Five Munster girls in Irish U18 squad

IRELAND U18 SQUAD: Richie Malone has reduced his Irish U18 panel down to 28 players for the upcoming year, with five Munster girls getting the nod. In a non-European year, the highlight for the group will be a four nations tournament in Cork in July. Of the southern contingent, Catholic Institute duo Naomi Carroll and Rebecca Barry were expected selections, along with C of I starlet Amy Kate Trevor. However, there are two new faces in the form of Cork Harlequins’ Yvonne O’Byrne — who finally gets a chance to wear green after excelling at full-back for the Munster champions — and Almeerse sweeper Nicole Laarhoven.

The latter lined out for Munster at this season’s U18 interpros, has an Irish mother and divides her time between her Amsterdam-based club and Ardmore, Co Waterford. Coach Malone said: “I’m delighted with the final squad chosen; it brings to an end a very tough and rigorous selections processes where by we have gathered together the cream of Irish talent. “Since it’s a non European year, it affords us an opportunity to look at players in greater depth. In having a large training squad it means competition across all positions will be high, there by allowing us to create a unique training environment.” Irish U18 girls panel: Leah Ewart (Armagh/Royal School Armagh); Jenna Holmes (GK, Randalstown/Carrick Grammar); Kerri McDonald (Lurgan/Banbridge Academy); Joanne Orr (Armagh/Royal School Armagh); Natalie Barr (Lurgan/Lurgan College); Hannah Clarke (Pegasus/Belfast Royal Academy); SammyJo Greer (GK, Ballymoney/Coleraine High); Vanessa Surgenor (Randalstown/Ballyclare High); Rachel Barnett (GK, Railway Union/ Holy Faith, Clontarf); Emily Beatty (Old Alex/Alexandra College); Lisa McCarthy (Railway Union/Mount Anville); Aisling Naughton (Corinthian/Mount Anville); Deirdre Duke (Hermes/Alexandra College); Patricia O’Dwyer (Railway Union/Loreto Beaufort); Amy Kate Trevor (C of I/Scoil Mhuire); Nicole Laarhoven (Almeerse); Naomi Carroll Catholic Institute/St Patricks, Shannon); Rebecca Barry (Catholic Institute/Laurel Hill); Yvonne O’Byrne (Harlequins/Mount Mercy); Louise Fahy (Galway/Yeats College); Freddie Timmins (Salerno/Galway); Dora Gorman (Greenfields/Talyors Hill); Michelle Carey (Galway/Colaiste Iognaid); Tara Melvin (Galway/Colaiste Iognaid); Lynsey Trainor (Galway/Colaiste Iognaid); Katie Codyre (Greenfields/Colaiste Iognaid); Hilary Griffin (Wexford/St Leos, Carlow); Jean Devoy (Wexford/Loreto, Wexford) DOCHERTY BACKS DEFECTORS: Dutch superstar Laurence Docherty has backed the decisions by former Ireland internationals Iain Lewers and Mark Gleghorne to switch their allegiance to Great Britain. The Bloemendaalman man can fully understand the duo’s decision, having famously switched allegiences from his native Scotland to the Netherlands, having failed to make the Great Britain squad for the 2000 Olympics. Lewers and Gleghorne are both roughly midway through their three years in the international “wilderness” –  a part of the criteria for players wishing to switch allegiences. The Belfast duo’s decisions were motivated by a desire to play in high-profile tournaments, though there is no guarantee that either will make the grade. It is understood they will declare for one of the constituent GB nations in 2011, though both are playing their club hockey in Holland. Lewers is a well-established figure at table-toppers HGC, while Gleghorne is attempting to make an impact with Den Bosch having lined out for Instonians and Loughborough in recent seasons. But in an interview with The Hook, Docherty – who guested for Clontarf at the national indoor tournament before Christmas – says his move in the opposite direction was a much less confusing affair from a rules perspective. “I did the same but I think the rules aren’t good. It’s Great Britain and they’re from Northern Ireland so I don’t see why there was this problem,” he said. “It’s a shame that they had to give up playing for Ireland. They’re always going to be Irish, no matter what, they’re just playing hockey for another country. But, good luck to them. They’re both decent hockey players. Lewers is a bloody good player, really calm, good range of skills.” Lewers was back on home turf recently to watch his former side Annadale lose to Lisnagarvey in the IHL, but told BBC Northern Ireland he was happy to play his club hockey in Holland for the forseeable future.