O’Carroll names strong Munster squad

Munster’s senior women’s hockey team will benefit from the presence of two key former Irish internationals when the tournament gets underway at Dublin’s Serpentine Avenue next month. Coach Ger O’Carroll yesterday named a 16-strong panel for the tournament, which relies heavily on Catholic Institute and Cork Harlequins but is also strengthened by a couple of ex-pats.

With current Irish internationals not available for selection, the experience of Eimear Cregan and Elaine Bromell, both exceptional performers on the national stage in previous years, will be crucial. Hermes duo Sinead Connery and Eimear Horan and Old Alex’s Kate Collins-Smyth provide Leinster league know-how while former UL girl Jen O’Loughlin, now with England’s Sudbury, is back in harness too. Quins’ Rachel McSharry and Johanna Hyland provide further know-how while Institute’s Naomi Carroll and Yvonne O’Byrne of Quins will make their first senior appearances. Meanwhile, four Munster girls are in Holland this weekend with the Irish U16s for a four-day Easter tournament. Shauna Fagan (Ashton), Acacia Taylor (Cork Harlequins), Clodagh Moloney (Catholic Institute) and Midleton College goalkeeper Hattie Durrant are included in a squad largely and predictably dominated by the successful Lurgan College and Alexandra College school sides. MUNSTER Senior Women’s squad for 2010/11 Interprovincials, May 13-15, Serpentine Avenue, Dublin: E Bromell (Catholic Institute), N Carroll (Catholic Institute), K Collins-Smyth (Old Alexandra), S Connery (Hermes), E Cregan (Catholic Institute), K Daly (Catholic Institute), E Horan (Hermes), J Hyland (Cork Harlequins), R McSharry (Cork Harlequins), Y O’Byrne (Cork Harlequins), J O’Loughlin (Sudbury, UK), A O’Regan (UCC), C O’Shea (Catholic Institute), C Ronan (GK, Catholic Institute), O Roycroft (UCC), V Sargent (GK, Cork Harlequins). Coach: Ger O’Carroll; Assistant Coach: Sarah Scott; GK Coach: Orla McCarthy; Manager: Meg Burke. IRELAND U16 Girls squad for Holland Easter tour (April 21-24): B Barr (Lurgan Grammar/Lurgan); S Barr (Lurgan Grammar/Lurgan), E Carey (Jesuits/Galway, capt); C Crampton (GK, Wesley College/Old Alex). H Durrant (GK, Midleton College), S Fagan (Mount Mercy/Ashton), A Gleeson (Alexandra College/Old Alex), H Grieve (Lurgan College/Lurgan), S Hawkshaw (Mount Sackville/Railway Union), P Joyce (Portadown College/Portadown), E kernoghan (Ballymena Academy/Ballymena), R Maguire (Larne Grammar/Ballymena), H McDermott (Alexandra College/Old Alex), C Moloney (Crescent Comp/Catholic Institute), M O’Donnell (Alexandra College/Old Alex), A Roopnarinesingh (Alexandra College/Old Alex), A Taylor (Bandon Grammar/Cork Harlequins), Z Wilson (Cambridge House/Randalstown).