MEN'S HOCKEY INTERPROVINCIAL SERIESMARK GLEGHORNE has been made captain of the Ulster team to play in the interprovincial tournament this weekend in Cork. However, Gleghorne has made it clear he wishes to play for Britain, if he can, and not Ireland at the next Olympic Games.
Without questioning the player’s ability or leadership qualities, is it the best thing to make him captain of one of the Irish provinces in a competition which is ostensibly an opportunity for new Ireland coach Paul Revington to look at all the players at his disposal? Obviously Gleghorne is not.
Ulster were already in the dog house for posting what amounted to an advertisement to Ulster under-18 players to take part in a tournament in England where, lo and behold, British selectors would be watching. The posting on the Ulster website observed it was a good opportunity for players to be noticed for the 2012 Olympics.
It is not a political issue but one about what is best for Irish hockey.
Large investment has gone into creating talents like Gleghorne and Iain Lewers (declared for Britain) before him and just when the Ireland team needs them that talent is removed.
There will be supporters who will not like this appointment one bit because of the message it sends out. It suggests there is no problem in jumping from the Ireland ship having availed of all the coaching, the development skills, the trips with schools and under-18 sides, club competitions and panel sessions with Ireland.
If Leinster wished solely to bag another Regiment Trophy they might have packed the odd South African player into the panel. They didn’t because in the context of this series it’s pointless and they would have had to deny an Irish player the chance to perform for the Ireland coach.
In days gone by the interprovincial series was viewed as an initial Ireland trial. Clearly the competition has lost some of its historical importance as Revington has already selected two squads to play against France. However, there will be some in Cork bemused as to why one of the Irish Hockey Association branches didn’t chose as captain a player who wishes to play for the national team.
INTERPROVINCIAL SERIES(at Garryduff): Today: Leinster v Munster, 8.0; Tomorrow:Leinster v Ulster, 2.0; Sunday:Munster v Ulster, noon.
