Nine Ulster players in Irish World Cup squad

HOCKEY: Players from Pegasus, Hermes and UCD make up two-thirds of the Irish World Cup squad which was officially announced yesterday by coach Riet Kuper. The squad, which will compete in the finals in Perth, Australia, between November 24th and December 8th, is captained by Cork Harlequins' Rachael Kohler.

Karen Humphreys, who missed July's European qualifier in Belfield and is one of nine Ulster players in the 18-player squad, returns from injury to replace Randalstown's Shauna Parkhill, but goalkeeper Nikki King (Old Alexandra) and Loreto forward Cathy McKean, Kuper admitted, were the unluckiest players to miss the cut.

McKean's hopes were all but ended by a knee ligament injury, while King lost out to Tara Browne and Angela Platt in the battle for the two goalkeeping spots.

"Cathy worked so hard to get back to full fitness but the injury affected her mobility and she still isn't quite right. She is very unlucky, but she is young and, I'm sure, will be back," said Kuper.

"When Nikki first came on to the panel there was a gap between her and the other goalkeepers, but not any more. She has done a tremendous job and it's obviously unfortunate for her, but I've kept the other two because they never let you down. But Nikki is in the hunt now, she definitely has a future at this level."

Three 20-year-olds - Limerick's Eimear Cregan, niece of hurling legend Eamon, and UCD pair Catherine Murray and Linda O'Neill - are the youngest members of the squad, the average age of which is just 24.

Murray and O'Neill have been team-mates since fourth class in national school, going on to win the All-Ireland schools' title with Loreto Bray and representing Leinster and Ireland at underage level.

"We didn't even think we'd get Leinster senior trials this year," says O'Neill, the youngest in the squad (she turned 20 last week).

"Riet said to us we have to live, eat and sleep hockey the next few months, so that's what we'll do," said O'Neill. "As for the World Cup - me and Catherine are trying not to think about it, we might go in to shock. It's incredible."

IRISH WORLD CUP SQUAD: A Boyles (vice capt), K Humphreys, K Maybin, C McMahon, P Magill (all Pegasus), T Browne, J Burke, L Caulfield, D Sixsmith (all Hermes), C Murray, C O'Brien, L O'Neill (all UCD), A Platt, L McVicker (both Ballymoney), E Cregan (Univ of Limerick), R Kohler (capt, Cork Harlequins), L Lee (Loughborough Students), J Orbinson (Portadown).