HOCKEY:Dave Passmore and Gene Muller have named their Irish men's and women's squads for next week's Setanta Cup at Belfield, but while Muller has been able to select a full-strength panel Passmore is without three players for the duration of the competition and another until day three of the event.
A back problem has resulted in Mark Gleghorne being omitted while examination commitments rule out Ronan Gormley and Tim Cockram. However, Michael Watt will be available for the last three days of the competition after he completes his exams.
"It's not ideal that we will be missing some players and it could affect our penalty corners," said Passmore, "but we have to accept players have other important aspects to their lives. Mark Gleghorne's back is a concern, but we are hopeful that the scan will not reveal too much damage."
Captain Linda Caulfield, meanwhile, returns to Muller's squad after a spell out with an ankle injury. She takes the place of Armagh's Hannah Bowe, the only change from the panel that took on Scotland in three games at Belfield last weekend.
The women's team open the tournament on Wednesday against South Africa, before playing Scotland on the Friday and Olympic champions Germany on the Saturday.
The men will be in action on the same days, playing Canada, Egypt and Wales, with the finals of both competitions taking place on the Sunday.
Setanta Cup squads
WOMEN'S SQUAD:E Stewart (Armagh), B McKeever (Ballymoney), J McDonough (Belfast Harlequins), C O'Brien, E Harte (both Chelmsford), E Cregan, C Sargent (both Cork Harlequins), L Caulfield (Hermes), L Healy, C McKean (both Loreto), N Symmons (Eintracht Braunschweig), J Orbinson, A Speers (both Pegasus), M Goode (Pembroke Wanderers), E Clarke, S McCay (both Randalstown), A Connery (UCC), R Flinn (UCD).
MEN'S SQUAD:I Lewers (Annadale), E Magee, G McCabe (both Banbridge), A Barbour (Cookstown), M Ruddle, K Burns, J Jermyn, D Hobbs (all Church of Ireland), J Black, M Black (both Cork Harlequins), S Butler, G Shaw (both Glenanne), M Watt (Grange), P Maguire (HGC), P Brown, M Irwin (both Instonians), T Lewis, D Harte (both Pembroke Wanderers).
