Kuper rings changes in pursuit of vital points

HOCKEY: After a chastening experience at the World Cup in Australia last year, Riet Kuper takes a much-changed squad into her seventh major tournament as Irish coach, the European Nations Cup in Barcelona, where she will hope for an improvement on a ninth-place finish at the last European finals, held four years ago in Cologne.

"Achievable" pool victories over Wales and Italy, next Monday and Wednesday, would guarantee just that, a top-eight placing, the target Kuper has set for her team.

And with the likelihood that the European Hockey Federation will decide on Tuesday week that the European finals be divided into A and B divisions from 2005 (each consisting of eight teams), at which point the tournament would become a biennial event, a top-eight finish must be achieved if Ireland are to play in the A division next time around.

Even with the loss of eight of her World Cup squad, through retirement, injury or "unavailability", the squad's average age has, in fact, marginally risen since Australia, and of the "starting XI" most frequently used in the build-up, left back Katharine Maybin, with 22 caps and a World Cup to her name, is the least experienced.

Three players have, though, made their senior breakthroughs during the build-up - Fiona Connery, Bridget McKeever and Suzanne Beaney - while Jenny McDonough, Cathy McKean and Nikki Symmons have all returned to the fold after missing out on selection for the World Cup.

All six, however, have yet to establish themselves in the first 11 but the two other changes from the World Cup panel - goalkeeper Nikki King and forward Karen Bateman (whose husband, Wesley, is in the men's squad in Barcelona) - are more likely contenders for a place in Monday's starting line-up against Wales.

Old Alexandra's King will vie with Angela Platt for the goalkeeping spot, having shared duties with the Ballymoney player throughout the build-up, while Bateman, who, like Jenny Burke, came out of retirement at the request of Kuper last month, will hope to add to her 44 caps in the critical opening game.

While there were some mutterings of disapproval at the return of Bateman and Burke, both having missed the bulk of the build-up, the fact is that neither player asked to be recalled - they simply responded to their coach's plea to return following a disheartening trip to Holland, the low point a 7-0 defeat by the hosts.

Since then the performances and results have improved, notably that victory over England in a practice match in Barcelona, culminating in the team's Celtic Cup triumph when they beat France, Wales and Scotland.

The team must carry that form into their games against Wales, Italy and the Ukraine (Saturday week), a team they have lost to in their last two competitive meetings, having led by three and two goals (they lost 3-2 in Cologne and 4-3 in Perth). The pool fixtures against Germany and England are, realistically, unlikely to yield any points.

IRISH SQUAD: L Caulfield, J Burke, F Connery, D Sixsmith (all Hermes), L McVicker, B McKeever, A Platt (all Ballymoney), N Symmons, C McKean (both Loreto), R Kohler (capt), K Bateman (both Cork Harlequins), S Beaney, J McDonough (both Belfast Harlequins), C O'Brien (UCD), E Cregan (University of Limerick), J Orbinson (Portadown), K Maybin (Pegasus), N King (Old Alexandra).

EUROPEAN NATIONS CUP (at Barcelona) - Pool A: Holland, Spain, Scotland, Russia, Azerbaijan, France. Pool B: England, Germany, Ukraine, Ireland, Italy, Wales.

IRELAND'S SCHEDULE (local times)

Monday, September 1st: v Wales, 3pm.

Wednesday: v Italy, 10am.

Friday: v Germany, 1pm.

Saturday: v Ukraine, 5pm.

Monday 8th: v England, 9am.

Cross-over matches: September 10th - 13th.