Three Munster girls in Ireland U18 squad

Ireland U18 girls coach Mary Logue has announced a 33-strong panel for the coming season as preparations begin for next July’s EuroHockey Nations tournament in Belgium. Logue was an interested spectator at last weekend’s U18 interpros in Cork, but has surprisingly excluded Bandon’s Olivia Roycroft and Belfast Harlequins’ Kirsty Lammey – whose goal against Leinster won the tournament for Ulster. Armagh’s Amy Stewart makes the cut despite being sidelined since May with an ankle injury, while another who missed the interpros due to injury, Loreto’s Hannah Matthews, is also included. Catholic Institute’s Naomi Carroll was practically a sure thing to make the cut, but Limerick’s Jennifer Lyttle and Edwina McGrath of Moyne/Thurles feature for the first time. Aine Curran and Hilary Griffen are the sole South East representatives as the squad is predictably dominated by Ulster (ten players) Leinster (nine) and rising stars Connacht (nine). Meanwhile, the Ireland U16 and U18 squads for their respective European tournaments will be decided in January, when trial sessions are held in Belfast and Dublin. Ireland U18 girls squad for 2008/09 Niamh Atcheler (St Andrews College/Hermes), Natalie Barr (Lurgan College/Lurgan), Naomi Carroll (St Patricks Comprenhensive/Catholic Institute), Hannah Clarke (Belfast Royal Academy/Pegasus), Katie Coydre (Colaiste Iognaid/Greenfields), Deirdre Duke (Alexandra College/Hermes), Brenda Flannery (Colaiste Iognaid/Greenfields), Orla Fox (Mount Sackville/Pembroke Wanderers), Dora Gorman (Taylors Hill/Greenfields), Irene Gorman (Taylors Hill/Trinity), Sammy Jo Greer (Coleraine HS/Ballymoney), Jenny Kyle (Belfast Royal Academy/Pegasus), Hannah Matthews (Loreto Beaufort/Loreto), Jessica McMickan (The Bower/Galway), Ali Meeke (The High School/Loreto), Tara Melvin (Colaiste Iognaid/Galway), Ruth Millar (Grosvenor Grammar/Belfast Harlequins), Emile Molloy (Colaiste Iognaid/Galway), Anna Mae Morton (Royal School Armagh/Armagh), Gillian Pinder (St Andrews College/Hermes), Amy Stewart (Royal School Armagh/Armagh), Vanessa Surgeoner (Ballyclare High/Randalstown), Claire Warnock (Royal School Armagh/Armagh), Chloe Watkins (St Andrews College/Hermes), Jenna Watt (Victoria College/Belfast Harlequins), Jennifer Lytle (Villiers School/Limerick Club), Edwina McGrath (Ursulines College Thurles/Moyne Thurles), Hilary Griffen (St. Leo’s/Wexford), Aine Curran (Loreto Kilkenny/Kilkenny), Marie Goulding (St Marks/Glenanne), Sarah Greene (Loreto Foxrock/Hermes), Freddie Timmins (Salerno/Galway), Lynsey Trainor (Colaiste Iognaid/Galway)