Brown the bolter for World League 2

Ireland coach Andrew Meredith has shaken things up for his side’s crucial World League second round in New Delhi later this month. The Australian guided his side to a surprise bronze medal in November’s Champions Challenge I in Argentina, but the unavailability of experienced trio John Jermyn, Andy McConnell (both work) and Timmy Cockram (getting married) means there are three changes to his preferred 18.

Uncapped 18-year-old Banbridge man Peter Brown is the wildcard addition while Phelie Maguire (103 caps) and Alan Sothern (54) are somewhat more experienced replacements. Ireland need to finish in the top two of the six-team tournament where their biggest test will come from hosts India with Fiji, Bangladesh, Oman and China completing the line-up. Meredith said: “It’s clearly a very exciting opportunity for those who have been selected to go and compete in the New Delhi tournament. “At this critical stage of the qualification process, our goal is pretty clear, with only the top two countries progressing to the following round of semi-finals in the summer. The World League 2, presents not only a challenge to the playing group in as far as acclimatising to unique environmental and cultural factors, but it represents an opportunity to experience playing in a country, where hockey has an incredibly large following while playing in a stadium that has a capacity of 20,000 spectators. “The selection of the team represents and reflects the recent training camp performances, with experienced players re-enforcing that not only do they still have the ability to play international hockey, but they are still hungry to progress and develop. “There are also a number of young players that have begun to identify themselves and show that they have the potential to add to the competition for senior squad places, which, moving forward over the coming World Cup cycle, will be a key element in the sustainability of our current performance level and long term evolution of the playing group.’ Meanwhile, Cork Church of Ireland’s hopes of repeating their fairytale Irish Junior Cup success of 2009 were boosted when they were handed another home draw yesterday. Having seen off Mossley and Belfast Harlequins on home turf in the early rounds, they’ll again be at Garryduff for the visit of either Fingal or Banbridge. Ashton, thus far untested having received a round one bye and a walkover from Queen’s University, also have home comforts in the last eight of the women’s tournament against Railway Union. IRELAND senior men’s squad for World League Rd 2, New Delhi, India (February 18-25): D Fitgzerlad (GK, Monkstown), D Harte (GK, SV Kampong, Holland), P Gleghorne (Instonians), R Gormley (Krefeld HC, Germany), C Harte (SCHC, Holland), J Jackson (Braxgata, Belgium), S Loughrey (Bath Buccaneers, England), B McCandless (Banbridge), C Cargo (Reading, England), E Magee (Krefeld HC, Germany), G McCabe (Santander, Spain), P Maguire (THC Hurley, Holland), P Brown (Banbridge), P Caruth (Braxgata, Belgium), M Darling (Three Rock Rovers), S O’Donoghue (UCD), A Sothern (Pembroke Wanderers), M Watt (SCHC, Holland). Men’s Irish Junior Cup quarter-final draw: YMCA v Cookstown; Cork C of I v Fingal/Banbridge; Pembroke Wanderers v Annadale; Monkstown v Glenanne. Women’s Irish Junior Cup quarter-final draw: Lisnagarvey v UCD; Ashton v Railway Union; Hermes v Old Alex; Lurgan v Pembroke W. Men’s Irish Challenge semi-final draw: Catholic Institute v PSNI; Cliftonville v Ballymena. Women’s Irish Challenge semi-final draw: Kilkenny v Parkview/Wexford; Dungarvan v Cashel/New Inn.