Ukraine grateful for Ireland's help ahead of clash

'One player was sitting in an underground bomb shelter and five doors down, a shell hit and 20 were killed. She could have died - the windows in her house were blown out. Her family sent her the next day'

Ukraine national anthem U23 Uniphar 5 Nations, Ukraine v United States of America at the National Hockey Stadium, UCD Belfield on 20/06/2022 Credit: Max Fulham

Two and a half months later than hoped, the Irish women’s development squad are looking forward to taking the field with their Ukraine counterparts on Thursday at Belfield (5pm) as part of the Uniphar Five Nations tournament.

The two nations were due to play each other on the opening day of the Junior World Cup in South Africa in April until the Russian invasion turned Ukrainian lives upside down.