Irish women finally set to jet off for Chile tilt

IRELAND’S senior women’s hockey team have finally mapped a path to their World Cup qualification campaign in Chile, following a week of uncertainty.

The flight disruption caused by the volcanic ash cloud left the Irish side, who were due to fly to Santiago via Paris last Sunday, unable to leave the country.

Players were sent home as a result, and with Malaysia and Scotland’s travel plans also affected, it left just two of the sides competing in the qualifier – favourites Australia and hosts Chile – in situ in Santiago.

However, the Irish Hockey Association yesterday confirmed that the Irish squad will now fly to Chile this weekend.

The squad has been split in two to facilitate the earliest possible arrival with 12 of the squad and management travelling on Saturday and 11 on Sunday, each group arriving at 7.30am the day after departure.

While the tournament had been due to begin on Saturday, the late arrival of the European sides and Malaysia – who were participating in warm-up tournament in Germany – scuppered the initial plans.

The International Hockey Federation (FIH) has yet to release details of the new match schedule, though with Scotland not due to arrive in Chile until Tuesday, the tournament is likely to run about a week behind schedule.