What’s coming up on Southern Fried

As well as the variety of pre-season games, this weekend also saw the Munster Coaching Committee host a hugely successful coaching aimed at schools and youth coaches at Cork Harlequins. Stephen Watt, high performance director at the Sports Institute of Northern Ireland, and the IHA’s soon-to-depart coaching development manager Mick McKinnon both made the trip to Cork to share their expertise, and the success of the venture may see it replicated in the other provinces. Immense credit is due to organisers John Hobbs, Eddie Gash, Stephen Jackson, Brian Downes and Bernie Heffernan (All members of the Munster Coaching Committee, available on e-mail munstercoaching@gmail.com), who attracted around 70 participants – a figure that suggests there are more enthusiasts helping to develop Munster hockey than one would think. The organisers said additional thanks must go to Cork Harlequins for the use of their facilities and catering during the day. John kindly invited Southern Fried along last Saturday to take some of it in and pick the brains of both Watt and McKinnon along the way, while we also managed to grab a few words with outgoing Irish senior men’s coach Dave Passmore. This series of interviews, along with a chat with IHA regional development officer Phil Oakley, will appear on Southern Fried over the coming weeks, so please keep checking back! First up in the next few days will be Passmore, who talks about moving upstairs to a full-time role as the IHA’s high performance director, what Ireland need to do to continue their upward mobility and Iain Lewers’ conroversial defection to Great Britain.