Watkins and Smyth get rub of the green

Two of Leinster’s unsung hockey heroes have been given a long-overdue chance to show off their talents on the national stage with Ireland. Firstly, Monkstown’s Gareth Watkins  is the main surprise name in Ireland coach Paul Revington’s squad for a double-header against France in Dublin later this month. Watkins has been in prolific form for his side on both the Leinster and national stage this term, already amassing 31 goals this season despite not being a short corner expert. He effectively replaces Michael Watt, who along with John Jermyn is ruled out due to exam commitments, in the 21-strong squad. Revington will also run the rule over a couple of other fringe players, including Annadale’s Peter Caruth, Joe Brennan on Glenanne and Cookstown’s Keith Black, in the two-game series at Serpentine Avenue on March 24 and 25.

France, ranked one place above the Irish in 17th, have caused the men in green plenty of pain in recent seasons, contibuting to Ireland’s European relegation in 2007. But Ireland have hit nine past them without reply in their last two encounters. The men’s squad is also notable for the exclusion of Instonians’ Mark Gleghorne, presumably as he is still looking into the possibility of defecting to Great Britain. Meanwhile, Railway Union’s Emma Smyth has also received Ireland’s call after Guy Garrett named her in his Ireland A side to play three away games against Germany’s U21 side later this month. Many observers in Leinster and beyond have long championed Smyth’s cause, as she has been sensational in propelling Railway’s challenge on three fronts, though it remains a mystery why team-mate Jean McDonnell has yet to receive international recognition. From a Munster point of view, the most notably inclusion in the squad is UCC’s Miriam Crowley, who returns to the Ireland A fold after spending some time re-adjusting to senior hockey following a year out of the game. She is joined by College team-mate Audrey O’Flynn, along with Cork C of I’s Mel Ryan. Elsewhere, the Ireland A men’s squad features four familiar faces, with C of I duo Jonny Bruton and Adam Pritchard among those named in a squad skippered by Loughborough’s John Jackson for a triple-header against Belgium U21 in Dublin on April 7-9. Exiles Conor Harte (Pembroke Wanderers) and Jason Lynch (Lisnagarvey) are also included, while there is a first call-up for Brian Doherty, who gets the opportunity to take his form at the heart of the Corinthians defence and menacing drag-flick threat to an elevated stage. Coach Craig Fulton has been forced to ignore the claims of Three Rock Rovers players however, as they will be in EHL action in Germany. Ireland senior men’s squad: Joe Brennan (Glenanne); Karl Burns (Cork C of I); Stephen Butler (Glenanne); Peter Caruth (Annadale); Timmy Cockram (Lisnagarvey); Mitch Darling (Three Rock Rovers); Ronan Gormley (Pembroke Wanderers); David Harte (Pembroke Wanderers); David Hobbs (Cork C of I); John Jackson (Loughborough); Gareth Lennox (Banbridge); Tim Lewis (Pembroke Wanderers); Phelie Maguire (Three Rock Rovers); Andy McConnell (Three Rock Rovers); Eugene Magee (Banbridge); Graham Shaw (Glenanne); Alan Sothern (Pembroke Wanderers); Keith Black (Cookstown); Conor Harte (Pembroke Wanderers); Geoff McCabe (Banbridge); Gareth Watkins (Monkstown). Match Schedule: Tuesday, March 24: Ireland v France 7pm; Serpentine Avenue Wednesday, March 25: Ireland v France 7pm; Serpentine Avenue Ireland A women’s squad: Anna O’Flanagan (Hermes), Audrey O’Flynn (UCC), Dora Gorman (Greenfields), Emma Smyth (Railway Union), Grace Watters (Randalstown), Helen Stevenson (Railway Union), Katherine Steenson (Armagh), Lauren Barr (Ballymoney), Liz McInerney (UCD), Lizzie Colvin (Loreto), Megan Frazer (Ballymoney), Mel Ryan (Cork C of I), Michelle Harvey (Pegasus), Miriam Crowley (UCC), Nicola Evans (Hermes), Victoria Green, Zara Delany (Loreto) Unavailable for selection: Kate McConnell (Playing in Australia) Coach: Guy Garett Asst Coach: Phil Oakley Manager: Ciara Harte Physio: Petra Grehan Match schedule: March 23, 6.30pm (GMT): Ireland A vs Germany U21 Women, Russelheimer HC March 24, 4.30pm (GMT): Ireland A vs Germany U21 Women, Russelheimer HC March 25, 9.30am (GMT): Ireland A vs Germany U21 Women, Russelheimer HC Ireland A men’s squad: David Fitzgerald (GK)(Monkstown), John Jackson (Capt) (Loughborough Students), Conor Harte (Pembroke Wanderers), Adam Pritchard (Cork C of I), Colin Donaldson (Cookstown), Keith Black (Cookstown), David Ames (Cookstown), Jason Lynch (Lisnagarvey), David Robinson (YMCA), Stephen Redpath (Annadale), Peter Caruth (Annadale), Alan Sothern (Pembroke Wanderers), Jonny Bruton (Cork C of I), Gareth Watkins (Monkstown), Bruce McCandless (Banbridge), Stuart Smyth (Cookstown), Jonny Quigley (Annadale), Brian Doherty (Corinthian), Simon Todd (Mossley) Coach: Craig Fulton Asst Coach: Turloch O’Siochain Manager: David McHugh Match schedule and venues for three-game series against Belgium U21 (April 7-9) TBC.