Irish Senior Men's Coach Andrew Meredith has named a 20-man squad for the upcoming test matches vs Germany in Heilbronn & Mannheim on the 16th, 17th & 18th of May 2013. The test series is in preparation for Rabobank Hockey World League Semi Final which takes place in Rotterdam from 13th - 23rd June.
Meredith has had a busy month, taking in each round of the Irish Hockey League including last weekend's finals at Three Rock Rovers HC. His squad for this test series includes a number of players who excelled in that tournament alongside a large European Club based Irish contingent.
Speaking to hockey.ie, Ireland Coach Andrew Meredith said: "I think both the players group and the staff are all extremely excited about everybody getting back together and to begin the hard work towards reaching our goal of World Cup qualification. The camp that begins tomorrow marks the beginning of our World league 3 preparation program. The squad that has been selected will be the first opportunity to combine players who are playing in the final matches of their club competition with those local based players which have performed in the recent IHL competition. Unfortunately there are a number of players unavailable in the period of May due to both exams and work, which presents the opportunity to facilitate bringing some players from outside of the teams that were selected in Argentina and India in the last 5 months. It will give them the opportunity to present performances that will increase the possibility for selection. Obviously playing the Olympic champions and current number World number 1 presents its own challenges, but we will come away knowing where the group is at in regards to fitness and technical standards, and where exactly in the team process we sit, and how far we have to go, to enable us to get everything right and peak at the right time in Rotterdam."
Ireland squad for Germany Tests
Bell, Jonny (Lisnagarvey)
Bruton, Jonny (YMCA)
Buser, Daniel (Lisnagarvey)
Cargo, Chris (Reading - England)
Caruth, Peter (Braxgata - Belgium)
Cole, Stephen (Monkstown)
Cockram, Timmy (Lisnagarvey)
Dowds, Stephen (Banbridge)
Fitzgerald, David (Monkstown)
Gormley, Ronan (Krefeld - Germany)
Harte, Conor (SCHC - Holland)
Harte, David (Kampong - Holland)
Jackson, John (Braxgata - Belgium)
Lorimer, James (Lisnagarvey)
Magee, Eugene (Krefeld - Germany)
Maguire, Phelie (THC Hurley - Holland)
McConnell, Andy (THC Hurley - Holland)
O'Donoghue, Shane (UCD)
Sothern, Alan (Pembroke Wanderers)
Watt, Michael (SCHC - Holland)
Reserves
Carson, David (Monkstown)
Lynch, Jason (Krefeld - Germany)
Schedule
16th May 2013 Germany v Ireland (Mannheim)
17th May 2013 Germany v Ireland (Heilbronn)
18th May 2013 Germany v Ireland (Mannheim)
McKinnon Named as Men's Assistant Coach
Mick McKinnon has been named as Men’s Assistant Coach to the Ireland Senior Hockey Team. McKinnon joined up with Andrew Meredith’s Coaching Staff today in Dublin to meet the International Players at a training camp in UCD and takes up his role with immediate effect.
McKinnon comes to the role with a wealth of experience in domestic & international hockey having only this weekend coached Railway Union Ladies to a consecutive Irish Hockey League title as well as the Irish Senior Cup glory earlier this year while also holding a specialist coaching role with Pembroke Wanderers in the Irish Hockey League. Mick is no stranger to Irish Hockey having also previously worked with the IHA in his role as Ireland U18 Girls Team from 2001 – 2007, working with the Association as a Coach Educator for numerous years as well as winning the prestigious IHA Coach of the Year Award in 2010.
