MEN'S HOCKEY / International series: This weekend's men's Irish hockey squad will be strengthened by the addition of three Munster players, Wes Bateman, John Jermyn and David Hobbs for the return three-match series against England at the National Stadium, University College Dublin, this weekend beginning this evening.
Two weeks after this series of matches the national squad will then head off to Vienna to play Austria along with two other nations, Russia and Switzerland, who are scheduled to compete in the finals of the European Nations Cup in Barcelona in September.
The series could mark Chris Jackson's 50th cap, injury permitting. If the Annadale player reaches the half century he will become only the 40th Irish international player to pass the 50 cap mark since making his debut in 1996 as an 18-year-old.
The three matches also give a chance to the newly-appointed assistant coach Soma Singh to have a closer look at the players on home ground and a chance for Dubliner Justin Sherriff to improve on his already remarkable scoring feat of 21 goals in 31 international matches
Today: Ireland v England, 7.00; Saturday: Ireland v England, 2.30; Sunday: Ireland v England, 12.00 (all matches National Stadium, Belfield)
IRELAND SQUAD: A Barbour (Cookstown) - 1 cap, 0 goals; W Bateman (GK-Cork H'qins) - 9 caps, 0 goals; J Black (Cork H'qins) - 42 caps, 3 goals; P Brown (Instonians) - 44 caps, 3 goals; Karl Burns (Cork C of I) - 9 caps, 0 goals; S Butler (Glenanne) - 39 caps, 13 goals; G Elliott (Pembroke W.) - 25 caps, 13 goals; N Henderson (GK-Pembroke W.) - 38 caps, 0 goals; D Hobbs (Cork C of I) - 13 caps, 0 goals; M Irwin (Instonians) - 30 caps, 8 goals; C Jackson (Annadale) - 49 caps, 9 goals; J Jermyn (Cork C of I) - 6 caps, 2 goals; E Lutton (Lisnagarvey) - 74 caps, 3 goals; M Raphael (Lisnagarvey) - 43 caps, 8 goals; G Shaw (Glenanne) - 18 caps, 1 goals; J Sherriff (Pembroke W.) - 31 caps, 21 goals; D Smyth (Annadale) - 31 caps, 0 goals; N Buttimer (Cork C of I) - 34 caps, 2 goals.
