Healy and Frazer return for South Africa tour

LOUISA HEALY and Megan Frazer will make their first international appearances in over 18 months later this month following their inclusion in Gene Muller’s panel for Ireland’s tour to South Africa.

Muller named a 20-strong squad who will travel on January 22 for their six-game tour to thee Randburg stadium in Johannesburg to play Belgium and the host nation.

Frazer and Healy are among six returnees to the selection from December’s tour of Argentina, joining the experienced quartet of Emma Clarke, Lisa Jacob, Emma Smyth and Nikki Symmons, adding 422 caps to the mix. Niamh Atcheler, Hannah Bowe, Anna O’Flanagan and Niamh Small, all of whom played in Argentina, miss out.

Meanwhile, UCC will be hoping to give an improved account of themselves when they meet Cork Harlequins in a crucial Munster men’s league tie at the Mardyke tomorrow (12pm). Quins have a 100% record with College four points behind in second, but the students were left smarting in a 5-1 home loss the last time the sides met, in a Peard Cup semi-final last month.

Elsewhere, Cork Church of Ireland will expect to extract maximum points from Catholic Institute’s visit to Garryduff, while Bandon host Quins B.

The women’s league throws up a revenge mission for Cork Harlequins, as they visit UL tomorrow (1pm). The Limerick students stunned Quins 2-1 at Farmer’s Cross on the opening day of the season, one of Munster hockey’s biggest shocks in a long time.

Bandon are the latest side bidding to stop the Catholic Institute bandwagon but they may be short on confidence after last weekend’s humbling at Quins. That also applies to Cork C of I following heavy defeats to UCC and Institute, and things don’t get any easier for them as they visit Ashton.

Further afield, Gormanston and Loughlinstown host the final groups of the National Indoor Trophy on Saturday with the semi-finals and finals taking place at Tallaght’s National Basketball Arena on Sunday.