Hockey: Conor Harte among the big names returning for World Cup qualifiers

Conor Harte: Back in the Ireland squad

Head coach Mark Tumilty reckons experience could be key at the win or bust men’s Hockey World Cup qualifiers which gets underway next week in Cardiff.

World number 14 ranked Ireland need to win their first two games – starting off against 23rd rated Russia on Thursday, October 21 in the quarter-final – to land a place at the 2023 showpiece event to be played in India.

It has been a quick turnaround time since August’s EuroHockey Championship II campaign in Poland where a fresh-faced Green Machine, featuring eight tournament debutants, took bronze in a first competitive outing in almost two years.

Since then, the vastly experienced Olympian Conor Harte has returned to the fold. Luke Madeley, Jamie Carr and Lee Cole are also available having missed out on playing time at the Euros when they were deemed close contacts in the lead-up to the event.

For Carr and Madeley, it was especially frustrating as they spent 10 days in a Gniezno hotel in quarantine but, all going well, Tumilty feels the extra know-how in big game situations will be invaluable.

“There is more experience in this squad and, with the straight knockout format of the tournament, I feel experience will be very important,” Tumilty said of his selection.

“With the Euros, due to Covid and availability, we were lighter in our penalty corner options; it was an important component of my selection decision to ensure we have more penalty corner options on the pitch at all times.”

Eleven of the Euros panel who saw game time in Poland are retained. Carr and Mark Ingram are the goalkeepers named with Harte, Madeley, Cole, Empey and Hyland coming in for Fergus Gibson, Ian Stewart, Ben Nelson, James Milliken while Mark McNellis and O’Dea listed as the travelling reserves in case of injury or a positive Covid test.

Should Ireland beat Russia in their opener, they will face either Wales or Italy two days later for a place at the World Cup.

"It will be a tough tournament and I would say that any two [of the eight] teams participating have the ability to qualify for the World Cup," added Tumilty. "Our focus is our first game and we will need to produce a very good performance against Russia to progress to the semi-final to have the opportunity to qualify for the World Cup.”

IRELAND (squad for Hockey World Cup qualifiers): Jamie Carr, Mark Ingram, Tom Cross, Luke Madeley, Lee Cole, Conor Harte, Peter McKibbin, Kyle Marshall, Shane O’Donoghue, Sean Murray (captain), Neal Glassey, Daragh Walsh, Michael Robson, Johnny McKee, Conor Empey, Sam Hyland, Ben Walker, Jeremy Duncan.

Travelling reserves: Matthew Nelson, Kevin O’Dea.