Limerick's Róisín Upton named in Ireland squad for huge Olympic hockey qualifier

LIMERICK woman Róisín Upton has been included in Sean Dancer's Ireland women's hockey squad for next weekend's huge two-legged Olympic qualifier against Canada in Dublin.

The Ireland womens' side will face Canada in two games at Energia Park in Donnybrook next Saturday and Sunday. The aggregate score at the end of the two games will determine which side advances to next summer's Olympic Games in Tokyo.

The Ireland Womens' team confirmed their place in the Olympic qualifier last June in their FIH Series Finals outing in Banbridge which saw the team reach the final of the tournament, narrowly missing out on the overall win to Korea.

Raheen woman Upton has played more than 70 times for Ireland, since making her senior debut for her country in November 2016.

The Catholic Institute player was a key member of the Ireland team which won a silver medal at the 2018 Hockey World Cup in London.

A former student of An Mhodh Scoil and Crescent College Comprehensive, Upton also played ladies Gaelic football with Mungret-St Paul's and soccer with Janesboro.

Upton, a qualified teacher, helped her US college side, the UConn Huskies to two NCAA titles – in 2013 and 2014.

This weekend's two play-off games between Ireland and Canada will be shown live on RTE2 TV and on the RTE Player on Saturday and Sunday next.

Ireland squad: Ayeisha McFerran (Ulster), Roisin Upton (Munster), Nikki Evans (Leinster), Kathryn Mullan (Capt, Ulster), Shirley McCay (Ulster), Elena Tice (Leinster), Gillian Pinder (Leinster), Beth Barr (Ulster), Serena Barr (Ulster), Chloe Watkins (Leinster), Lizzie Colvin (Ulster), Nicola Daly (Leinster), Hannah Matthews (Leinster), Sarah Hawkshaw (Leinster), Anna O’Flanagan (Leinster), Zoe Wilson (Ulster), Deirdre Duke (Leinster), Elizabeth Murphy (Leinster)