Site Loader
Original story filed June 10, updated on June 15 The Irish Hockey Association said today that a 16-strong maiden Ireland U17 girls squad will be announced next week. Thanks to support and funding from sponsors ESB and the Olympic Council of Ireland, the IHA last week were able to announce the participation of an U17 girls side at the World Youth Olympic Games. High performance director Dave Passmore has teamed up with Ireland U18 coach Richie Malone and his U16 counterpart Una McCarthy to train and pick a squad at short notice, with the tournament taking place in Singapore from August 16-25.
David Passmore will take charge of an Irish U17 girls team at the World Youth Olympic Games. Picture: Adrian B“This is the perfect opportunity to develop a group of talented young athletes, many of whom have been through Irish Hockey’s talent ID system," said Passmore.
Passmore said: “Although the players will have little time together as a group before leaving for Singapore, the development they have undergone in the ESB sponsored U16 and U18 teams will hold them in good stead. “The additional sponsorship that ESB provides has helped ensure these players are well prepared going into the summer U16 Europeans and U18 Four Nations. “Our program will pick up after that but our priority at this stage is ensuring we select the most talented and committed 16 players to represent Ireland at the Youth Game Olympics.” A full tournament schedule is expected to be announced in the next fortnight, though Ireland are set to be pitted against continental champions Korea, South Africa and the Netherlands, for a start. Passmore added: “Whilst the tournament will be a challenging one in difficult climatic conditions it is the best way to test our young stars against the world’s best nations.” The advent of a new junior age group between the traditional U16 and U18 slots suggests the squad is likely to be an amalgamation of eligible players within those squads, particularly given the small preparation timeframe. When the squad will fit in training time remains to be seen, given both the U16 and U18 girls sides have a packed June and July on the horizon. The international summer season gets underway later this month as Ireland compete in 55 fixtures across eight squads from late June to the end of July with the boys and girls U16 panels taking part in their major event, the European Nations Cup in Barcelona, both competing at A division level. The women’s senior team will play nine internationals in a month, starting with a high quality four-nations tournament in Essen, Germany when they will challenge world cup finalists Australia, Germany and India. The Aussies then follow on to play a three-game series in Belfield before Scotland come visiting in late July, giving Gene Muller plenty of scope to assess his squad’s make-up ahead of a hectic 2011 which will see the panel prepare for European championships and an Olympic tilt. On the men’s side, Paul Revington’s side is in a similar phase of their development and will begin the task of attempting to replace the retired Stephen Butler and Graham Shaw the summer begins with the Celtic Cup in Le Touquet. France come visiting a week later for a four-game schedule at Coolnafranky – Cookstown’s new state-of-the-art facility. The venue will also host both the men’s and women’s U21 Celtic Cup. Finally, the Irish U18 boys and