Limerick's Ireland hockey star Róisín Upton excited for next week's European Championships

LIMERICK hockey ace Róisín Upton is excited about Ireland's upcoming European Championship campaign with begins with a clash against World champions the Netherlands on Saturday week.

The European Championships is the first phase of a huge summer for the Ireland women's hockey team that culminates in the Tokyo Olympic Games.

The Euros double up as a key preparation tournament for the Olympics while also providing three potential 2022 World Cup tickets.

Ireland  take on world number one side the Netherlands on Saturday, 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.

Roisin Upton said: “You wouldn’t be human if the Olympics wasn’t at the back of your mind but there’s big opportunities here at the Europeans and, if we look past it, we’ll miss that opportunity.

“You want to gain momentum, you want to be feeling good about yourselves. The last thing you want is to come last in a tournament, God forbid, and then you’re going into an Olympic Games with morale being low in the squad.”

Upton is one of two Catholic Institute players included in head coach Sean Dancer's 18-strong squad for the European Championships.

Cratloe native Naomi Carroll is also part of the Ireland squad having taken the long road back from an ACL injury sustained while in ladies football action for Clare. 

Limerick's Catholic Institute is nurturing a growing number of players who come through to play for Ireland. Roisin Begley and Laura Foley are now involved with the Irish Under-21s and Anna Horan is playing in the NCAA finals.

Roisin Upton said: “From a development point of view Munster is just behind Leinster and Ulster. Since I have been in secondary school, Crescent College Comprehensive have always been competing in the schools competitions – not that all five of us went to the Comp – but there is a lot of talent coming through in hockey own here. But, in one sense, it is the opportunities that you get to showcase the talent.

"If you are not making an Irish Under-16, 18 or 21s team, when do you get seen? The last two years, it has been fantastic to be back in EY Hockey League Division One. It has made a huge difference. Even having like-minded people around – Naomi (Carroll) and I were in Cork and came back to Catholic Institute.

"Not to sound cringey, but if you can’t see it, you can’t be it. The young girls can see it is doable. They are back in Catholic Institute saying I want to do that. There is lots of talent. Laura’s younger sister Becky Foley is in the Irish Under-19s, there’s two or three on the Under-16 setup. It’s really about supporting them now and keeping them involved.

"We need to get S&C set up down here, there’s the physical games people in Leinster or Ulster might have that they don’t; get access to something like what they have at UCD or Sport Ireland. It’s small things like that where we are constantly trying to bridge the gap, but there is definitely hockey talent coming through."

Róisín Upton was speaking at at the launch of Circle K’s To Team Ireland initiative, giving the Irish public the chance to show off their creativity by drawing or writing a picture or message on a postcard in support of Team Ireland. Pick up and return your postcard to your local Circle K for a chance to win some fantastic prizes. Visit www.circlek.ie to find your nearest store