MEN'S HOCKEY:AN IRISH men's squad was named yesterday for the upcoming training camp set for November 5th-9th in Pinoke, the Netherlands, under the new Irish coach Andrew Meredith. Twenty three athletes will come together for the first time under their new coach.
The Irish team is preparing for the FIH competition in Argentina, where world ranking points are at stake in what is essentially the first step towards qualification for the Rio Olympic Games.
“I am extremely excited to start working with an expanded playing group which will clearly give me a good insight as to where the group is at on a physical and technical level, as we move forward towards the Champions Challenge in Argentina next month,” said Meredith.
The former German hockey team assistant will be familiar with many of the Irish team, as 14 of the 23 play their hockey outside Ireland, most of those as professionals in the Netherlands, Spain, Germany and Belgium.
“A major objective of the camp is about learning.
“For me as the new leader of the group, it’s about gaining knowledge on the individual athletes, their personalities, strengths and weaknesses,” added Meredith.
“For the players, it’s probably more in the direction of working through this adjustment period that occurs when a new coach becomes involved with a team for the first time, and learning how that affects the framework which they work in.”
Ireland will compete in a number of training matches against Dutch club sides during the five-day camp.
The squad for Argentina (November 24th-December 2nd) will be selected when the training camp finishes.
IRELAND: J Bell (Lisnagarvey), J Bruton (YMCA), D Carlisle (Banbridge), C Carhgo (Reading), D Carson (Monkstown), P Carruth (Braxgata), D Cole (Monkstown), M Darling (TRR), B Doherty (Beershot), D Fitzgerald (Monkstown), R Gormley (Krefeld HC), C Harte (SCHC Holland), D Harte (SV Kampong), J Jackson (Braxgata), S Loughrey (Loughborough), J Lynch (Krefeld), E Magee (Krefeld), T Maguire (Hurley), G McCabe (Santander), B McCandless (Banbridge), A McConnell (Hurley), S O'Donoghue (UCD), M Watt (SCHC Holland)
WEEKEND FIXTURES
Saturday – Men's Irish Senior Cup, round two: Cork Harlequins v Cookstown Harlequins Park, 3.0; YMCA v UCC, Alexandra College, 3.0; Kilkeel v. Avoca, McAuley Park, 2.45; Lisnagarvey v Pembroke Wanderers, Comber Road, 2.30; NICS v Railway Union, Stormont, 2.30; Fingal v Banbridge, ALSAA Sports Complex, 2.0; UCD v Monkstown, Belfield, 1.0; Instonians v Three Rock Rovers, Shawsbridge, 1.0.
