Frazer set for Ireland fold after US honour

MEGAN FRAZER looks set to answer Ireland’s call once more after being named as America’s best university field hockey player.

The Derry native, who helped the University of Maryland Terrapins to their second consecutive all-American (NCAA) title, was yesterday awarded the 2011-12 Honda Sports Award in field hockey, designating her as the top student-athlete in the country.

Frazer, a cousin of Manchester United football star Darron Gibson, was the youngest member of Ireland’s European championships squad in 2009 and starred at all levels for her school Foyle and Londonderry, club Ballymoney and Ulster, before moving stateside for college in 2009.

She has been the most successful among a batch of successful Irish players in the USA that also numbers Limerick’s Rebecca Barry and former Ireland A starlet Liz McInerney.

Being based in America has ruled her out of contention for a centralised Irish squad that has been training semi-professionally in Dublin. But in honouring Frazer’s individual award yesterday, the Maryland Terrapins stated she will “spend the 2012 spring semester training with the Irish senior national team for its Olympic qualifier in Belgium in the spring”.

However, no official announcement regarding such a move has been made by Irish senior coach Gene Muller, currently in Argentina with his side for two Four Nations tournaments.

Meanwhile, UCC’s resources will be stretched as they double up this weekend, meeting Cork C of I B in league action before tackling Cork Harlequins in a Peard Cup semi-final 24 hours later.

Saturday’s big league game sees Bandon visit Garryduff to take on Cork Church of Ireland, who are protecting a 100% record but are six points behind Quins with two games in hand.