WOMEN'S HOCKEY: GENE MULLER'S Ireland squad steps up their preparations for June's Champions Challenge II in Kazan, Russia, and August's European Championships in Amsterdam with two games against England at Belfield this weekend.
Eimear Cregan returns to captain the team after a stress fracture to her foot kept her out for most of the season. The Limerick woman is set to win her 146th cap in this afternoon’s game, with Railway Union’s Emma Smyth hoping to make her debut after her fine season at club level.
Ciara O’Brien, Niamh Small, Alex Speers and Michelle Harvey were all unavailable for selection this weekend, with Armagh’s Rachel Mulligan drafted in to replace the injured Lisa Jacob.
The England squad is largely youthful but coach Danny Kerry has included three players with almost 500 caps between them, Kate Walsh (Slough), Helen Richardson (Den Bosch, Netherlands) and Alex Danson (Klein, Switzerland).
Eighteen-year-old Charlotte Craddock is set to make her England debut, having already played for Britain – she was in their Beijing Olympics’ squad, having made a scoring debut at just 17 against Argentina in late 2007.
Meanwhile on the club front, UCC and Cork Harlequins, seeking their 14th consecutive Munster title, must meet in a play-off on April 26th to decide the winners of the First Division after the students beat the champions 4-3 at Farmers Cross on Tuesday, to leave the teams tied on 36 points.
Both sides have now qualified for next season’s Irish Hockey League, with third-placed Church of Ireland going into the play-offs for the two available wildcard spots. Also through to the play-offs are Greenfields, who have won the Connacht title for the first time in 15 years.
IHL places are still up for grabs in Leinster and Ulster. Pembroke Wanderers, Old Alexandra and UCD are vying for fourth place behind Railway, Hermes and Loreto in Leinster, which brings automatic qualification, with whoever finishes fifth having to take the play-off route.
IRELAND SQUAD: E Stewart, R Mulligan (Armagh), B Cleland, M Frazer, L Barr (Ballymoney), M Goode (Bray), E Cregan (capt), C Sargent (Cork Harlequins), C McKean, N Symmons, L Healy, L Colvin (Loreto), E Smyth (Railway Union), R Flinn (UCD), E Clarke, S McCay (Ulster Elks). Internationals (at Belfield): Today: Ireland v England, 3pm. Sunday: Ireland v England, 11am.
