Kirkwood latest to retire

With Jimmy Kirkwood joining Martin Sloan and Ger Burns in retiring from international hockey, a new era starts for Ireland. In an initial training panel announced yesterday to prepare for the World Cup pre-qualifying tournament in Sardinia in October, Robbie Ryan (two caps), Galahad Goulet (one) and Errol Lutton (seven) will be among the foremost to establish themselves in the final 16. Also notable is the return to the reckoning of Rick Johnson, who missed the European Championship because of injury.