HOCKEY CELTIC CUP NEWS:GENE MULLER has called up six players from the A side into the senior Irish women's squad for the Celtic Cup in Garryduff, Cork, this weekend as they impressed at the junior equivalent in Edinburgh last week.
Under-21s Lizzie Colvin, Megan Frazer, Michelle Harvey and Pegasus' Kate McConnell have all made the jump, while Emma Grey steps in between the posts for the rested Mary Goode, while Loreto's Niamh Small returns to the squad.
Coach Muller was hopeful to blood new caps, saying of the upcoming tournament: "The Celtic Cup provides an opportunity to a young Irish team at the start of a new Olympic Cycle. The team includes five new caps as we also decided to rest a number of our more experienced players".
Meanwhile, men's coach Pave Passmore has made a similar move. There are returns to the national squad for Conor Harte - back after three months out with a shoulder injury - and Adam Pritchard. Cookstown's David Ames and Jonny Quigley could get debut caps. Passmore will rest the experienced Phelie Maguire, Graham Shaw, Mark Gleghorne, Iain Lewers and Mark Black for the last international outing of the summer.
WOMEN'S SQUAD:Emma Clarke (Randalstown), Lizzie Colvin (Armagh), Eimear Cregan (Cork Harlequins, capt), Róisín Flinn (UCD) Megan Frazer (Ballymoney), Emma Gray (Hermes), Michelle Harvey (Victorians), Louisa Healy (Loreto), Lisa Jacob (UCD), Shirley McCay (Randalstown), Kate McConnell (Pegasus), Holly Moffett (UCC), Louisa Moore (Pembroke Wanderers), Christine Quinlan (UCD), Cliodhna Sargent (Cork Harlequins), Niamh Small (Loreto), Alex Speers (Pegasus), Emma Stewart (Armagh).
MEN'S SQUAD:David Ames (Cookstown), Karl Burns (Cork C of I), Stephen Butler (Glenanne), Tim Cockram (Lisnagarvey), Mitch Darling (Three Rock Rovers), Ronan Gormley (Pembroke Wanderers, capt), Conor Harte (Pembroke Wanderers), David Harte (GK) (Pembroke Wanderers), David Hobbs (Cork C of I), John Jermyn (Cork C of I), Tim Lewis (Pembroke Wanderers), Eugene Magee (Banbridge), Geoff McCabe (Banbridge), Adam Pritchard (Cork C of I), Johnny Quigley (Annadale), Alan Sothern (Pembroke Wanderers), Iain Walker (GK) (YMCA), Mikey Watt (Grange , Scotland).
WOMEN'S CELTIC CUP SCHEDULE:July 4th - 6th (all to be played at Garryduff): Friday: Scotland v Wales, noon; Ireland v France, 6.0. Saturday: France v Wales, 11.0; Ireland v Scotland, 3.0. Sunday: France v Scotland, 9.30; Wales v Ireland, 1.30.
MEN'S CELTIC CUP SCHEDULE:July 4th - 6th (all at Garryduff): Friday: Scotland v Wales, 2.0; Ireland v France, 8pm. Saturday: France v Wales, 1.0 ; Ireland v Scotland, 5.0. Sunday: France v Scotland, 11.30; Wales v Ireland, 3.30.
