Munster trio make Ireland U18 cut

Three Munster players have been included in Andy Smith’s 19-strong Ireland U18 squad for a three-game series against Belgium at Nivelles next month. Cork C of I trio Karl Lynch, Andrew Daunt and Andrew Scannell have all made the cut in a squad largely dominated by Ulster players, with 10 in total included from the . Much of that has to do with the absence of some Leinster starlets; Monkstown revelation Stephen Cole is out with a foot injury, while Three Rock’s Kyle Good and Stephen West are unavailable due to their potential involvement in their club’s EHL campaign. Banbridge’s Stephen Dowds – destroyer-in-chief of Bandon Grammar and player of the tournament at the John Waring last week – will link up with Glenanne hitman Shane O’Donoghue up front, while Cian Speers and Stuart Loughrey will anchor the midfield. Lisnagarvey’s Peter MacDonnell and Bann’s Scott Forbes will be vital cogs too. Nonetheless, coach Smyth stressed that those players not included in this squad wont’ be cast aside. “A big part of the role of the junior age-group coaches is the development of young players. It is for this reason I will be keeping a squad of around 24 players together until after the England series in May,” he said. “Those players who missed out on the Belgium trip will get a chance to be seen on the international stage prior to the squad being cut to the final 18 for the Europeans in Vienna. “Development is about developing skills and techniques, but it is also about developing players capable of performing in international matches and the added pressures that this brings.” Since the initial squad announcement, Cookstown’s Ian Sloan has been added to the panel on the recommendation of Ireland U16 boys coach Paul Cooke after impressive in the Burney Cup and the John Waring tournaments. Cooke has allowed Andy Smyth to take a look at Sloan in Belgium – after consultation with the High Performance Director and the player’s parents. The decision has been made early in preparations for this summer’s European competitions so that if the player is not yet ready for the rigours of Ireland U18, he can go back to Cooke’s U16 squad with a minimum of disruption. Sloan will remain listed on the U16 panel until he is confirmed as a full member of the U18 panel. The squad will link up this Sunday for a four-hour training session in Banbridge – the C of I boys will at least already be at the right end of the country for that, as they visit Coolnafranky to take on Cookstown in the last four of the Irish Junior Cup 24 hours earlier. Ireland U18 boys squad: Alistair Thom (GK) (Cookstown), Daniel Gribben (GK)(Corinthian), Philip Brown (Banbridge), Scott Forbes (Banbridge), Steven Hunter (Lisnagarvey), Stuart Loughrey (Pembroke Wanderers), Richard Arneill (Lisnagarvey), Karl Lynch (Cork C of I), David Carson (Corinthian), Peter MacDonnell (Lisnagarvey), I Sloan (Cookstown), Cian Speers (Monkstown), Peter Purcell (Annadale), Shane O’Donoghue (Glenanne), Jonathan Ames (Cookstown), Conor Moyter (Corinthian), Andrew Scannell (Cork C of I), Stephen Dowds (Banbridge), Mark Crooks (Cookstown), Andrew Daunt (Cork C of I).