girls both have a busy couple of months ahead with nine fixtures each on home soil. These include series against Scotland and Belgium before taking on the Home Nations in Garryduff. The IHA is inviting applications for the role of temporary U18 boys coach, following the recent resignation of incumbent Andy Smyth and manager Christopher McCandless over a funding dispute. Irish international teams’ summer playing schedules ESB Senior Women June 25: Ireland vs Australia, 7pm, Four-Nations; Essen, Germany June 26: Ireland vs Germany, 5pm, Four-Nations; Essen, Germany June 27: Ireland vs India, 12pm, Four-Nations; Essen, Germany June 30: Ireland vs Australia, 8pm, Belfield July 2: Ireland vs Australia, 7.30pm, Belfield July 3: Ireland vs Australia, 4pm, Belfield July 23: Ireland vs Scotland, TBC July 24: Ireland vs Scotland, TBC July 25: Ireland vs Scotland, TBC Senior Men June 25: Ireland vs Scotland, 3pm, Celtic Cup; Le Touquet, France June 26: Ireland vs Wales, 3pm, Celtic Cup; Le Touquet, France June 27: Ireland vs France, 2pm, Celtic Cup; Le Touquet, France June 30: Ireland vs France, 7.30pm/8pm, Cookstown July 1: Ireland vs France, 6pm, Cookstown July 3: Ireland vs France, 6pm, Cookstown July 4: Ireland vs France, 6pm, Cookstown Womens A/U21 June 29: Ireland A vs Scotland U-21, 6.30pm, Lisnagarvey June 30: Ireland A vs Scotland U-21, 6.30pm, Lisnagarvey July 2: Ireland vs Wales, 4pm, Junior Celtic Cup, Cookstown July 3: Ireland vs France, 2pm, Junior Celtic Cup, Cookstown July 4: Ireland vs France, 4pm, Junior Celtic Cup, Cookstown Mens A/U21 July 2: Ireland vs Wales, 6pm, Junior Celtic Cup, Cookstown July 3: Ireland vs France, 4pm, Junior Celtic Cup, Cookstown July 4: Ireland vs Scotland, 4pm, Junior Celtic Cup, Cookstown July 8: Ireland A vs Scotland U-21, TBC, Cookstown July 10: Ireland A vs Scotland U-21, TBC, Cookstown July 11: Ireland A vs Scotland U-21, TBC, Cookstown Girls U18 June 29: Ireland vs Belgium, 4.15pm, Belfield June 30: Ireland vs Belgium, 4pm, Belfield July 1: Ireland vs Belgium, 2pm, Belfield July 3: Ireland vs Scotland, TBC, Jordanstown July 4: Ireland vs Scotland, TBC, Jordanstown July 5: Ireland vs Scotland, TBC, Jordanstown July 17: Ireland vs Wales, 6pm, Home Countries, Garryduff, Cork July 18: Ireland vs England, 6pm, Home Countries, Garryduff, Cork July 19: Ireland vs Scotland, 11am, Home Countries, Garryduff, Cork Boys U18 June 25: Ireland vs Scotland, 8pm, Lisnagarvey June 26: Ireland vs Scotland, 4pm, Lisnagarvey June 27: Ireland vs Scotland, 12.30pm, Lisnagarvey June 29: Ireland vs Belgium, 6.15pm, Belfield June 30: Ireland vs Belgium, 6pm, Belfield July 1: Ireland vs Belgium, 4pm, Belfield July 17: Ireland vs Wales, 2pm, Home Countries, Garryduff, Cork July 18: Ireland vs England, 2pm, Home Countries, Garryduff, Cork July 19: Ireland vs England, 1pm, Home Countries, Garryduff, Cork Girls U16 July 3: Ireland vs Wales, 6.30pm, Belfield July 4: Ireland vs Wales, 1pm, Belfield July 12: Ireland vs Ukraine, 8pm, Euro Nations, Barcelona July 13: Ireland vs Spain, 6pm, Euro Nations, Barcelona July 14: Ireland vs Russia, 8pm, Euro Nations, Barcelona July 16/17 playoffs: Euro Nations, Barcelona Boys U16 July 12: Ireland vs Netherlands, 10am, Euro Nations, Barcelona July 13: Ireland vs Austria, 12pm, Euro Nations, Barcelona July 14: Ireland vs Russia, 12pm, Euro Nations, Barcelona July 16/17: playoffs, Euro Nations, Barcelona

