Limerick's Catholic Institute with two players named in Ireland's European Championships squad

TWO players from Limerick's Catholic Institute have been included in the Ireland women's hockey squad which is competing at next month's European Championships in the Netherlands.

Limerick woman Roisin Upton, who was such a key figure in helping Ireland qualify for this summer's Olympic Games in Tokyo and has won 76 caps for Ireland to date, is joined in the squad by her clubmate, Cratloe's Naomi Carroll.

June’s European Championships in the Netherlands is the first phase of a huge summer for the Ireland women's hockey team that culminates in the Tokyo Olympic Games. The Euros are doubling up as a key preparation tournament for the Games while also providing three potential 2022 World Cup tickets.

It means head coach Sean Dancer has selected his strongest available squad for the eight-team competition at Amstelveen’s Wagener Stadium, bidding for a first-ever semi-final spot.

There, they will take on world number one side the Netherlands on June 5 in a rematch of the 2018 World Cup final; on June 7, Ireland face Scotland before closing out the group stages on June 9 against Spain.

Dancer’s 18-player panel features 12 of the 2018 World Cup silver medal-winning side and 13 of the team that won qualification to the Olympic Games in November 2019 in a dramatic shoot-out in front of a packed-out Donnybrook Stadium.

Róisín Upton won the first of her 76 Ireland caps against Scotland in November 2016. The talented Limerick woman 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.

Cratloe native Naomi Carroll will play her first capped match since the summer of 2018, having taken the long road back from an ACL injury sustained while in ladies football action for Clare. Since then, she was part of the rejuvenated Irish indoor hockey side in 2020 before earning her recall to the senior outdoor setup.

For World Cup qualification, Ireland will only be absolutely assured of a ticket if they finish in the top three positions.

The squad was announced this morning in Skerries at a joint event run by primary sponsors SoftCo and Park Developments, supporting their rise to the sport’s elite levels.

Ireland women’s squad for EuroHockey Championships – June 5-13, 2021, Wagener Stadium, Amstelveen, Netherlands (club/caps):

Ayeisha McFerran (SV Kampong, 100) – goalkeeper

Lizzie Murphy (Loreto, 13) – goalkeeper

Michelle Carey (UCD, 0)

Naomi Carroll (Catholic Institute, 111)

Lizzie Colvin (Belfast Harlequins, 196)

Nicci Daly (Loreto, 189)

Nikki Evans (Old Alex, 198)

Megan Frazer (Belfast Harlequins, 136)

Sarah Hawkshaw (Railway Union, 33)

Hannah Matthews (Loreto, 147)

Shirley McCay (Pegasus, 306)

Hannah McLoughlin (UCD, 14)

Katie Mullan (Ballymoney, 193) – captain

Anna O’Flanagan (Muckross, 207) – vice-captain

Lena Tice (Old Alex, 109)

Sarah Torrans (Loreto, 26)

Roisin Upton (Catholic Institute, 76)

Chloe Watkins (Monkstown, 226)

Travelling reserves: Deirdre Duke (Old Alex, 141), Sarah McAuley (Muckross, 0)

Tournament details

EuroHockey Championships 2021 (all times Irish)

Group A (world rank): Netherlands (1st), Spain (7th), Ireland (8th), Scotland (22nd)

Group B: Germany (4th), England (5th), Belgium (12th), Italy (17th)

Irish fixture schedule

June 5, 2021: Ireland v Netherlands, 2.30 pm

June 7 2021: Ireland v Scotland, 11.30 am

June 9, 2021: Ireland v Spain, 11.30 am

June 11 2021: Semi-finals/relegation pool

June 12/13th: Medal matches/relegation pool