IRISH ladies hockey coach Riet Kuper has named a squad of 20 to travel to America next month as preparations intensify ahead of the Olympic qualifying tournament in Auckland from March 19-28.

Five uncapped players have been named in the Irish women’s hockey squad to play three Test matches in the USA next month.

Ireland 4 France2

Ireland women’s preparations for the European Nations Cup in September continue this week with a training camp and two Test matches in Holland.

Ireland’s women have named the pool of players who will contest selection for September’s European Nations Cup in Barcelona.

Ireland women’s coach Riet Kuper has handed first call-ups to five players for a three-day Easter training camp.

MUNSTER ladies will be attempting to end an eight-year wait when the senior hockey inter-provincial tournament is staged at Harlequin Park, Cork, this weekend.

“THAT was the week that was,” and one the Irish women’s World Cup hockey squad will be trying to make amends for to some small measure of degree when they resume action today against Japan in the Women’s Hockey World Cup tournament in Perth.

USA 2 Ireland 1