Herbert set for Irish debut

Paul Revington has announced an experimental line-up for the upcoming Celtic Cup in Scotland later this month with eight players, including Cork C of I’s Andrew Herbert, set to make their senior debuts. With the Champion’s Challenge and European’s on the horizon, Revington has kept his powder dry with regards to his more experienced players. Indeed, nine of the Celtic Cup panel, which wil be skippered by Loughbourough’s Johnny Jackson, are still under 21. Alan Giles, David Fitzgerald, Brian Doherty, David Robinson, Paul Gleghorne, Bruce McCandless and Chris Cargo are the other debutants.

Revington explained: “The Celtic Cup is placed too close to the Champions Challenge II, which carries major FIH and European ranking significance and as such we have taken the decision to rest several key senior players. “This squad has several members who have been called up from the ‘A’ side as they move into their final phase of development. The Celtic Cup offers them the opportunity to showcase their qualities on the international stage as they endeavour to secure a place in the full senior squad.” IHA high performance director, Dave Passmore, added: “It is great to see so many new caps, several who have been working with the ‘A’ setup for some time and others who are new into the system. This demonstrates the strength of the system and it is a credit to the clubs for their development.” Meanwhile, it has been confirmed that Ireland will not receive a place in the enlarged women’s EuroHockey Club Champion’s Cup, announced on Friday afternoon, meaning Loreto and UCD will take on the second and third tier of European competition in 2009/10. With a view to building toward a women’s EuroHockey League, the EHF has increased the entries from eight to 12 teams in the Club Champion’s Cup with the Cup Winner’s Cup discontinued. For 2009/10, clubs will be split into five divisions with, based on European club results over the past three years, with Europe’s top four clubs receiving two entries to the top competition and the remaining four places going to the continent’s fifth to eighth ranked teams. Ireland men’s squad for Celtic Cup: I Walker (GK, YMCA), D Fitzgerald (GK, Monkstown), J Jackson (Loughborough, capt), Brian Doherty (Corinthian), Adam Pritchard (Cork C of I), Paul Gleghorne (Loughborough), Keith Black (Cookstown), Simon Todd (Mossley), David Ames (Cookstown), David Robinson (YMCA), Alan Giles (vice-captain, Pembroke Wanderers), Michael Maguire (Three Rock Rovers), Andrew Herbert (Cork C of I), Peter Blakeney (Three Rock Rovers), Peter Caruth (Annadale), Gareth Watkins (Monkstown), Bruce McCandless (Banbridge), Chris Cargo (Reading) Friday, June 26: (2pm) Ireland v France; (6pm) Scotland v Wales Saturday, June 27: (12pm) Ireland v Wales; (4pm) Scotland v France Sunday, June 28: (12pm) France v Wales; (4pm) Scotland v Ireland *Apologies for lateness of this, I have been sick recently*