McVicker will lead bid to qualify for Athens

Women's Hockey News and previews: Lynsey McVicker, the Ballymoney and Ireland left winger, has been given the captaincy of the Irish senior team in the build-up to the Olympic qualifying tournament in New Zealand in March.

McVicker, who made her international debut in the 1994 World Cup in Dublin and has been capped 122 times, takes over from the Munster midfielder Rachel Kohler, who retired following the European Nations Cup in Barcelona in September. Jenny Burke, the Hermes striker, has been appointed vice-captain.

Irish coach Riet Kuper said yesterday: "It was a logical thing to appoint Lynsey as captain having been vice-captain to Rachel. Lynsey is a very dedicated and experienced player and has a great personality, which is always an added benefit.

"The squad of 25 players I am preparing for the Olympic qualifier have a demanding fitness and training programme and I made a point of including some of the under-21 players in it to show them the amount of preparation that's involved at senior level.

"We're definitely going to the USA for a 10-day training camp which will include three official and two friendly internationals against the US national team. We will also be going away for more training and match internationals in February with a definite stopover on the way back in Spain scheduled for February 17th to 21st."

Hermes and Loreto, who between them have seven players tied up in Ireland's preparations for the Olympic qualifier in Auckland, New Zealand, next March, are sure to feel the pinch on the domestic front and indeed must make do with understrength teams starting tomorrow.

Loreto play Trinity in the Leinster Jacqui Potter Cup without their international trio of Cathy McKean, Orla Ryan and Nikki Symmons. And Hermes go into their cup tie with UCD minus internationals Linda Caulfield, Jenny Burke, Fiona Connery and Jenny Osborne.

SATURDAY FIXTURES: LEINSTER JACQUI POTTER CUP: Round Two: Trinity v Loreto, Santry, 12.0; Hermes v UCD, Booterstown Ave, 1.15; Old Alex v Our Lady's, Milltown, 1.15; Glenanne v Muckross, St Mark's, Tallaght, 11.30; Corinthian v Hermes ll, Whitechurch Pk, 12.15; Pembroke Wanderers ll v Genesis, Serpentine Ave, 3.30; Clontarf v Pembroke Wanderers, Glasnevin, 1.30; Diocesan v Railway Union, High School, Rathgar, 1.30.

MUNSTER SENIOR CUP: Round One: UCC ll v Univ of Limerick, Mardyke, 2.30; Catholic Institute v UCC lll, Rosbrien, 2.0; C of I ll v Waterford, Garryduff, 1.30; Ashton v Harlequins, Ashton School, 12.30.

ULSTER SHIELD: Round One: Pegasus v Ards; Randalstown v Knock; Cookstown v Omagh; Banbridge v Belfast Harlequins; Owls v Parkview; UUJ v Victorians; Priorians v Ballymoney; Portadown v Ballyclare; Ballymena v Enniskillen. Round Two: Coleraine v Civil Service.