Paul Revington has named what looks ostensibly to be a squad of probables and one of possibles for the back-to-back tournaments coming up this week as the build-up to August’s European championships heightens.
For the Celtic Cup, which gets underway on Friday at the Sophia Gardens in Cardiff, the Irish coach has named an inexperienced selection with eight of 18 making their tournament debuts.
Indeed, Three Rock goalkeeper Stephen West and former club mate Kyle Good could make their debut in Wales. Chris Cargo returns to this panel having claimed a bronze last Sunday in the EuroHockey League with Reading for his first international appearance of the summer.
Ever presents from the Wales’ series, Andy McConnell, Ronan Flannery and John Jackson are included in this first selection. Two Munster exiles – Jonny Bruton of YM and Lisnagarvey’s Jason Lynch – are both included here.
Revington subsequently makes 17 changes then for the high profile UCD4 Nations tournament gets underway in Dublin on Monday with Pakistan, France and China visiting Belfield. David Ames, pictured, is the only player in line to play in both tournaments with the latter certainly featuring the more established names.
Again, there are a few possible newcomers with teenage prospect Ian Sloan – son of Irish legend Marty who captained the country over 100 times – included along with Leaving Cert student Shane O’Donoghue.
Loughborough’s Stu Loughrey is the other inexperienced name but captain Ronan Gormley is back involved, again following an EHL medal, silver with Spanish side Club de Campo.
Beyond that trio, 12 of the side have over 50 caps – Joe Brennan the latest of them, hitting the half-century against Wales on Sunday. In the Welsh series, Ireland used 27 players while, over the next 12 days, that number will rise to 35.
Speaking about the two selections, Revington said: “Both events take place very close to one another and while school and university exams have also dictated how we select through this period, this challenge allows the squad another opportunity to test our strength in depth and also expose several younger players to a higher level of international competition.”
Irish Celtic Cup Squad (caps in brackets, June 17-19, Sophia Gardens): David Ames (Beeston, 32), Peter Blakeney (Three Rock Rovers, 16), Jonny Bruton (YMCA, 2), Chris Cargo (Reading, 18), Kenny Carroll (Railway Union, 2), Davy Carson (Corinthian, 3), Peter Caruth (Annadale, 27), David Fitzgerald (Monkstown, 2), Ronan Flannery (Pembroke, 4), Paul Gleghorne (Instonians, 25), Kyle Good (Monkstown, 0), John Jackson (Mossley, 59), Jason Lynch (Lisnagarvey, 12), Michael Maguire (Three Rock Rovers, 13), Andy McConnell (Hurley, 33), Richard Sykes (Monkstown, 1), Gareth Watkins (Monkstown, 9), Stephen West (Three Rock Rovers, 0); Coach: Paul Revington; Manager: Peter Jackson; Physio: David Richards; S&C/Video: Jonny Caren.
UCD 4 Nations Squad (June 20-25, Belfield): David Ames (Beeston, 32), Joe Brennan (Glenanne, 50), Tim Cockram (Lisnagarvey, 114), Mitch Darling (Den Bosch, 59), Ronan Gormley, Ronan (Club de Campo, 112), Conor Harte (SCHC, 58), David Harte (SCHC, 62), John Jermyn (Cork Church of Ireland, 118), Tim Lewis (Krefelder, 70), Stu Loughrey (Loughborough, 2), Eugene Magee (Dragons, 118), Phelie Maguire (Leuven, 94), Geoff McCabe (Santander, 80), Bruce McCandless (Banbridge, 14), Shane O’Donoghue (Glenanne, 1), Ian Sloan (Cookstown, 0), Iain Walker (YMCA, 31), Mikey Watt (Santander, 70); Coach: Paul Revington; Manager: Peter Jackson; Assistant Coach: Arul Anthoni; Physio: David Richards; S&C/Video: Stephen Barry; Video: Tristan Seaton-Stedham.
Words: Stephen Findlater