Hook Hockey

Irish Masters contest inaugural World Cup

The inaugural Masters Hockey World Cup 2012 is taking place in Canterbury, England from August 14-24 with Ireland competing at women’s O-40s and O-50s level while the men have three teams, playing at O-40, O-45 and O-50 level.

This is a FIH fully sanctioned Masters World Cup. There are four age groups for the men and two for women. For the latter, the O-40s team is a combination of the O-40s and O-45s who participated in the Home Countries in June. The team mainly comprises Leinster players, with the inclusion of midfielder Joan Dobson from Cork C of I.

The team is captained by Pembroke’s Ali Pigot, with Pembroke goalkeeper Sinead Guilfoyle, Loreto defender Linda Jenkinson, Pembroke midfielder Annie Lawlor, and Loreto’s skilful forward Caroline Sharkey providing a strong backbone to the team.

The team includes players from Genesis, Old Alex, Three Rock, Avoca, Swords, Glenanne, and Botanic as well. They will play matches against Wales, England, Australia, New Zealand, Scotland and South Africa in a round robin competition and they get their tournament underway on Sunday.

This is the first outing, meanwhile, for an Ireland Women’s O-50s team. There is a squad of 14 players from Ulster, Leinster and Munster. Some of the players previously played in the O-45s team including captain Helen Johnston (Railway) and ex internationals Orla Galvin (Old Alex) and Caroline Shankey (Randalstown).

Ex-international Cathy Walsh from Cork joins the squad along with her Cork CofI colleague Dymphna Hill. Mossley’s Julie Wilson and Janet Clake along with Genesis’s Anne Kirwan and Suttonians’ Marguerite Hues also join the squad.

The O50s play against Wales, England, Australia and New Zealand. Both squads are being coached by Benjamin Epstein and Stuart Malcolm and have been training througout the summer in preparation for the tournament.
 


Ireland women’s O-40s: Sinead Guilfoyle (GK, Pembroke), Ailish Langan (Genesis), Linda Jenkinson (Loreto), Noreen Dockery (Alex), Caroline Sharkey (Loreto), Alison Pigot (C, Pembroke), Annie Lawlor (Pembroke), Mairead Lyons (Three Rock), Emma Meir (Avoca), Aisling Schutte (Pembroke), Marion O’Brien (Swords), Jane Salter (Glenanne), Brenda Barrett (Alex), Angie Boran (Botanic), Joan Dobson (Cork Cof I).
Coach: Ben Epstein
Assistant Coach: Stu Malcolm
Manager: Ailish Langan.
 


Ireland women’s O-50s: Helen Roche (GK, Railway), Janet Clarke (Mossley), Helen Johnston (C, Railway), Maura O’Neill (Three Rock), Anne Kirwan (Genesis), Dymphna Hill (Cork CofI), Bernie Barry (Pembroke), Marguerite Hues (Suttonians), Cathy Walsh (Cork CofI), Pat Stewart (Grosvenor), Deirdre Mooney (Loreto), Carolyn Shankey (Randalstown), Orla Galvin (Alex), Julie Wilson (Mossley).
Coach: Stu Malcolm
Assistant Coach: Ben Epstein
Manager: Deirdre Mooney.
 


Women’s Match Schedule:
O-40s – Sunday, August 19: vs Wales, 10.25am; vs England, 6.30pm; Monday, August 20: vs Australia, 12.05pm; Tuesday, August 21: vs New Zealand, 10.10am; Wednesday, August 22: vs Scotland, 10.25am; Thursday, August 23: vs South Africa, 1.45pm


O-50s – Sunday, August 19: vs Wales, 12.05pm; Monday, August 20: vs England, 11.50am; Tuesday, August 21: vs Australia, 10.25am; Wednesday, August 22: vs New Zealand, 12.05pm


Men’s
O-40s – Sunday, August 19: vs England, 4.50pm; Monday, August 20: vs South Africa, 8.30am; vs Wales, 6.30pm; Tuesday, August 21: vs Australia, 5.05pm

O-45s – Sunday, August 19: vs USA, 10.10am; Monday, August 20: vs Spain, 10.25am; vs England, 5.05pm; Tuesday, August 21: vs Australia, 3.25pm

O-50s – Sunday, August 19: vs England, 8.30am; vs Australia, 6.45pm; Monday, August 20: vs Scotland, 6.45pm

** Further information is available on the www.hockeymastersworldcup.org website.