Thursday, July 24 – Dublin: The Ireland Women’s Hockey Team Head Coach Gareth Grundie has officially announced his 18-player squad to travel to Monchengladbach, Germany for August’s EuroHockey Championships.
Ireland will play in the EuroHockey Championship opening match, facing off against World #1 and defending champions the Netherlands in their first Pool A match on Saturday, August 9 at 14:30 Irish Time. They will follow this up with their remaining pool matches against France (World #17) on Monday, August 11 at 14:45 Irish Time, and hosts Germany (World #6) on Wednesday, August 13 at 19:00 Irish Time.
All of the Ireland games will be available to watch on RTE2 Sport.
Elizabeth Murphy and Holly Micklem are selected in nets for Ireland, with Ayeisha McFerran missing out due to injury. Roisín Upton will once again marshall Ireland’s defence, making her 133rd senior international appearance when she lines out in Ireland’s opening game against the Netherlands. Alongside her will be several mainstays, with the likes of Hannah McLoughlin, Sarah McAuley and Ellen Curran all named, with Belfast Harlequins’ player Katie Larmour joining Ireland’s backline for just the second time, in place of the absent Elena Neill.
Captain Sarah Hawkshaw will lead Ireland’s midfield, with Katie McKee rejoining the squad having missed out on the FIH Hockey Nations Cup in Chile. Charlotte Beggs and Christina Hamill will also play key roles in transitioning Ireland from defence to attack.
Up front, Katie Mullan will lead the line, with the experienced Coleraine native approaching her 250th appearance. Mikayla Power joins her in attack following standout performances in her first senior international tournament earlier this year in the FIH Nations Cup that earned her the Young Player of the Tournament accolade. Sarah Torrans and Niamh Carey will also be among the attacking threats for the Green Army.
Speaking at the announcement, Head Coach Gareth Grundie said:
“We’re really excited to get going at the EuroHockey Championships. It’s a fantastic tournament and a great stage for us to test ourselves against the best teams in Europe.”
“There’s a great energy in the group, with a number of new faces getting their first taste of competition at this level. It’s an invaluable opportunity for them to gain experience and make their mark.”
“We’re not here just to take part; we want to challenge the top sides and push hard for a place in the Semi-Finals. The players are ready, and we’re looking forward to seeing what we can deliver.”
The Ireland Women’s team will play three warm-up games against Spain ahead of the European Championships next week in Dublin at the Sport Ireland Campus on Tuesday July 29 at 7pm, Wednesday July 30 at 5.30pm and Friday Aug 1 at 11.00am. Both teams could meet again in the European Championships with Spain currently World Ranked #7 with Ireland WR #11.
Ireland Women’s Squad
Elizabeth Murphy
Holly Micklem
Ellen Curran
Katie Larmour
Sarah McAuley
Hannah McLoughlin
Caoimhe Perdue
Roisin Upton
Charlotte Beggs
Michelle Carey
Christina Hamill
Sarah Hawkshaw
Emily Kealy
Katie McKee
Niamh Carey
Katie Mullan
Mikayla Power
Sarah Torrans
EuroHockey Championship – Fixtures
Saturday, August 9 – NETHERLANDS vs IRELAND – 14:30 Irish Time
Monday, August 11 – IRELAND vs FRANCE – 14:45 Irish Time
Wednesday, August 13 – IRELAND vs GERMANY – 19:00 Irish Time