Craig Fulton announces 21-man Ireland squad for Olympic warm-ups

Irish men's hockey coach Craig Fulton has announced his 21-man squad for the pre-Olympic Six Nations tournament in Valencia from June 27th to July 3rd and a two-match series against the Netherlands in Cork.

It will be the side’s final outing before the Rio Olympic Games, when the squad will be reduced to 16 players.

Ireland will face four of the world’s top 10 teams, as well as Spain who, at 11th, sit one place above Ireland in the world rankings. Fulton’s side open against Argentina before a quick turnaround and India the following day.

Ireland then play the Blacksticks (New Zealand) on July 2nd before rounding out the tournament against the world number three team Germany, who recently finished third in the Champions Trophy.

It is an experienced squad with John Jackson, currently on 199 caps and ready to join the 200 club alongside Ronan Gormley and Eugene Magee.

The squad will be cut to a final 18-man panel after the two-match Dutch series on July 4th and 6th in Cork. Although an 18-man squad will travel to Rio, Olympic rules state that 16 will comprise the primary playing panel with two players in reserve.

IRELAND SQUAD

Goalkeepers: D Fitzgerald (Monkstown), D Harte (Kampong).

Defenders: J Bell (Lisnagarvey), M Bell (Banbridge), P Gleghorne (Lisnagarvey), R Gormley (Krefeld), C Harte (Racing), J Jackson (Reading).

Midfielders: C Cargo (Racing), J Jermyn (Cork C of I), E Magee (Banbridge), S O'Donoghue (Dragons), M Robson (Annadale), K Shimmins (Pembroke).

Forwards: T Cockram (Lisnagarvey), P Caruth (Annadale), M Darling (Rotterdam), K Good (Monkstown), A Sothern (Pembroke), M Watt (Lisnagarvey), G Watkins (Monkstown).