HOCKEY:Shaws Bridge, where Instonians' new grounds will host Ireland against Scotland in a three-Test clash this weekend, should indicate to Irish coach Dave Passmore just who he will want to take on training camp to South Africa early next year.
The Irish team have an important year ahead with the European Championships in Manchester next September and an Olympic qualifying event in Japan, Chile or New Zealand at some stage between November 2007 and April 2008. Of course, depending on how that goes, the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008 are also a possibility.
With the Irish men now ranked at 18 as opposed to 23 where they were not so long ago, the team is moving in the right direction and with Scotland ranked at 22 in the world the games will be typically tight and hard fought.
Usually Ireland are favourites but as the team has not yet been announced, Passmore may well be looking to see what younger players might be available to him from the squad of 28.
That suggests Pembroke's prolific teenager, Andy Sothern may get his first run along with some of those who have had just a couple of outings such as Mitch Darling, Adam Pritchard, John Jackson, Tim Lewis and the Hartes, Conor and goalkeeper David.
"Whilst I intend to use 28 players across these matches I will be seeking good performances on each day and will be setting the goal of a series win across the three games," said Passmore.
It will be the first time in four years that an international men's hockey match has been held in Ulster and the first to be played on Instonians' newly-laid pitch.
The sides have met 96 times since their first meeting in 1902 with Ireland coming out on top with 54 wins.
IRELAND (squad v Scotland, caps in brackets): A Barbor (65), M Black (76), P Brown (113), K Burns (54), S Butler (101), T Cockram (37), M Gleghorne (51), R Gormley (30), D Harte (2), C Harte (2), D Hobbs (79), M Irwin (103), J Jermyn (45), G Lennox (5), I Lewers (51), E Magee (26), G McCabe (8), S Nicholson (26), S Redpath (7), G Shaw (84), I Walker (3), M Watt (8), T Lewis (2), J Jackson (2), A Sothern (0), M Darling (2), J Quigley (9), A Pritchard (2).
WEEKEND FIXTURES
Today: Ireland v Scotland, Instonians 8.00pm Tomorrow: Ireland v Scotland, Instonians 5.30pm: Leinster Senior Cup: Monkstown v Bray 1.10pm Rathdown. Division Two: Clontarf v PSBBB 1.45pm Mount Temple; Kilkenny v Suttonians 1:00pm Kilkenny College; Navan v UCD 2.00pm Sportslink; Skerries v Avoca 1.30pm Skerries; Naas v Weston 2.30pm Naas. Sunday: Ireland v Scotland, Instonians 12.00: Leinster Senior Cup: UCD v Suttonians 4.00pm Belfield.
