IRELAND teams have never been as intensively involved as they will be over the next 16 days. In addition to the senior squad's participation in the World Cup qualifying tournament starting in Kuala Lumpur next Tuesday, the under-21s embark on a fresh campaign in a four-nation tournament in north Wales this weekend, to be followed a fortnight later by the annual participation of the under 18s and under-16s in the Home Countries youth championships in Milton Keynes.
The latest dispatches from Malaysia indicate that acclimatisation is progressing well. The Irish team of 1971 coped admirably with the heat and humidity, reaching the semi-finals of the Intercontinental Cup.
Former international Ian O'Keeffe, now manager of the under-21s, who enjoyed the tropics 16 years ago, yesterday faced a bracing assignment in getting his squad across stormy seas to Holyhead. The side, coached by George Blackwood and including most of the team which won European Youth Olympic silver medals in 1995, should game encouraging results against France, Scotland and Wales. The team includes Chris Beere of Monkstown, whose brothers Richard and Daniel from St Andrew's are members of the under-18 and under-16 sides - an unique treble.
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