert year in 2006 before their studies took them to Dublin.

There, they won a raft of titles at Leinster, national and European level with Pembroke Wanderers, before heading to Europe – as did the majority of their international team-mates – to play with SCHC in the high-pressure Dutch Hoofdklasse.

Ireland coach Paul Revington reassembled his far-flung troops in May, and three trophies have since been annexed.

The Celtic Cup was retained in Wales, and a first International Hockey Federation tournament crown followed with the Champions Challenge II victory in France. Eighteenth-ranked Ireland then ousted world number ones Australia to top the INSEP Five Nations in Paris, thrashing world top 12 sides Korea and Argentina along the way.

While they are still outsiders to make the semi-finals and give themselves a shot at Olympic qualification, Conor insists there should be no surprise at the team’s success thus far.

“The public may well be surprised, but I think if you ask any member of the squad they would say they aren’t,” he says. “The number of hours put into training all year, and especially this summer, has been phenomenal. We have shown how well we can perform not just in one tournament or over one weekend. We are constantly striving for consistency.

“Of course, aiming for the top four or three is what all the eight teams want, but I feel if that doesn’t work out, then our main aim is to remain in the European A division for 2013 Euros; something that Irish teams have failed to do in the past.”

Previous World Cup qualifiers and European championships have seen Ireland ape the country’s international stereotype in many other sporting disciplines; capable of producing a shock result, but unable to string enough of them together to be a factor at the business end of tournaments.

Goalkeeper David and defender Conor have played on the same side since they were children, and their rapport proves crucial on the pitch. Picture: Paul Sharp/Sharppix

Perpetuating the belief they can, as Dave puts it, “banish any myths of tournament hockey being our Achilles heel” is the performances of the Irish players who have tried their hand in Europe’s best leagues in the past 12 months.

“It bridges the gap between Ireland and the perceived “super class” countries like Holland and Germany,” explains Dave.

“Guys playing in England, Germany, Spain, Holland and Belgium can tell you first hand that Irish players are as good if not better than players from these other countries, and certainly have nothing to fear. Before this happened I felt that as a national team, we placed teams ahead of us on a pedestal.”

“The men’s team in essence went the opposite route to the women’s (who have been centralised in Dublin since October 2010) and this has only strengthened the team in my view, with increased playing speed and skill, but most importantly, belief.”

Of course, it’s easier to believe in yourself when you’re consistently rated as one of the best goalkeepers on the planet. Harte’s current understudy, David Fitzgerald, recently mused that “if you’re going to be number two, you want to be number two to the best goalkeeper in the world. That’s where Dave is now”, but the man himself is having none of it.

“Never believe your own press!” he laughs. “It was quite a compliment to receive from a team-mate and fellow competitor, one which I truly value and appreciate, but it is something I do not ever dwell upon or think about. All I am focused upon is training as hard as I can to help me become the best I can.”

While Dave often takes the plaudits in his high-profile goalkeeping role, Conor made some headlines of his own this summer by notching five goals at the CCII, taking over the drag-flicking mantle with John Jermyn and Timmy Cockram rested.

“I really enjoyed the responsibility,” he enthuses. “When you get given an opportunity to flick without our fellow ‘Munster Massif’ team-mate JJ being at a tournament you have big shoes to fill, so I was happy to score a fwe goals. We spend a lot of time at training on penalty corners, so it’s nice to see some results from the hours put in.”

Conor has played most of his school, club, interprovincial and international hockey with Dave’s imposing presence behind him, but admits that familiarity and their rapport proves crucial on the pitch.

“So many times, we don’t need verbal communication – eye contact or a certain look is all it takes, when you don’t have a second to open your mouth on the pitch in the heat of the moment,” he explains.

“Like when I’m guiding a forward who is running flat out into the circle, and knowing the right moment to leave David slide and take him, or even jumping so I don’t feel the pain of being taken out by my own goalkeeper!”

At 23 years old, their best years are still ahead of them, but Munster hockey hopefully hasn’t seen the last of its most famous twin exports. The duo have made a point of representing Munster at interpros whenever possible; the three kings clearly lie close to their hearts.

“Wearing the Munster jersey has always been a great source of pride to us and will always remain so,” says Conor.

“We were very fortunate to begin our club hockey with Cork Harlequins and were exceptionally lucky to be part of such a wonderful team and club. If our careers bring us back to Cork, then playing for Quins would definitely be our first choice.”

Thanks to Paul Sharp of Sharppix for kindly providing his excellent feature shots of the Hartes to Southern Fried Hockey. For more about his photography, visit his official website here