It may still be nine months away, but Ireland's preparations for September's World Cup Qualifier in France get under way at Belfield tomorrow when coach Riet Kuper has her first training weekend of the new year with the senior panel. It will be Kuper's first meeting with the players since their place in the qualifier's line-up was confirmed.
Kuper's new assistant coaches and senior team manager are expected to be officially announced by the Irish Hockey Association in the next few days, while it has been confirmed Scotland have been invited to Belfast in June for a friendly. Because of the training weekend at Belfield there is only one game in Leinster tomorrow, the Leinster Senior Cup quarterfinal meeting between Corinthian and Loreto II. With senior call-ups causing the postponement of the section one games involving Pegasus and Ballymoney, Portadown have the opportunity tomorrow to stretch their lead at the top of the table (although defending champions Pegasus have games in hand) when they take on an improving Randalstown team. Pegasus, meanwhile, have announced Graham Quincey will succeed David Scott as coach. Quincey is the current Ulster senior coach. He also led the Ulster under-21s to their 14th successive inter-provincial title last season.
Irish Senior Panel: A Boyles, K Humphreys, C McMahon, K Mills, C Redpath, P Magill (all Pegasus), J Burke, C Carey, M Logue, D Sixsmith, J Osborne (all Hermes), R Kohler, K O'Brien (both Cork Harlequins), C McKean (Loreto), L McVicker, A Platt (both Ballymoney), S Parkhill (Grange Edinburgh), T Browne (HGC), J McDonough (Newcastle Univ/Belfast Harlequins), N King (Pembroke Wanderers), J Orbinson (Portadown), L Brown (Sutton Coldfield), L Caulfield (Trinity), C O'Brien (UCD).
Leinster Senior Cup: Quarter-final: Corinthian v Loreto II, Whitechurch, 12.0.
Ulster Senior League: Section One: Ards v Belfast Harlequins, Ards Leisure Centre, 2.30; Randalstown v Portadown, Antrim Forum, 2.30; Knock v North Down, Upper Malone, 2.30. Section Two: Enniskillen v Ballymena, Irvinestown, 2.30; Civil Service v Saintfield, Avoniel, 1.0; Omagh v Owls, Omagh Leisure Centre, 2.30; Victorians v Priorians, Olympia Leisure Centre, 2.30.
