Experienced star Jermyn battling to make Olympic qualifiers

John Jermyn faces into a crucial week in his race to be fit for Ireland’s Olympic qualification tournament in Dublin next month.

The experienced Cork Church of Ireland short corner specialist has successfully returned to club action in recent weeks, having fractured his ankle last October. But Irish coach Paul Revington admitted this weekend’s two-game series against the Czech Republic — Ireland’s final warm-up games ahead of the qualifiers on March 10-18 — will be vital to assess Jermyn and his walking wounded.

“The games against the Czechs will be important for him (Jermyn),” said Revington. “We’ll wait and see but he has had to work hard over the last couple of weeks. These games are important for us. We played our last game on February 13 and players who have been out for a while need a couple of games. It’s good timing and good opposition.”

Meanwhile, Ireland’s women wrapped up their preparations for their qualifier with a comprehensive whitewash of France in a three-game series at Beerschot in Belgium, where their tournament will take place.

Three wins by a 3-0 margin is good news for Gene Muller, especially the three clean sheets and the fact that his forwards — including Miriam Crowley, Aine Connery, Megan Frazer, Nicci Daly and Nikki Evans — are back among the goals, given Ireland’s recent heavy reliance on a short corner unit manned mostly by defenders. Both Revington and Muller will name their final panels for the qualifiers on Thursday, while it was also confirmed yesterday that Ireland’s women will compete in the 2012 Investec London Cup in June. Olympic champions, The Netherlands, world number three Germany, Commonwealth gold medallists Australia and African champions South Africa will join Ireland and Great Britain in a high-class field at the University of Westminster Sports Grounds in Chiswick, from June 5 to June 10.