Munster trio Olympic-bound

The make-up of an all-new Ireland U17 girls team — which will compete at the World Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in August — was confirmed yesterday. Ireland U16 and U18 coaches, Una McCarthy and Richie Malone respectively, will assist Irish hockey’s high performance director David Passmore in the management of the side. Fourteen of the 16 participants were confirmed yesterday, while the final two to be named in the coming days. Catholic Institute duo Rebecca Barry and Roisin Upton and Cork Harlequins’ Antonia McGrath fly the flag for Munster.

The side also includes Greenfields’ Dora Gorman, who currently has more pressing matters on her hands as the captain of the Republic of Ireland U17 soccer side, who face Spain in the final of the UEFA Championships in Nyon tomorrow. Passmore said: “This was an immensely difficult selection process that included trials and many hours of video reviews. “This young group has a lot of potential and the World Youth Olympics tournament represents a superb stage for them to develop and perform. It will be a challenging event requiring high fitness levels. “In addition, the intensity of play along with the varying playing styles we will encounter will make it even more demanding.” “Irish Hockey is delighted and very grateful that this opportunity has been provided by the Olympic Council of Ireland.” In addition to girls hockey, Ireland will be represented in athletics, boxing, rowing, sailing, triathlon, tennis and modern pentathlon. The Olympic Council of Ireland’s sports director, Martin Burke, has been appointed chef de mission while Cormac O’Muircheartaigh – son of broadcaster Micheál, and currently medical director of the Singapore Institute of Sport – will provide medical and physiotherapy services to the team. Elsewhere, the Ireland A men’s squad for the Junior Celtic Cup side has been confirmed by coach Graham Shaw, who has included Munster duo Ali Smith (Bandon) and Clinton Sweetnam (Cork C of I) in a squad who are all under 21 for the purpose of this tournament.

Corinthian’s Brian Doherty captains the side while Stephen West and Shane O’Donoghue step up from last year’s Ireland U18 for the competition, which takes place on home turf at Coolnafranky from July 2-4. Ireland senior men’s coach Paul Revington said: “It is crucial for Irish Hockey that this group of U21 players are able to perform together at international level, and the 2010 Junior Celtic Cup arrives at just the right time for these players. “The squad have worked hard together over the past few weeks and it will be good for them to finish this phase of training off with a quality performance in a tournament.” Revington has more pressing matters this weekend, as he leads his side to Le Touquet in France for the defence of their Celtic Cup crown. A combination of retirements and resting players has left many gaps in midfield to be filled, presenting David Ames, Geoff McCabe, Andy McConnell and Alan Giles with a chance to establish themselves. Ireland’s senior women have an even tougher task ahead of them as they begin their Four Nations campaign against Australia in Essen, Germany tonight (7pm), before meeting India and the hosts. While history is set to be made if skipper Eimear Cregan breaks the Irish caps record, a personal milestone could also be passed by another Munster woman, Julia O’Halloran. The 22-year-old UCC attacker will win her 50th cap if she plays in two of the three games, an achievement all the more notable given she spent a year out of international hockey in 2008 and 2009 due to academic commitments. Despite the challenges that lie in wait, Cregan is hopeful that tangible progress can be made: “We take serious heart from the game against Australia in Chile, our tactics worked well and we know we can compete.

“If we step up in our details, not give away set pieces and study them as much as we can then we have the belief we can go out and take them. “We owe Germany a good fight considering they beat us in the Europeans. India, we haven’t played them in a few years but we’d be hoping to beat them. All matches are tough and they’ll be skilful with good natural flair and its down to very hard work in all three games to get a couple of wins.” Meanwhile, Leinster and Ulster players dominate the selection of the Ireland A women’s side, as the U21 rule gives opportunities to teen starlets such as Deirdre Duke, Orla Fox and Jenny Kyle. However, neither Munster nor Connacht have a single representative on the panel, which is coached by Guy Garrett and Arlene Boyles. The Coolnafranky complex where the tournament will take place was officially opened on Monday, as Ireland’s men recorded a 7-1 win over hosts Cookstown, with Irish coach Paul Revington full of praise for the state-of-the-art water-based pitch. Meanwhile, two major coaching appointments have been confirmed in Leinster in the past 24 hours. Rory O’Donoghue makes the jump from Monkstown’s men to replace John McInroy — who returns to his native South Africa — at UCD. Mary Logue, whose departure from UCD’s women had been previously announced, is to take up the reins at Hermes, replacing another foreigner on the way back to native shores in Dutchman Eric Fintelman.

Ireland U17 girls squad for World Youth Olympics: Rebecca Barry (Laurel Hill, Catholic Institute); Chloe Brown (Nendrum College, North Down); Lucy Camlin (GK, Ballyclare HS; Pegasus); Amy Cooke (Ballyclare HS; Lisnagarvey); Leah Ewart (Royal School Armagh; Armagh); Gemma Fraser (Omagh HS; Omagh); Dora Gorman (Taylors, Greenfields); Jenna Holmes (GK, Carrickfergus; Randalstown); Lisa McCarthy (Mount Anville, Railway Union); Kerri McDonald (Banbridge Academy; Dromore); Antonia McGrath (Ursuline Convent, Cork Harlequins); Lucy McKee (Banbridge Academy; Armagh); Katie Mullin (Dalraida, Ballymoney); Roisin Upton (Crescent College Comprehensive, Catholic Institute). Ireland A men’s squad for Junior Celtic Cup: Alistair Thom (GK, Instonians), Stephen West (GK, Three Rock Rovers), David Best (Cookstown), Phillip Brown (Banbridge), Drew Carlisle (Vice Captain, Banbridge), Clinton Sweetnam (Cork C of I), Mark Crooks (Cookstown), Stephen Cole (Monkstown), Jonathon Kane (Glenanne), Stuart Loughrey (Loughborough Uni), David Carson (Corinthian), Shane O’Donoghue (Glenanne), William Robinson (Instonians), Brian Doherty (Captain, Corinthian), Alistair Smith (Bandon), Mark English (Railway Union), Stephen Sloan (Cookstown), Neil Hamilton (Annadale) Ireland A women’s squad for Junior Celtic Cup: Lauren Barr (Ballymoney), Aisling Campion (Loreto), Deirdre Duke (Hermes), Orla Fox (Pembroke Wanderers), Victoria Green (Bath), Jenny Kyle (Pegasus), Hannah Matthews (Loreto), Kate McConnell (Pegasus), Liz McInerney (UCD), Kate McKenna (Railway Union), Ali Meeke (Loreto), Anna O’Flanagan (Hermes), Grace O’Flanagan (UCD), Gillian Pinder (Hermes), Stephanie Quinn (Armagh), Katherine Steenson (Armagh)