Earlier on Thursday, the Senior Women's Irish Hockey Squad arrived in South Africa for the start of a ten day camp which will also see them play six matches, four against hosts South Africa and two against the Dutch U21's.
The program for the tour to South Africa will be physically tough and demanding on the athletes with one and sometime two training sessions daily, and 6 matches scheduled to be played in 10 days. However, as Team Manager Sally Ann Fanagan commented "this is a great opportunity for the players to experience the intensity of so many games in such a short space of time. It will be similar in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in April, and that is what we are planning for".
No doubt coach Muller will be keenly evaluating his players as he will be forced to select only eighteen players for the Olympic Qualifying Tournament next April "It is a very demanding schedule that will test the players physically. We are taking 22 players on the tour so it does give us a chance to rotate and compare players. The goal is preparing the team for the Olympic Qualification Tournament in Canada in April 2008.ÔÇØ Commented Muller.
Muller's squad includes three uncapped players, Loreto's Niamh Small, Hermes' Keeper Emma Gray and Louisa Moore who has just relocated from South Africa to Ireland.
Squad Ireland: Emma Clarke, Aine Connery, Eimear Cregan, Roisin Flinn, Emer Harte, Louisa Healy (GK), Mary Goode(GK), Emma Gray(GK), Lisa Jacob, Shirley McCay, Jenny McDonough, Cathy McKean, Bridget McKeever, Louisa Moore, Ciara OBrien, Julia OHalloran, Clare Parkhill, Stephanie Quinn, Cliodhna Sargent, Niamh Small, Emma Stewart, Nikki Symmons.
Match Schedule:
12 January: Ireland ÔÇô South Africa
13 January: Ireland ÔÇô Netherlands U21
15 January: Ireland ÔÇô South Africa
16 January: Ireland ÔÇô Netherlands U21
18 January: Ireland ÔÇô South Africa
19 January: Ireland ÔÇô South Africa
Source: Irish Hockey Association
