Thursday, December 18, 2008

Muller names squads for Canada series

Gene Muller has named 31 players to play in the five game series with Canada in January in two A internationals and three fully capped games with the world number 20-side.


The last time Ireland faced the Canucks was last May at the Olympic Qualifiers in Victoria where the Irish secured two wins, 2-0 and 2-1.

Speaking about the series, Muller said “The matches against Canada are great chance for us to play an extended group of 31 players against international opposition.

"It is especially a great opportunity for many of the young players in the Ireland "A" team to play against an international team. These matches give us the chance to further our tactical development across the extended squad and allows for us to compare players competing for positions."

In essence, these matches will act as a trial run for a number of players ahead of the Champions Challenge II and the EuroHockey Nations Championship taking place in 2009 with Muller adding: "We will be settling on both the senior national and the Ireland "A" squads after these matches.”

Ireland A v Canada (January 12, 2pm, UCD)
Niamh Atcheler (Hermes), Lizzie Colvin (Loreto), Zara Delany (Loreto), Nicola Evans (Hermes), Roisin Flinn (UCD), Megan Frazer (Ballymoney), Emma Gray (Hermes), Michelle Harvey (Pegasus), Anna O' Flanagan (Hemres), Audrey O'Flynn (UCC), Julia O'Halloran (UCC), Melanie Ryan (C of I), Cliodhna Sargent (Cork Harlequins), Niamh Small (Loreto), Helen Stevenson (Railway Union), Chloe Watkins (Hermes)

Ireland A v Canada (January 13, 2pm, UCD)
Niamh Atcheler, Lauren Barr (Ballymoney), Lizzie Colvin, Zara Delaney, Katherine Elkin (Randalstown), Nicola Evans, Emma Gray, Liz McInerney (UCD), Rachel Mulligan (Armagh), Anna O' Flanagan, Audrey O'Flynn, Julia O'Halloran, Melanie Ryan, Cliodhna Sargent, Helen Stevenson, Chloe Watkins

Ireland v Canada, January 16, 2pm, UCD
Emma Clarke (Ulster Elks), Lizzie Colvin, Katherine Elkin, Roisin Flinn, Mary Goode (Bray), Michelle Harvey, Louisa Healy (Loreto), Lisa Jacob (UCD), Shirley McCay (Ulster Elks),
Jenny McDonough (Belfast Harlequins), Cathy McKean (Loreto), Hollie Moffett (UCC), Niamh Small, Cliodhna Sargent, Nikki Symmons

Ireland v Canada, January 17, 2.30pm, UCD
Lauren Barr, Emma Clarke, Lizzie Colvin, Megan Frazer, Mary Goode, Michelle Harvey, Louisa Healy, Lisa Jacob, Shirley McCay, Jenny McDonough, Cathy McKean, Bridget McKeever (Ballymoney), Rachel Mulligan, Ciara O'Brien (Chelmsford), Alex Speers (Pegasus), Nikki Symmons

Ireland v Canada, January 18, 2pm, UCD
Emma Clarke, Roisin Flinn, Mary Goode, Michelle Harvey, Louisa Healy, Lisa Jacob, Shirley McCay, Jenny McDonough, Cathy McKean, Bridget McKeever, Hollie Moffett, Ciara O'Brien, Niamh Small, Alex Speers, Nikki Symmons

Unavailable for selection:
Emma Stewart (Armagh), Eimear Cregan (Cork Harlequins), Stephanie Quinn (Armagh)

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

y i wonder is there only 1 railway union player is all the squads!! even tho they are 6 points clear in th league, top of their IHL group, 1 goal against, and scoring goals for fun up front! ive seen ireland play b4 and that is one position they really need a proper goalscorer, and railway have at least 1.....

strange decision i think

Anonymous said...

y is there only 1 railway union players in both squads? considering that they are top of the league by 6 points, conceded 1 goal and are top of their IHL groupand scoring goals for fun!!!

ive seen ireland play b4 and one position they need to strengthen is the forwards, and railway have at least 1 who has scored goals for fun in last 2 season!!!

strange decision i think.........

Anonymous said...

no emma smyth? surely one of the most talented players in the country?
ireland need flair players like her

Anonymous said...

yeah, the Irish women have looked pretty sterile in front of goal for the last few years. Speers doesn't really cut it at international level despite her goals for Pegasus.

Surely Jean mcdonnell or Emma Smyth are worth a try, fastest players around, another thing the irish team sorely lacks

Anonymous said...

one railway player is a bit of a joke, considering the one they did pick hasn't exactly been consistent this season

Anonymous said...

It will be interesting to see the Railway v Hermes game today. Another clash between a team packed with internationals and a team with next to none.

Anonymous said...

Are you having a laugh?? Check the league tables and have a look at goals conceded in the league for railwayt, i will make it easy for ya....One is the answer, if that isnt consistent then i would like to see the thesauras that your reading. Ok obviously credit has to go to their defence, also showing good promise. But just have a look at facts before you go and say people have a lack of consistency!

Anonymous said...

If the squad gets any younger and the rate of retirements keeps up the teams average age will be about 15 in a few years.
Its an observation not a critisism of the coaching team or the players.

Anonymous said...

True, Helen Stevenson is a very good gk. But I wouldn't base that on how many (or few) goals she has let past her this year... I would base it on her performances -the quality of her saves and decision making. Number of goals conceded isn't a great way to gauge how good a keeper is, because it depends so much on the quality of the 10 other players ahead of them. I wonder how this Railway keeper would be percieved if she were playing for one of the lower ranked teams in division 1?