Flannery gets big Irish chance

After a number of months searching for a replacement for Spain, the FIH and the IHA yesterday confirmed world number 27 Wales will be the eighth side to compete in the Champions Challenge I in Dublin which gets underway on September 29. It means the tournament will take on the same format as 2011’s edition with two initial groups of four determining a place in the quarter-finals of the competition, a method which will now be used at Champions Trophy level.

As such, Denis Pritchard, the women’s interim national coach named his 18-player panel for the competition this morning with Brenda Flannery the surprise name on the team list. The Galway woman has yet to be capped for Ireland, missing out on the recent trip to Scotland due to injury and remains something of a doubt ahead of the Challenge. But her two years in UCD have shown her to be one of the most combative midfielders around, something which she appeared to confirm in Ireland A action during the summer and will offer an option to midfield as Lizzie Colvin, Shirley McCay and Emma Clarke are all unavailable. She is one of six Belfielders to make the panel along with fellow bolters Katie Mullan and Nicola Gray who are retained after their involvement in series against Wales and the Scots. That trio are the three newcomers to world level tournament play though Leah Ewart or Naomi Carroll could step in to the breach should either Flannery or Aine Connery fail pre-event fitness tests. Ireland are the third lowest ranked side in the competition, ahead of Wales, and face a tough opening series as they meet Olympic sides South Africa and the USA as well as bogey side Scotland. SA line-up without six familiar faces who boast a combined caps total of 1,000 Test matches notched on their hockey sticks. World record goalscorer Pietie Coetzee, fellow triple Olympians Kate Woods and Jen Wilson, double Olympians Mariette Rix and Kathleen Taylor plus Dirkie Chamberlain will not be in Dublin as they send a youthful side to the competition. Those initial battles, though, solely have a bearing on whom Ireland will play in the second phase of the competition, playing out cross-over quarter-finals. Australia look the side to avoid following their impressive Olympics in London. They finished fifth but were aggrieved not to go further, losing one match (1-0 to New Zealand on day one) and conceding just two goals in six games as they appear to be quickly re-emerging after a couple of slump years saw them drop to this level. They have 11 of their Olympic panel available again. Belgium are another to be avoided in the quarters but Ireland’s recent records against India and Wales would offer much more inviting prospects of a decent tournament outcome. For India, the experienced midfielder Ritu Rani will lead the 12th ranked side while Defender Kirandeep Kaur will be vice-captain in the team’s maiden assignment under Chief Coach Neil Hawgood. Otherwise, the squad draws heavily on youth with no less than seven of the selected players being part of the India team which claimed the silver medal at the recent Junior Women’s Asia Cup. Commenting on his selection, Denis Pritchard said: “Given the calibre of teams involved in this tournament, it is a really exciting challenge for this emerging squad. Given the short preparation time the players have been excellent in their application and focus, led well by the more experienced players the younger ones have made a serious impact and we will enter the competition with a good team spirit and fearing no-one.” Words by Stephen Findlater/The Hook Ireland: Emma Gray (GK, Hermes), Pamela Smithwick (GK, Old Alex), Sinead McCarthy (Hermes), Audrey O’Flynn (Hermes), Niamh Atcheler (UCD), Michelle Harvey (Pegasus), Nicola Gray (UCD), Brenda Flannery (UCD), Emma Smyth (Railway Union), Nikki Symmons (unattached), Lisa Jacob (Hermes), Chloe Watkins (UCD), Anna O’Flanagan (UCD), Miriam Crowley (UCC), Katie Mullan (UCD), Aine Connery (Hermes), Alex Speers (captain, Railway Union), Niamh Small (Loreto) Reserves: Nikki Evans (UCD), Leah Ewart (UCD), Naomi Carroll (Catholic Institute) Electric Ireland Champions Challenge I Pool A: Australia; India; Belgium; Wales Pool B: South Africa; USA: Ireland; Scotland