Another Black day for Irish prospects

MEN’S HOCKEY PLAYER RETIREMENTS: MARK BLACK drove from Cork to Belfast on Friday night, played for Cork Harlequins against Instonians on Saturday, was asked to then drive to Dublin to do an all-day national panel session on Sunday, drive back to Cork that night and go to work Monday morning. Par for the course for an international player.

Black, one of many Cork players on Saturday to be told Ireland team-mate Mark Gleghorne will follow Iain Lewers on the Britain glory trail (please no more disapproving letters from the Irish Hockey Association), retired this week with 113 caps. He is 29 and like 117-capped Jenny McDonough, who also retired this week, cited work commitments as a factor.

The last seven days have framed what has been a bad year, or depending on your take, a transitional year for Irish hockey but one that would appear to dent hopes of qualifying for the London Olympic Games in 2012.

Black was the fifth player to retire, after Paddy Brown, Jason Black, Mark Irwin and Andy Barbour, in the last 12 months and Gleghorne, if his own team-mates are not talking rubbish, the second to indicate he is switching allegiance to Britain. The IHA can ask him themselves this weekend when he arrives with Instonians to play Glenanne in Dublin.

The retirements mean a loss of 600 caps to Irish hockey. The 88-capped Brian O’Driscoll, 30 last week and one of the most physical players in rugby, is talking about playing in the next World Cup in almost three years’ time, while Ireland hockey players a year younger are retiring. Seven in 12 months from a pool as small as Ireland’s is a savage attrition rate.

It has been pointed out there are regulations in the pipeline that may prevent the two players from linking up with Britain but the point is their intent is to leave and while it may be tough on new coach Paul Revington to have amateur players trying very hard to be professionals during a bad recession, that’s what he faces. That two players are looking to Britain is a sad reflection and whatever way it is sold by the IHA and regardless of what gaps it leaves for younger players to stake a claim for places, it all represents a major blow to the national team.

The IHA announced this week the “auto pass” rule is to be introduced for all international hockey from May and in the senior interprovincial tournament, which takes place from March 13th-15th at C of I’s grounds at Garryduff.

SATURDAY: Irish Hockey League: Pool A: Cookstown v Pembroke Wanderers, Coolnafranky, 6pm; Cork Harlequins v Annadale, Harlequin Park, 1pm. Pool B: Lisnagarvey v Three Rock Rovers, Hillsborough, 5pm; Fingal v Banbridge, ALSAA, 2.30; Cork C of I v Monkstown, Garryduff Centre, 4pm.

SUNDAY: Irish Hockey League: Pool A: Glenanne v Instonians, Glenanne Park, 3pm.

TONY BYRNE INDOOR CUP (all games at the National Basketball Arena): Group One: Kilkenny v Corinthian, 10.10am; Dublin University v Kilkenny, 1.30pm; Three Rock Rovers v Corinthian, 2.20pm, Dublin University v Three Rock Rovers, 4.50pm; Glenanne v Dublin University 6.30pm; Glenanne v Three Rock Rovers, 7.20pm. Group Two: Railway Union v YMCA, 9.20am; Avoca v Railway Union, 11am; Avoca v Monkstown 11.50am; YMCA v Pembroke Wanderers, 12.40pm; Pembroke Wanderers v Railway Union, 3.10pm; Monkstown v YMCA, 4pm; Monkstown v Pembroke Wanderers, 5.40pm.