Caruth out, Carson in for Ireland

Ireland’s golden goal hero from December’s Champions Challenge I, Peter Caruth, will miss the World League 2 later this month, it emerged yesterday. Coach Andrew Meredith had given the Belgium-based Ulster man until the last minute to prove his fitness for Ireland’s assignment in New Delhi, but Caruth has not made it in time and his place will be taken by Monkstown’s 18 times-capped Davy Carson. It’s a further blow to the side in terms of a loss of experience, with John Jermyn, Timmy Cockram and Andy McConnell already missing while Ian Sloan and David Ames have left the Irish setup, meaning there are now six changes to the 18 which competed in the Olympic qualifiers last March.

Ireland will play a three-game series against Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur next week in preparation for the WL2, which pits them against hosts and favourites India, Oman, China and Bangladesh with the top two qualifying for round three in Holland in June, which doubles as a World Cup qualifier. Meanwhile, Darren Smith’s coaching rein takes its first venture into the competitive realm this afternoon when they play a friendly tie against Spain in Valencia. The new international coach has been working with the side for the past five days on the training ground and now gets to see his new charges in action. Ireland moved ahead of the Spanish in the most recent rankings by virtue of the Iberian sides’ decision to withdraw from the Champions Challenge I due to financial concerns. As such, the last meeting between the sides was in Antwerp last March when Ireland produced a smash and grab victory in the Olympic qualifiers, eliminating Spain from the Games. Both sides will go into the World League round two as the clear favourites to take the top-two spots when the competition-proper comes around, drawn in a five-team pool that also features the Czech Republic, Italy and Belarus. Words on Ireland women by Stephen Findlater