Post Author: alangood

19 Replies to “Irish girls gain youth Olympics berth”

  1. Well done to Irish Hockey!! All I ever hear is grumbling and moaning on this website and people picking at Irish and Munster Hockey….but an Olympic Games and and over 50 matches in the next couple of months is fantastic achievement and a credit to them.

    The Youth Olympics looks like a fantastic opportunity and it would appear to be a great use of Dave Passmore’s experience in this role. I have heard only good things about his coaching ability (from anyone who has been coached by him) and feel he did a good job with the senior men. Don’t know how much experience he has with girls though. Hopefully other less experienced coaches will also benefit from being involved with the team.

  2. I agree with 11.02. Well done Irish Hockey – a fantastic opportunity and hopefully we’ll see plenty of Munster girls included. We have developed some good players over the last few years and hopefully we’ll see them selected. A great opportunity.

    It is good to see Passmore back coaching – he has influenced the development of a lot of good players here and I know a lot of the older players rate him highly. I think he does have experience coaching women in England.

  4. Great to hear Passmore harp on about Talent ID, how many Non Hockey players were brought into the game from Talent ID? Naomi Carroll is held up as the shining light, but she had trials with Munster before she ever attended a Talent ID session.

    Great to see Ireland focused on things on the pitch instead of shambles off of it.

  7. The U17 boys got a silver medal quite a few years ago.

    Makes it worth while being an Irish coach, doing all the badges, trying to step up, do an inetr-pro, maybe be be an assistant and then what.
    The high performanced director takes the job.
    I am sure all coaches of the same age will be considered for the U18 mens job….unlikely

    What encouragement does an Irish coach have, Irish hockey is in a downwards spiral and it is dying on its feet.
    Though the ladies are lucky as the IHA want them, they are not interested in the men.

  8. Anon June 13 –

    ”Though the ladies are lucky as the IHA want them, they are not interested in the men.”

    Would you like to provide some background on this claim?

  9. Please note that new information has been added to this story which may help better inform any discussion on it. As always, please keep it general!

  10. June 14 – Ask the men’s national coach how enamoured he was after the IHA Awards dinner when all speeches were directed firmly at how great our women are doing with the men not mentioned. Think that may be the root of this kind of comment.

    Suppose it was an ESB gig so only fair the women took centre-stage.

  11. I did.
    It is plain to see the men are out of favour, funding to the ladies, under age hockey the ladies get a team.

    RIP mens hockey

  12. Maybe the IHA due to funding constraints have to back the side they feel is going to deliver and simply don’t have the resources to give both an equal opportunity. The women also have ESB as their title sponsor unlike the men. If they deliver and get the women to London then the men’s game will get a big boost.

  13. Sorry the men have more chance than the ladies but they have chosen the ladies I have a notion it is the sponsors and the sports council who made the choice alond with the association. Now that they have chosen the ladies, think what happens when they do not qualify, what will sponsors do, run away I would think, the sports council, gone, and all the time the mens game is going backwards
    The men will not benefit at all as of now the development of the squads, Senior and ‘A’ has been curtailed. So when they need to be at their best and to have matched the other teams that they compete with they will be a long way behind the opposition due to lack of funding.
    As it has been stated before players are struggling to make training sessions and some have decided not to continue.
    The Association is supposed to be equal, it obviously is not.
    Again RIP Mens Hockey

  15. Anon 5.27pm

    You continue, as you have done for months now, to post comments that I have to scrutinise very carefully for libel/defamation. Someday, my judgement will let me down, someone will sue me and this site will be no more.

    Before you come on here complaining about censorship, please consider that if you’d be brave enough put a name to your comments, they would not have to be edited as vigorously.

    And secondly, if you have such a massive problem with the IHA, why not challenge them directly on these various issues? For all I know, you may have done so, and I certainly hope that’s the case.

  16. It is very disappointing that a thread that started with such positive news has again been degraded by a small number of people who only have negative things to say about everything and harp on about their own agendas. This thread has started with an announcement of the U17 Girls being invited to the Youth Olympics. Wonderful news for those girls and their families, school teachers and club coaches….. and look what they now have to endure if they come on to read about it…The Munster Victor Meldrews’, or maybe you are not even Munster people at all. It then ends up in Alan having to fear libel and being sued. Shame on you.

    Keep up the good work Alan and perhaps it is about time you started to ban some of these people who constantly defaming comments hidden behind ‘anon’. Do you know when the team will be Youth Olympics team will be announced next week?

  17. @Madonhockey

    I was just told they’d announce it sometime this coming week; apparently they trained this weekend and would wait until after that to pick the squad

  18. They had trails on saturday, the cut is been made late this evening or announced tomorrow on IHA. Best of luck to the munster girls who are up for selection. What a brilliant and wonderful opportunity.

  19. The U-17 squad will be formally announced on Wednesday by the IHA, I believe in tandem with the OCI.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.