Back Row L to R: Orla Patton, Holly Jenkinson (VC), Kate O’Hogan (GK), Sarah Patton, Aebfhinn Bourke (not travelling), Michelle Carey (not travelling)
Front Row L to R: Becky McMullen, Jenny Long, Ailish Long, Orla Fox (C), Lily Lloyd, Kate Woods.
Railway Union are sending an experienced squad to the Eurohockey Club Indoor Trophy (W) in Cambrai, France from 17th to 19th February 2023.
The squad contains 4 current Irish international indoor players, 2 Irish indoor development squad players, and a previous Irish indoor international. The Railway indoor captain, Orla Fox, has 30 Irish indoor caps. The Patton sisters, Orla and Sarah, have 29 and 24 Irish indoor caps respectively, with Lily Lloyd having 18 Irish indoor caps. Kate O’Hogan, the Railway indoor goalkeeper, and Becky McMullen, play on the Irish indoor development squad. Becky McMullen also has 4 Irish indoor senior caps. Previous Irish indoor player, Holly Jenkinson, has 5 Irish indoor caps. Holly is also an Irish international in 3 sports – indoor hockey, netball and tag rugby, plus is an Irish Masters hockey player.
The Railway Union indoor coach, Gareth Myburgh, is the Irish indoor manager and Irish indoor development squad coach. The Railway assistant coach, Michael Fulham, is also Irish indoor development squad coach.
This is Railway’s 4th participation in the Eurohockey indoor club competition – winning gold at the Challenge event in Bratislava, Slovakia in 2011, silver in Porto, Portugal in 2020 and playing in the Trophy event in Alanya, Turkey in 2022. In Alanya the team played the entire tournament with only six players. Orla Fox has played in all 4 of these competitions.
In preparation for this event Railway Union won their provincial indoor tournament and the national indoor competition, for the third year running.
Captain Orla Fox said ‘we are really looking forward to playing in Cambrai. We have prepared well and feel we have developed as a squad since last year’s venture in Turkey. We are introducing young up and coming players, such as Kate Woods, to the squad and we hope to represent Ireland well at the tournament’.
Railway Union has 2 sets of sisters playing in the team: Orla and Sarah Patton, and Jenny and Ailish Long.
The Squad for the tournament is as follows:
1. Kate O’Hogan GK
2. Orla Patton
3. Sarah Patton
7. Holly Jenkinson VC
13. Kate Woods
16. Ailish Long
20. Lily Lloyd
21. Orla Fox C
23. Jenny Long
29. Becky McMullen
Coach: Gareth Myburgh
Assistant Coach: Michael Fulham
Manager: Helen Johnston
Railway’s match schedule is as follows:
Friday 17th February at 9.30am (8.30am Irish Time) Railway Union v Raca (Slovakia)
Friday 17th February at 4.15pm (3.15pm Irish Time) Railway Union v Clydesdale (Scotland)
Saturday 18th February at 10.15am (9.15am Irish Time) Railway Union v Zelina (Croatia)
Saturday pm and Sunday = play off matches.
The games are being live streamed at https://www.eurohockeytv.org/en-int/page/home-ehf-hockey.