HOCKEY: The Irish Hockey Association (IHA) have received a boost with news that the ESB are to sponsor the women's game in a deal said to be worth six figures.

The ESB will undertake a three-year commitment to the senior and development teams. The company will also be the gold sponsor of the Women's European Nations tournament, which will be held in UCD next month.

Grace Redmond, the president of the IHA, was delighted with a deal which will help sustain the team's push for the coming Olympic Games.

"This sponsorship is out of this world, we've never had a sponsorship as big as this for hockey," she said.

"This money will be actually used for all levels, focusing on the performance development of the sport."

The sponsorship has arrived at one of the most exciting periods for women's hockey in Ireland after success at the KT cup in Korea; they are now only two ranking places away from Olympic standard.

Jenny Burke, vice-captain of the senior team, feels the sponsorship is an absolute necessity for an amateur sport with professional expectations.

"Because we're competing against professional teams, we then have to be pro ourselves," she argued. "I will only be able to keep playing for a matter of years as I still have to work."

The Irish team will leave today for a four-nations tournament in Bremen, where they will be competing against Holland and the hosts, Germany.