There’s been no rest for the wicked – if you’re an Irish international hockey player – in recent weeks, with a flurry of activity involving the senior, A and U21 international sides.
The senior men pulled off a notable scalp last week in beating Spain 3-2 on their own patch in Santander, with Drew Carlisle and Davy Carson both scoring stunning maiden international goals to do the damage for the green machine.
Unfortunately that result was book-ended by two defeats in the Spanish heat, a 2-1 loss to begin with before they were routed 5-2 in the closing test.
Nonetheless, plenty to be positive about from a Munster point of view. With John Jermyn unavailable, Conor Harte stepped up to the drag-flicking plate and was back among the goals on day two and three.
Jonny Bruton and Jason Lynch also got vital game-time in green while it was a hugely proud moment for Bandon’s Alastair Smith, who made his senior Irish debut in the third game, a match in which Mikey Watt – playing on his own club ground in Santander – earned his 100th cap.
Back on home soil, Stephen Dowds was among those who gave the Irish management food for thought after scoring two important goals as Ireland A won a two-game series against England A in Dublin.
The Banbridge tyro hit the first in Saturday’s 3-2 win before rebounding well to secure a 1-1 draw at UCD yesterday.
The presence of Ireland’s second-highest goalscorer of all time, John Jermyn, in the line-up also helped a largely U21 boys in green side; the Cork C of I set-piece expert’s two strikes helped set Ireland on their way to victory on Saturday.
David Hobbs returned to the green shirt to provide some experience to counter that in the English line-up, which featured international veterans Mark Pearn and Richie Mantell.
Elsewhere, the Ireland U21 squads for this weekend’s U21 Celtic Cup in Wrexham, Wales were named today with a smattering of Munster players in both the men’s and women’s selections.
UCD pair Ben Dobson Nick Burns join Karl Lynch (Pembroke Wanderers) and Stuart O’Grady (UCC) in the men’s panel of 16 named by Brendan Carolan, while UCC duo Aine Curran and Olivia Roycroft, plus Catholic Institute hitwoman Naomi Carroll, are called up by Rudi Wortmann.
This year’s tournament is reduced to just two games against Wales and Scotland with France not taking part, as the squads prepare for July’s EuroHockey Junior Championships in Bratislava (men) and Lisbon (women) respectively.
IRELAND U21 Men for Celtic Cup: Stephen West (GK, Three Rock Rovers), Mark Ingram (GK, Monkstown), Phillip Brown (Banbridge), Stu Loughrey (Loughborough Uni), Karl Lynch (Pembroke Wanderers), Stuart O’Grady (UCC), Shane O’Donoghue (UCD), Kirk Shimmins (Pembroke), Peter MacDonnell (Lisnagarvey) Stephen Cole (Monkstown), Stephen Dowds (Banbridge), Owen Magee (Banbridge), Nick Burns (UCD), David Carson (Corinthian), Jeremy Duncan (Railway Union), Ben Dobson (UCD)
Coach: Brendon Carolan
Asst Coach: Stephen Cuddy
Manager: Raymond Miller
Irish U21 Men’s Celtic Cup, Wrexham
Friday, June 22: Ireland v Wales, 7pm
Saturday, June 23: Ireland v Scotland, 1pm
IRELAND U21 Women for Celtic Cup: Rachel Barnett (GK, Railway Union), Niamh O’Connor (Genesis), Natalie Barr (Lurgan), Nicola Gray (UCD), Brenda Flannery (UCD), Sarah Greene (UCD), Orla Fox (Railway Union), Leah Ewart (UCD), Ali Meeke (Loreto), Hannah Matthews (Loreto), Naomi Carroll (Catholic Institute), Aine Curran (UCC), Aisling Naughton (Old Alex), Olivia Roycroft (UCC), Hayley Mulcahy (Loreto), Emily Beatty (Old Alex).
Coach: Rudi Wortmann
Asst Coach: Alison McNeill
Manager: Sarah Canning
Video: Scott McNeill
Irish u21 Women’s Celtic Cup, Wrexham
Friday, June 22: |Ireland v Wales, 5pm
Saturday, June 23: Ireland v Scotland, 11am.