Megan Frazer has been included in Graham Shaw’s squad of 18 players for next month’s World Cup in London despite concerns over her fitness.

UCD showed the sharper touches in the key exchanges to forge four points clear of Cork Harlequins with a 2-0 win over their nearest women’s EY Hockey League rivals at Farmer’s Cross.

Cork Harlequins ended UCD’s incredible 20-game unbeaten run in Belfield as Roisin Upton and Naomi Carroll struck for an excellent 2-1 win to open up the delayed women’s EY Hockey League.

Ireland’s women were left hugely frustrated as a last-second German goal denied them the scalp of the Olympic bronze medallists at the Hockey World League semi-finals in Johannesburg.

Women’s hockey international: Germany 3 ( Keibel, Huse, Schroder) - Ireland 1 (Russell)

Emma Buckley looks set to continue a trend of young Ireland senior debutants as the Mount Mercy College student is poised to win her first cap next week.

Ireland’s senior women have moved into their final phase of preparation for their Olympic qualification campaign after selecting their squad for next month’s World League 2 yesterday.

HOCKEY: Ireland made it three from three with a 4-0 win at Alexandra College yesterday in their final test match against Scotland.

The commitment required by dual stars in GAA are well documented but how many of them are also representing their country in another sport too?

Some of Ireland’s most established international hockey players were left reeling yesterday after being dumped from Darren Smith’s squad ahead of August’s European championships.

CORK’S Julia O’Halloran is the big absentee from Gene Muller’s latest Irish centralised training panel announced yesterday.

IT was a profitable trip south for UCD on Saturday, as their men and women came away with big wins from Bandon and Cork Harlequins respectively to advance in the Irish Senior Cup.

IRELAND’S U-18 girls will be keen for success in other arenas to rub off when they get their Four Nations campaign underway at Garryduff in Cork tomorrow (6pm).

CORK HARLEQUINS and UCC face season-defining clashes tomorrow as they bid to progress to the last four of the Irish Hockey League.

THE focus turns to interprovincial action a little earlier in the season than usual this weekend as the U16 and U18 boys and girls pit their wits against each other at Grange Road and UCD.