Hockey: Emma Russell and Zoe Wilson set for Ireland debuts

Ireland play the first of a four match series against Spain in Valencia on Friday evening with coach Graham Shaw set to give senior debuts to two of his squad, Syracuse University's Emma Russell and Zoe Wilson. He has, though, lost the services of another uncapped United States-based player, the University of Connecticut's Roisin Upton missing out on the trip through injury.

Wicklow's Russell and Antrim's Wilson emulated Upton's 2013 achievement when they were part of the Syracuse team that won its first ever United States National Championship last November, Russell captaining the side to its success, becoming the college's all-time leading goal-scorer and earning a place on the 'All-America' team of the year.

Ayeisha McFerran is the third US-based player in the squad, the former Pegasus goalkeeper, now with the University of Louisville, recalled having missed out on November’s series of games against Scotland.

The average age of the panel of 25 is just 23, but there’s plenty of experience in there, 17 of the players members of the squad that won the Eurohockey Championships II last year, earning Ireland promotion to the top division of European hockey.

As well as daily training sessions in their - hopefully - warm weather camp, the team take on Spain on Friday, Saturday, Monday and Tuesday.

Irish squad: K Lloyd, K Mullan, E Beatty, G Pinder, D Duke (all UCD), N Evans, N Carroll, A O'Flanagan, C Watkins (all Hermes), E Tice, H Mulcahy, H Matthews, A Meeke (all Loreto), S McCay, M Frazer, G Frazer (all Ulster Elks), C Brown, K McDonald (both Ards), P Smithwick (Old Alexandra), E Russell (Old Alexandra/Syracuse University), Y O'Byrne (Cork Harlequins), N Daly (Muckross), A McFerran (Pegasus/University of Louisville), S Davis (Pembroke Wanderers), Z Wilson (Randalstown/Syracuse University).