Ireland face gruelling schedule

Ireland’s senior men will play a gruelling eight  internationals in eight days as coach Paul Revington steps up his preparations for their World Cup qualifying campaign in Argentina in November. Revington has named three sets of squads for the assignments. The first panel sees 18 players travel to Paris for a mid-week battle with the French on September 23 and 24. From the side that played in the Europeans, Andy McConnell returns to the panel after missing the tournament due to exams while Phelie Maguire, David Ames and Mikey Watt also return.

Argentina have still yet to fully confirm their trip to Dublin but are pencilled in for a three-match series in on September 28 and 30 and October 1. Paul Gleghorne, Stephen Butler, Timmy Cockram, John Jermyn, Alan Giles, Johnny Jackson and Chris Cargo are added to that panel; Ames and Peter Caruth drop out. The third series in quick succession takes place in Banbridge with a three-game salvo against Scotland with the panel extended again. Fringe players Mark Ruddle, Adam Pritchard, Karl Burns, Mick Maguire, Keith Black, Andrew Herbert, Simon Todd, Gareth Watkins and Peter Blakeney will get their chance in this series. Revington has instructed that Irish senior players can play in league games plus ISC and IHL between now and November 29. The above eight games do not clash with any Munster league games scheduled according to the draft ficture list, while goalkeepers are free to play in all competitions unless otherwise instructed by the Irish coach. Ireland men’s squad to play France, September 23&24, Paris: D Harte (Pembroke W), I Walker (YMCA), R Gormley (Pembroke W, capt), T Lewis (Pembroke W), J Brennan (Glenanne), J Jackson (Loughborough), C Harte (Pembroke W), D Hobbs (Cork C of I), G Shaw (Glenanne), G McCabe (Dragons), D Ames (Cookstown), A McConnell (Pembroke W), E Magee (Dragons), M Watt (Dragons), M Darling (Leuven), P Caruth (Annadale), A Sothern (Pembroke W), P Maguire (Leuven). Ireland men’s squad to play Argentina, September 28, 30 and October 1, Dublin (TBC): D Harte (Pembroke W), I Walker (YMCA), R Gormley (Pembroke W, capt), T Lewis (Pembroke W), J Brennan (Glenanne), P Gleghorne (Loughborough), C Harte (Pembroke W), G McCabe (Dragons), G Shaw (Glenanne), S Butler (Glenanne), P Maguire (Leuven), A McConnell (Pembroke W), A Sothern (Pembroke W), E Magee (Dragons), A Giles (Pembroke W), M Watt (Dragons), C Cargo (Reading), J Jackson (Loughborough), D Hobbs (Cork C of I), J Jermyn (Cork C of I), M Darling (Leuven), T Cockram (Lisnagarvey). Ireland men’s squad to play Scotland, October 2-4, Banbridge: I Walker (YMCA), D Harte (Pembroke W), R Gormley (Pembroke W, capt), T Lewis (Pembroke Wanderers), J Brennan (Glenanne), J Jackson (Loughborough), C Harte (Pembroke W), J Jermyn (Cork C of I), D Hobbs (Cork C of I), S Butler (Glenanne), G Shaw (Glenanne), G McCabe (Dragons), E Magee (Dragons), M Watt (Dragons), T Cockram (Lisnagarvey), M Darling (Leuven), P Maguire (Leuven), M Ruddle (Cork C of I), A Pritchard (Cork C of I), P Gleghorne (Loughborough), K Burns (Cork C of I), M Maguire (Three Rock Rovers), K Black (Cookstown), D Ames (Cookstown), A Herbert (Cork C of I), S Todd (Mossley), G Watkins (Monkstown), P Caruth (Annadale), P Blakeney (Three Rock Rovers). Match Schedule September 23 (6pm): Ireland v France (Paris) September 24 (2.30pm): Ireland v France( Paris) September 28 (8.30pm): Ireland v Argentina (UCD) September 30 (8.30pm): Ireland v Argentina (UCD) October 1 (8.30pm): Ireland v Argentina (UCD)