Irish to fine-tune on continent

The Irish team step up their preparations for next month's European Nations Cup qualifier in Helsinki by playing practice matches against German and Dutch club sides over the next four days.

The first of the games takes place in Cologne this evening, against Rotweiss, with matches tomorrow and Thursday against Blauweiss and Bayer Leverkusen. On Friday the Irish travel to Holland, where they will play coach Riet Kuper's former club Den Bosch, the Dutch champions who have in their squad four of the Dutch team that won silver medals at the World Cup last month.

Meanwhile, Irish under-21 coach Adele Sloan has named a squad for next weekend's trip to Lilleshall, where the team will play two matches against England as part of their build-up to August's European Championships in Belfast, where they have been drawn in the same group as the English.

Railway Union's Ciara O'Brien and Ballymoney goalkeeper Angela Platt return to the squad after missing last month's friendlies against Germany in Belfast.

Irish Under-21 Squad: A Copeland (Loreto), A Platt (Ballymoney), A Bowers (Trinity), C Carey (Hermes), V Doran (Genesis), L Furney (UCD), K Hiles (Trinity), J Hyland (UCC), D Kelly (Hermes), K Maybin (Randalstown), P McGill (Peg a sus), C O'Brien (Railway Union), J Orbinson (Portadown), S Parkhill (Randalstown), S Rand (Trinity), C Redpath (Pegasus).