Sport Ireland Campus to play host to series of Irish international fixtures

The Irish men are set to play their first capped international fixtures in Dublin since May 2019 as they welcome Chile and Austria for final warm-up games in the Sport Ireland Campus next week ahead of the EuroHockey Championship qualifiers in late August.

In addition, the Irish senior women will also play two uncapped games against France at the venue as they, too, get back into gear for the Euro qualifiers following their World Cup campaign.

It will be the first time the Sport Ireland Campus has hosted a formal senior international fixture and acts as preparation for the senior women’s hosting of their qualifier at the venue.

For the 14th-ranked men, coach Mark Tumilty has named a 23-player panel with Lisnagarvey’s Mark McNellis the one addition to the panel having missed the recent successful series against Italy and the Four Nations tournament in Glasgow. Charlie Rowe steps out this time.

They will face world number 23 side Chile three times in what should be a strong challenge following their run to the Pan-America Cup final in January. Those games will start next Tuesday, August 2nd with the second game on Wednesday, August 3rd and the closing one on Tuesday, August 9th.

Ireland will then face Austria (ranked 20th) on Saturday, August 6th and Sunday, August 7th, a showdown which usually has plenty of spice to it and lots of goals based on their most recent meetings.

“The players and staff are looking forward to our first games in Dublin since the summer of 2019,” said Tumilty of the series.

“These are an important series of matches as they are the final preparation before we go to Calais for the Euro qualifier. I feel we have made progress in recent months but we must continue to develop as a group during this series. It is also vital that the results are positive”.

“Chile and Austria will pose different challenges to the squad than we have previously experienced this summer due to their playing styles, and I look forward to seeing how we overcome those challenges.”

For the women, it will be their first fixture since the World Cup which saw Ireland finish in 11th place overall. Caoimhe Perdue is a doubt due to a hand injury sustained against South Africa in the classification matches.

Their games take place on Saturday, August 6th and Monday, August 8th while a development team will face the French on Friday, August 5th, offering an opportunity for young players to step up.

 

Ireland men’s panel for series against Chile and Austria, Abbotstown

Mark Ingram (Pembroke)

Jaime Carr (KHC Leuven)

James Milliken (Lisnagarvey)

Kyle Marshall (Old Georgians)

Tim Cross (Annadale)

Luke Madeley (Gantoise)

Johnny Lynch (Lisnagarvey)

Rory Patterson (Wimbledon)

Luke Witherow (Banbridge)

Mark McNellis (Lisnagarvey)

Neal Glassey (Annadale)

Michael Robson (Annadale)

Sam Hyland (YMCA)

Nick Page (Old Georgians)

Sean Murray (Gantoise)

Daragh Walsh (Braxgata)

Callum Robson (Annadale)

Ben Johnson (Three Rock Rovers)

Kevin O’Dea (UCD)

Conor Empey (SCHC)

Johnny McKee (Banbridge)

Ben Walker (Braxgata)

Jeremy Duncan (Monkstown)

 

Fixture schedule (all at Sport Ireland Campus, Abbotstown)

Men

Tuesday, August 2: Ireland v Chile, 7.45pm

Wednesday, August 3: Ireland v Chile, 7.45pm

Friday, August 5: Austria v Chile, 7.45pm

Saturday, August 6: Ireland v Austria, 3.30pm

Sunday, August 7: Ireland v Austria, 9.30am

Tuesday, August 9: Ireland v Chile, 7.45pm

 

Women (uncapped fixtures)

Friday, August 5: Ireland Development side v France, 5.30pm

Saturday, August 6: Ireland v France, 12.30pm

Monday, August 8: Ireland v France, 5.30pm

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