Sarah Torrans takes the path less travelled to Olympic goal

“I chose hockey at the end of the day just because it’s a team sport and athletics was very competitive," she said.

TEAM PLAYER: Sarah Torrans of Ireland during the Women's 2022 EuroHockey Championship Qualifier match between Ireland and Turkey at Sport Ireland Campus in Dublin. Photo by Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile

A unique buzz attaches to any ticket for an elite underage sporting event. An understanding that a future star, maybe even a generational talent, could be on hand but not yet fully revealed in all its glory.

A heady cocktail of promise and uncertainty. Tullamore ten years ago was a case in point.