The Irish men are anxiously waiting for news on David Harte after he ended their World Cup preparation tournament in Valencia with a protective plaster on his leg.
The two-time world goalkeeper of the year suffered an injury in the warm-up prior to last Saturday’s 5-2 loss to the Netherlands. The initial diagnosis was a fractured fibula from the hospital in Spain but Harte is hoping a second opinion from a follow-up CT scan in the Netherlands will produce more positive news.
It puts his hopes of captaining Ireland's men to their first World Cup appearance since 1990 in major doubt. The competition gets under way in India on November 30th when Ireland meet world number one side Australia.
Fractured fibula
They follow up with games against China on December 4th and England on December 7th. With a usual six-week healing time for a fractured fibula, it leaves it touch and go whether the keeper can be part of the panel.
Ireland are next in action on Saturday when they will play Belgium at White Star in Evere.
Hours prior to Harte’s injury, the Kinsale man had been elected by his fellow players to be part of the International Hockey Federation’s Athlete’s Committee as a liaison member.
The committee consists of current and former players and gives them a voice in the FIH’s decision-making processes and the make-up of the international calendar.
