Hockey

Five new faces included in Ireland squad for hockey World Cup

Just five players remain from the squad that took Ireland to 2018 World Cup final

Ireland have named their squad for July's World Cup.
Ireland have named their squad for July's World Cup.
Fri Jun 17 2022 - 09:13

Five uncapped players have been named in the Ireland squad for the upcoming World Cup set to get underway next month in Amsterdam. Irish Under-21 captain Caoimhe Perdue, Christina Hamill and Siofra O’Brien all impressed in April’s Junior World Cup, while Katie McKee and Charlotte Beggs earn their call-ups after their performances in recent challenge matches against Scotland and in Japan.

Of the group that took Ireland to the World Cup final in 2018, five players remain. Katie Mullan continues in her role as captain, while goalkeeper Ayeisha McFerran, Lena Tice, Róisín Upton and Deirdre Duke also feature once again.

“The team are excited about our progress and the opportunities that lie ahead over the next month, and know that anything is possible at a World Cup,” said head coach Sean Dancer. “Our entire group, players and staff have been working extremely hard over the last month, on the basics that a new group has to do. This has been a tough but a very enjoyable period.”

Ireland are in a pool alongside tournament hosts the Netherlands, Chile and Germany. Their campaign gets underway on July 2nd. Chile are up next on July 5th before a date with Germany concludes the pool stages on July 6th.

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Top spot in the group advances direct to the quarter-final stage with the second and third place nations facing an extra game to reach that stage in the crossover playoffs. Fourth in the group will go into the 9th to 16th place playoffs.

Ireland’s initial run of fixtures take place in Amsterdam and if they can emulate their 2018 run, the semi-final and final will be played in Terrassa, Spain.

Ireland senior women’s World Cup squad:

Ayeisha McFerran (goalkeeper, SV Kampong (NED), 113)

Elizabeth Murphy (goalkeeper, Loreto, 13)

Caoimhe Perdue (UCC, 0)

Charlotte Beggs (Ulster Elks, 0)

Christina Hamill (Loreto, 0)

Deirdre Duke (Old Alex, 154 )

Ellen Curran (Pembroke, 27)

Erin Getty (Queen’s, 11)

Hannah McLoughlin (UCD, 26)

Katie McKee (Pegasus, 0)

Katie Mullan (captain, Ballymoney, 206)

Lena Tice (Old Alex, 122)

Michelle Carey (UCD, 10)

Naomi Carroll (Catholic Institute, 121)

Roisin Upton (vice-captain, Catholic Institute, 89)

Sarah Hawkshaw (Railway Union, 46)

Sarah McAuley (UCD, 9)

Sarah Torrans (Loreto, 33)

Siofra O’Brien (Loreto, 0)

Zara Malseed (Ards, 7)

Group A schedule (all at Wagener Stadium, Amsterdam; times IRISH)

July 2nd: Ireland v Netherlands, 6.30pm

July 5th: Ireland v Chile, 1pm

July 6th: Ireland v Germany, 3.30pm