Dublin-based panel plan gets go-ahead

THE Irish Hockey Association yesterday gave the green light to controversial plans to centralise the women’s senior hockey team in Dublin for 10 months.

The IHA board has given approval to a Central Preparation Programme (CPP), which the national body say will “facilitate a core, intensive preparation program” in a bid to qualify for the Olympics in London in 2010.

Senior women’s coach Gene Muller envisages that 20 of the 25 players currently selected for the Irish panel will be in a position to be located in Dublin for the initial time period.