Ireland have mix of youth and experience for World Hockey League

Irish coach Craig Fulton has announced an 18-man squad for this week's World League 2 tournament in Belfast with five Lisnagarvey and four Banbridge players dominating the numbers.

In a mix of seasoned players and new talent, Rio veterans Ronan Gormley and Eugene Magee, with almost 500 caps between them, line out alongside Matthew Nelson and Sean Murray in a new look Irish squad.

Ireland are in Group A of the Stormont event alongside Austria, Italy and Ukraine with Austria looking like the main Irish threat with several of their players coming off the back of a good performance at the Junior World Cup in December.

‘Exciting youth’

Pool B contains France, Poland, Scotland and Wales with the French also building on a silver medal at the Junior World Cup in 2013.

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“It is a mix of exciting youth and senior experience which has been the case for the last four months in our build up to playing World League 2 in Belfast,” said Fulton.

“It’s been a while since Ireland hosted a men’s FIH tournament so we’re looking forward to playing in front of a home crowd. The Stormont venue is looking good and the pitch is playing fast, and we’re eager to start our campaign against Ukraine this weekend”.

IRELAND: Jonathan Bell (Lisnagarvey), Matt Bell (Banbridge), Lee Cole (Monkstown), Paul Gleghorne (Lisnagarvey), Ronan Gormley (Krefeld), Conor Harte (Racing), Chris Cargo (H&W), Jamie Wright (Banbridge), Shane O'Donoghue (Glenanne), Neal Glassey (Lisnagarvey), Sean Murray (Lisnagarvey), John Jermyn (C of I), Eugene Magee (Banbridge), John McKee (Banbridge), Matthew Nelson (Lisnagarvey), Jeremy Duncan (UCD), Jamie Carr (Three Rock Rovers), D Harte (Kampong).