Women's Hockey News round-up: While it might not be quite deemed a crisis in Irish women's hockey the loss to the senior squad in the past week of its manager, assistant coach and captain makes the trip to New Zealand in March for the Olympic Qualifier all the more daunting.
Life for Riet Kuper as Irish coach has never been a breeze, but the task facing her now, in the build-up the tournament, is as formidable as any she has tackled since taking the job over five years ago.
Sally Bell, the Australian woman who was Ireland's goalkeeping coach at the European finals last month, and who is employed by the Northern Ireland Institute of Sport, is highly regarded by Kuper and, so, is a possible contender to replace Graeme Francey as assistant coach, while as the squad's most senior player after Rachael Kohler's retirement, Lynsey McVicker, must be a strong candidate to take on the captaincy.
Kohler's departure, though, means Kuper has now lost eight of last year's World Cup squad, while doubts remain about Jenny Burke's availability for New Zealand, as well as two more of the World Cup 18, UCD pair Linda O'Neill (injured) and Catherine Murray (unavailable for Barcelona). Conceivably, then, Kuper could go to Auckland without 11 of the 18 players she took to the World Cup, leaving her with a mammoth rebuilding task in the coming months.
On the club front the big fixture of the weekend is the meeting of Irish League champions Hermes and Irish Cup holders Loreto in Booterstown.
FIXTURES
Saturday 11th October - Leinster League Division One : Corinthian v Genesis, Whitechurch, 11.30; Trinity v Pembroke Wanderers, Santry, 12.0; Three Rock v UCD, Grange Road, 12.0; Old Alexandra v Railway Union, Milltown, 1.15; Hermes v Loreto, Booterstown, 4.30. Division Two: Diocesan v Hermes II, Rathgar, 2.0; Old Alexandra II v Corinthian II, Milltown, 2.45; Pembroke Wanderers II v Glenanne, Ballsbridge, 3.15; Loreto II v Muckross, Beaufort, 3.15; Our Lady's v Clontarf, Templeogue Road, 3.30.
Munster League Division One: UCC v Waterford, Mardyke, 2.30; Church of Ireland v Cork Harlequins, Garryduff, 1.0; Bandon v Univ of Limerick, Limerick, 2.0.
Ulster League Section One: Ards v Ballymoney, Ards Leisure Centre, 2.30; Victorians v Ballyclare, Olympia Leisure Centre, 1.0; Ballymena v Coleraine, Ballymena, 2.30; Belfast Harlequins v Pegasus, Deramore, 1.0; Randalstown v Portadown, Antrim Forum, 2.30.
Irish Senior Cup - First round draw: Cork Harlequins II v Kilkenny, Ards II v Larne, Wexford v Yeats County, Bandon II or UCC II v Coleraine II, Clontarf v Cork Church of Ireland II, Aer Lingus or Three Rock II v Enniscorthy, Cobh v Belfast Harlequins II, Waterford II v Suttonians or Glenanne II, Greenisland v Ballymoney II, Diocesan or North Kildare v Randalstown II, Bray or Pembroke Wanderers II v Trinity II or Botanic, Hermes II v North Down, Muckross v UCD II or Corinthian II v Belvedere, Ashton v Kinvara, Lurgan v Old Alexandra II or Genesis II, Loreto II or Railway Union II v Pegasus II. (To be played on November 1st.)
