Cregan closing in on caps record

EIMEAR CREGAN could overtake fellow Munster woman Rachael Kohler as the most capped Irishhockey player of all time this month.

The inspirational Catholic Institute forward, who is also the current Irish skipper, was yesterday named in Gene Muller’s squad for Four-Nations event in Essen, Germany, which gets underway on June 25.

Cregan is one cap shy of the mark of 166 reached by Kohler, before the outstanding Cork Harlequins midfielder quit the international scene in 2003.

She is one of just six men’s or women’s players still playing international hockey to have more than 100 caps to her name. That Cregan is next in line for the record is testament to her durability, given the injury difficulties she has suffered in recent seasons.

Sinead McCarthy and Nikki Evans will hope they are starting out on a similarly decorated international career path, as they look set to earn their first caps this summer.

Muller has made three changes from the failed World Cup qualification squad as Ireland take on high-quality opposition in the form of Germany, India and Australia there, before the Hockeyroos come calling to Dublin for a three-game series in early July.

Railway Union’s Evans and Nicci Daly of Loreto are the two new forward options Muller will examine in Germany, replacing Roisin Flinn and USA-based Megan Frazer.

As part of the goalkeeper rotation, Emma Gray replaces Louisa Healy in Germany, while Mary Goode sits out the home series with Australia.

Cork Harlequins’ McCarthy is included as an extra defender in a move that could see an end, for now, of the experiment to use Loreto midfielder Nikki Symmons in the sweeper role.

McCarthy will be itching to prove to Muller that she made the right decision in switching from English club Poynton in the hope of kick-starting an international career in green.

She has enjoyed a superb debut season with Quins, winning a domestic double before making her mark as one of the standout performers at last month’s Irish Hockey League finals and at the senior interpros with Munster.

Meanwhile, the Irish Hockey Association have announced that a 16-strong maiden Ireland U17 girls squad will be announced next week.

Thanks to support and funding from sponsors ESB and the Olympic Council of Ireland, the IHA last week were able to announce the participation of an U17 girls side at the World Youth Olympic Games. High performance director Dave Passmore has teamed up with Ireland U18 coach Richie Malone and his U16 counterpart Una McCarthy to train and pick a squad at short notice, with the tournament taking place from August 16-25.

Passmore said: “Although the players will have little time together as a group before leaving for Singapore, the development they have undergone in the ESB sponsored U16 and U18 teams will hold them in good stead.”