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’s U21 sides are both safely through to the promotion pool of the EuroHockey Junior Championships II, but not without a couple of scares.

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.

University College, Cork won an emotional inter-varsity title on home turf at the Mardyke yesterday, ousting University of Ulster on penalty strokes after a tense 1-1 stalemate.

A four-goal burst in nine first-half minutes saw Ireland U21s cruise to a 7-0 victory and assure themselves of a EuroHockey Junior Championships III final berth in Lisbon, barring a goal difference miracle.

LIMERICK proved a happy hunting ground for Lurgan College once more as they claimed overall victory on a remarkable final day of the Kate Russell All-Ireland Schoolgirls Championships at Crescent College Comprehensive.

ULSTER will begin their bid to continue their domination of the girls’ underage interprovincials at Alexandra College tomorrow, as the U16 and U18 showpieces get underway.