New coach’s presence ‘should lift players’

LEINSTER coach Turlough O’Siochain reckons the presence of the new Irish coach Dave Passmore at this weekend’s hockey interprovincials in Dublin will add considerable spice to the historic competition.

Delighted the interpros were taking place at all, after months of wrangling, O’Siochain said last night it was good for the players that the disputes surrounding the competition had been sorted out and it was better again that Passmore would be in attendance to run the rule over the players from whom he will be selecting his international squad.

“The interpros are an institution and to have lost them would have been awful. As a player it is always great to represent your province, just one step below international recognition, and I know my players feel that way.