HOCKEY: Having completed a six-day training camp in Malaga yesterday the Irish squad returns to Dublin to prepare for two matches against Scotland in Belfield this weekend, games that will mark the beginning of the build-up to April's World Cup Qualifier in Rome.
Wexford's Linda Caulfield has been named as the new Irish captain, following the retirement of Lynsey McVicker. The Hermes player is now the most experienced member of the squad in the wake of the retirements of McVicker and Jenny Burke, just two of 12 senior players who have retired from international hockey since the last World Cup in late 2002.
The squad now includes four uncapped players, Zanya Dahl (Old Alexandra), Louise Henderson (Pembroke Wanderers), Sinead Dooley (Railway Union) and Katherine Elkin (Randalstown), and another quartet - Elaine Bromell (Catholic Institute), Jill Hodgins (Hermes) and goalkeepers Mary Goode (Cork Harlequins) and Louisa Healy (Loreto) - who have yet to reach double figures in caps.
In a relatively short space of time, then, players such as Caulfield, Ciara O'Brien, Eimear Cregan and Jenny McDonough have gone from being the squad's "young blood" to its most experienced core.
Jill Orbinson is unavailable for the games this weekend but will return in time for the rest of the build-up which takes the squad to South Africa next month and Argentina in March, for four nations' tournaments, and to Manchester in April for the final warm-up games against England.
On the club front Australian Colin Stewart will take charge of Hermes in the absence of Rudi Wortmann, who will be busy with the Irish women's squad.
Hermes beat Loreto in last season's Leinster final but Loreto's hopes of reaching their sixth successive decider in the competition were ended on Wednesday night when they lost 3-1 to UCD.
The students, 1-0 down at half-time, scored all of their goals in the opening seven minutes of the second half.
IRISH SQUAD: B McKeever, A Platt (both Ballymoney), J McDonough (Belfast Harlequins), E Bromell (Catholic Institute), M Goode (Cork Harlequins), C Carey, L Caulfield (capt), F Connery, K Farrell, J Hodgins (all Hermes), L Healy, C McKean, N Symmons (all Loreto), Z Dahl (Old Alexandra), S Beaney (Pegasus), L Henderson (Pembroke Wanderers), E Cregan (Push), S Dooley, C O'Brien (both Railway Union), K Elkin, C Parkhill (both Randalstown).
INTERNATIONALS (at Belfield): Tomorrow: Ireland v Scotland, 4.0. Sunday: Ireland v Scotland, 12.0.
IRISH SENIOR CUP: Second round: Sunday: Univ of Limerick v Galway, Limerick, 1.30. JACQUI POTTER CUP: Second round: Tomorrow: Trinity v Pembroke Wanderers II, Santry, 11.30; Glenanne v Old Alexandra, Tallaght, 1.0; Hermes v Old Alexandra II, Booterstown, 1.15; Railway Union v Genesis, Sandymount, 2.0; Loreto III v Corinthian II, Beaufort, 3.45; Corinthian v Three Rock, Whitechurch, 4.0; UCD v Clontarf, Belfield, 1.15. Sunday: Loreto II v Diocesan, Beaufort, 2.30.
MUNSTER LEAGUE: Division One: Tomorrow: Belvedere v Ashton, Ballincollig, 2.0. MAY COSTLEY CUP: Quarter-finals: Tomorrow: Mallow v Yeats County, Harlequins Park, 1.30; Weston v Dromore, Kings Hospital, 1.45. Sunday: Moyne Thurles v Derg Valley, Thurles, 11.30; Athlone v Dungarvan, Athlone Regional Sport Centre, 1.30.
