Banbridge Hockey Club's fine new Havelock Park arena, the venue for the Irish Junior Cup final last Saturday, hosts the first international of the year when Scotland visit in mid-June.

National coach John Clarke is getting together a panel of over 30 players from which the squad will be selected for this game as well as matches in Wales a fortnight later. The panel will not be announced until Clarke has checked on injuries and availability following the completion of the domestic season.

A four-nations tournament, probably involving Belgium, France and Italy, is planned for Dublin in September when preparations will begin in earnest for the 1999 European Championship in Padua.