Butler set for cap milestone

Stephen Butler is set to become Ireland’s second most capped player of all time this weekend as Paul Revington’s side meet world  number nine Belgium in a two-game series in Waterloo. Butler is three caps shy of Brown’s 151 record and will overhaul Marty Sloan’s total of 149 if he plays both matches this weekend. He already possesses the national goal-scoring landmark. He will be joined in the Irish midfield by Phelie Maguire, who will be given a late chance to break back into the Irish team for the European championships. Maguire has been out of hockey since relocating to Palestine in the spring to carry out humanitarian work, but has recently returned to training with the national squad, who came within a whisker of claiming the inaugural Champions Challenge II on home soil last weekend.

Conor Harte, meanwhile, will undergo a late fitness test with fellow Corkman Karl Burns standing by.  Michael Watt, widely considered to be Ireland’s best forward during the Champions Challenge II, misses out with a fractured thumb. Andy McConnell is unavailable due to exam commitments, while John Jermyn is rested. As a result, Peter Caruth and Chris Cargo move up from the A squad, having impressed during Ireland’s victorious Celtic Cup run. Meanwhile, Irish women’s coach Gene Muller has reintroduced Louisa Healy, Cliodhna Sargent and Rachel Mulligan for this weekend’s three-match series with world number seven Spain in Valencia. They come in for the injured trio of Mary Goode, Alex Speers and Lauren Barr. Both coaches are expected to  announce their European squads next week. Irish men’s squad to play Belgium at Waterloo (club/caps): D Harte (GK, Pembroke/37), I Walker (GK, YMCA/15), R Gormley (Pembroke/80, capt), T Lewis (Pembroke/46), J Brennan (Glenanne/22), C Harte (Pembroke/24), J Jackson (Loughborough/22), G Shaw (Glenanne/134, vice-capt), S Butler (Glenanne/148), D Hobbs (Cork C of I/133, vice-capt), G McCabe (Banbridge/45), P Maguire (KHC Leuven/74), A Sothern (Pembroke/21), E Magee (Banbridge/86), T Cockram (Lisnagarvey/79), M Darling (TRR/24), C Cargo (Reading/3), P Caruth (Annadale/5). Saturday, July 18 (2pm Irish time): Ireland v Belgium; Sunday, July 19 (12pm): Ireland v Belgium. Irish women’s squad to play Spain in Valencia (club/caps): L Colvin (Loreto/ 15), E Clarke (Ulster Elks/73), B Cleland (Ballymoney/129), E Cregan (Cork Harlequins/151, capt), R Flinn (UCD/57), M Frazer (Ballymoney/13), M Harvey (Pegasus/15), L Healy (Loreto/42), L Jacob (UCD/51), S McCay (Ulster Elks/68), C McKean (Loreto/123), R Mulligan (Armagh/19), C Sargent (Cork Harlequins/43), N Small (Loreto/ 18), E Smyth (Railway Union/9), E Stewart (Armagh/75), N Symmons (Loreto/119), E Gray (Hermes/8). Friday, July 17 (11am Irish time): Ireland v Spain; Saturday, July 18 (11am): Ireland v Spain; Sunday, July 19 (9am): Ireland v Spain.