GRAHAM SHAW HAS included four uncapped players in his Ireland squad for their warm-weather training camp in Chile, as the Green Army’s preparations intensify for next year’s Olympic qualifiers.
16 of the panel that won World Cup silver during the summer are included in the extended travelling party, as Ireland get set to play four games against Chile in the first capped fixtures since their exploits in London.
Twins Bethany and Serena Barr are among the uncapped quartet having come back into international selection consideration following spells in the US on scholarship with Liberty University Flames in Virgina.
Bethany is now back in the domestic EY Women’s Hockey League playing for UCD, while Serena is plying her trade with English outfit Beeston in Nottingham.
The other new faces are Railway Union forward Sarah Hawkshaw and St Andrew’s College student Amy Elliot, who was involved in the recent training camp and three uncapped games against Spain having impressed at Ireland U18 and U21 level.
Goalkeeper Grace O’Flanagan, Lizzie Colvin and Shirley McCay are the trio absent from the World Cup squad, with the latter still deliberating over whether she’ll extend her international career into 2019.
“While 2018 has been the most incredible, historic year for the Green Army we firmly have our sights set on 2019 and Olympic qualification,” Shaw, who was named RTÉ Sport Manager of the Year on Saturday, said.
“We are keen to hit the ground running in the New Year and this long warm weather camp in Chile is the ideal start for us. Chile are an improving side that will prove valuable opponents for our entire squad, both senior members and newer additions to our panel.”
Ireland, currently knee-deep in an intense physical training block before Christmas, will play Chile in Santiago on 12, 13, 15 and 16 January as part of the trip.
Shaw’s side begin their Tokyo 2020 qualifying campaign with an eight-team FIH Series finals event in June, which will be hosted by Hockey Ireland.
The Green Army, ranked eighth in the world, will be top seeds for that home tournament, and will be bidding to be one of two sides to progress to the final playoffs for the Olympics.
It now looks increasingly likely that the games will be staged at UCD’s National Hockey Stadium, after the college confirmed it will belatedly begin the much-needed upgrade of the water-based playing pitch.
Having failed to meet FIH standards in recent years, the Belfield venue had become unfit for purpose but UCD now say work will begin on the project in April/May over an eight-week window, with the hope of staging club and international fixtures again from June 2019 onwards.
“We are delighted to announce the resurfacing of the main pitch at our Hockey Stadium which has reached the end of its lifespan after providing our students with fantastic sporting moments and memories over the past 20 years,” UCD’s director of student services and facilities, Dominic O’Keefe, said.
The announcement follows Friday’s news that Sport Ireland will install a new state-of-the-art pitch on the National Sports Campus in Blanchardstown, which will serve as a training base for the men’s and women’s national senior teams.
Ireland squad:
Goalkeepers: Ayeisha McFerran (University of Louisville), Emma Buckley (Racing), Liz Murphy (Loreto).
Defenders: Hannah Matthews (Loreto), Lena Tice (UCD), Serena Barr (Beeston), Bethany Barr (UCD), Zoe Wilson (Belfast Harlequins), Roisin Upton (Catholic Institute), Gemma Frazer (Belfast Harlequins), Yvonne O’Byrne (Cork Harlequins).
Midfielders: Gillian Pinder (Pembroke), Katie Mullan (Club an der Alster), Ali Meeke (Loreto), Megan Frazer (Manheim), Nicci Daly (Loreto), Amy Elliot (Railway Union), Ruth Maguire (Pegasus), Chloe Watkins (Monkstown).
Forwards: Anna O’Flanagan (Pinoke), Sarah Torrans (Loreto), Deirdre Duke (Dusseldorf), Sarah Hawkshaw (Railway Union), Nikki Evans (UHC Hamburg), Emily Beatty (Pembroke), Aisling Naughton (Pembroke).
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