Fulton Announces Squad For WL2

Ireland’s head coach Craig Fulton has today announced an extended squad for World League 2 in Belfast. The team sees no fewer than 8 of the Green Machine’s Olympians selected alongside a host of young talent. Ireland sit in Group A alongside Austria, Italy and Ukraine; the Austrians look the main threat with several of their players having performed admirably at the Junior World Cup in December. Pool B see’s France, Poland, Scotland and Wales with the French looking the side to beat. 11 of their panel picked up a silver medal at the Junior World Cup in 2013 and appear to be coming of age at the right time.

Ireland and Banbridge stalwart Eugene Magee is acutely aware of the task at hand in Belfast “It will by no means be an easy tournament so we will need to be well prepared and not underestimate the task at hand. Austria will be the toughest challenge in our group and all teams in Pool B will prove to be a challenge. We have had some good preparation games in the lead up to this tournament including games against France who are top ranked in Pool B”.

Magee will be one of the most experienced members of the squad with 240 caps to his name but is confident in the combination of youth and experience of the team “We have great depth in our squad and the young players coming up through have proven that they are more than capable of playing at senior international level”.

The important tournament will be the first home fixtures for the men in green since returning from the Rio Olympics and offers fans a great opportunity to see the team in action as they look to finish in the top 3 to book that coveted World League 3 spot. Magee said “It should be a very exciting tournament in Belfast and I’m really looking forward to getting our World Cup qualifying campaign underway in front of a home crowd”.