By www.hookhockey.com
Paul Revington will bring the 16 players which lined out against Malaysia in the fourth of their test matches last weekend to Paris for this week’s Five Nations’ event with Iain Walker travelling as the 17th man and Peter Caruth as a non-travelling reserve.
The side flew out today for the five day event which sees Ireland pit their wits against the hosts France, Poland and the Commonwealth-bound Scotland and Malaysia.
It’s part of a hectic week for a number of the Irish squad who have recently taken up new playing opportunities abroad which will begin at the conclusion of this tournament.
Captain Ronan Gormley (pictured) has returned to Club de Campo in Madrid where he enjoyed a successful season back in 2004 when on Erasmus in his university days.
He joins their EHL squad while domestically, Campo will be looking to convert runners-up places – both via golden goal defeats – in the national league and the Copa del Rey into silverware.
Conor and David Harte have joined Bilthoven-based SCHC to play in the Dutch hoofdklasse while Andy McConnell has returned to Amsterdam’s Hurley after a three year stint in Dublin. With Mitch Darling moving from KHC Leuven to Den Bosch, it brings the number of Dutch-based players in this Irish squad to four.
The Harte brothers are due for training on September 1, making it a quick dash from Paris back to Ireland and then on to Holland, following an intense two week session with the Irish panel.
Indeed, just five of the 17 are likely to play in Ireland in the 2010/11 season with David Ames on the move to Nottingham’s Beeston from Cookstown for their EHL campaign while Chris Cargo confirmed he will stay with Reading as he completes his studies in England.
Speaking about the tournament, meanwhile, Revington said: “France has done really well to put together an event for various countries that have not benefited from a World Cup or Champions Trophy in 2010. The Team will play four games in five days on the back of several tests against Malaysia – a period of competition that we are very pleased to be involved in.”
Ireland: David Harte (GK, SCHC, Netherlands), Iain Walker (GK, YMCA), David Ames (Beeston, England), Chris Cargo (Reading, England), Timmy Cockram (Lisnagarvey), Mitch Darling (Den Bosch, Netherlands), Alan Giles (Pembroke), Paul Gleghorne (Loughborough Uni, England), Ronan Gormley (capt, Club de Campo, Spain), Conor Harte (SCHC, Netherlands), John Jackson (Mossley), Eugene Magee (Dragons, Belgium), Phelie Maguire (KHC Leuven, Belgium) Geoff McCabe (Dragons, Belgium), Andy McConnell (Hurley, Netherlands), Alan Sothern (Pembroke)
Non-travelling reserve: Peter Caruth (Annadale)
Coach: Paul Revington
Assistant Coach/Manager: Arul Anthoni
Video/Strength and conditioning: Stephen Barry
Physiotherapist: David Richards
Match Schedule – Five Nations, Paris
August 25 (3pm): Ireland v Poland
August 26 (5pm): Ireland v France
August 28 (2.30pm): Ireland v Malaysia
August 29 (1.30pm): Ireland v Scotland
