Future challenge to Ireland is daunting

ALTHOUGH increased manpower is going to be needed to keep Ireland to the fore of international affairs, the most far seeing members of the Irish Hockey Union executive committee continue to be on the ball.

For example, given the right circumstances, the IHU would be ready and willing in 1999 to host the qualifying tournament in Dublin for the Sydney Olympic Games.

As regards the ability of the Irish squad to figure in the higher strata of the game, notably to appear in the 1998 World Cup in Utrecht via Kuala Lumpur next March, the challenge remains daunting.

One of the problems for coach Cees Koppelaar is to harness the temperament of the players to achieve a greater degree of sophistication.

After one of the rousing six in a row victories in Cagliari was obtained with a huge amount of workrate, Koppelaar explained: "Yes, Ireland put on most of the pressure - that's the only way my boys can play. I try to make them play like the Dutch, to absorb. But, no, they always want to rush forward and they get caught on the break."

Ultimately, accomplished New Zealand emerged as the winners of the Cagliari tournament by scoring as few as 13 goals and conceding only six. Fourth placed Ireland's figures in comparison were 29 to 16. It seems, therefore, that if Koppelaar's charges were to strike a more controlled medium, more success may be on the bay.

On the home front, it could be said that Avoca are the most clinical club side in Leinster. But Corinthians were not entirely daunted on Wednesday night and only lost 2-1. However, with Robbie Ryan travelling from Limerick tomorrow, Avoca will have all four of their World Cup figures available for the inviting match against Pembroke Wanderers at Rathdown.

With Ryan likely to be in particularly forceful form, it is unlikely that Avoca can be contained, yet Devin Donnelly will be calling for Pembroke to fight to the end, as they did before losing 4-3 to Three Rock Rovers. With the departure of Jamie McBride, Stephen Stewart is enjoying his new role as Wanderers' striker in chief.

Overall, though, it appears that Three Rock will be the most prolific side and they should score handsomely against Portrane at Grange Road tomorrow.