Coach Smith Names National Squad Of 25

The Ireland women's hockey coach, Darren Smith, has today named a squad of 25 athletes that will make up the Green Army with a focus very much on the World League 2 in March 2015 (Dublin). The announcement comes after a year of match and player monitoring and just hours after an three day trial weekend completed at the National Hockey Stadium in UCD.

The squad sees some new faces stepping up, Chloe Brown, Vanessa Surgeoner and Yvonne O'Byrne move up from the Development Squad, keeper Ayeisha McFerran is back in after her inclusion in the recent January Spanish series and Champions Challenge I tournament. While both Hannah Mathews and Stella Davis are the new names in the Green Army, Mathews is selected on the back of her consistent IHL performances for Loreto while Davis, a mobile and aggressive keeper is included after impressing in club hockey and at the National training sessions over the last three months.

The selection of 25 comes after extensive observation of matches across the country which have included club, international, interprovincial and training sessions by selectors, Coach Smith explained "Selectors Arlene Boyles, Mary Logue, Graham Shaw and I have been running the ruler over the National Squad for over a year now. We took 26 athletes to Spain for a camp, broadened the training group especially over the October/November block and have been watching countless matches in the search for talent, while at the same time monitoring the form of current, past and potential squad members. We will continue to do this and especially in the coming months with the U16s, U18s and U21s programs training/playing"

Talking with passion about the newer faces on the squad Coach Smith was keen to congratulate them "Congratulations to Chloe Brown and Vanessa Surgeoner who both come off the back of solid club seasons with Ards and Pegasus respectively. They are very talented hockey players with room to develop even further. Yvonne O'Byrne is a fit and hungry player, she defends tough and brings a high work rate. We have been impressed with Yvonne especially in the National training environment. Hannah played well for Loreto Hockey Club in the Irish Hockey League. She also came to the national trials and delivered a work rate, basic skill set and determination that we were impressed with"

He went on to talk about the inclusion of the two young keepers "Ayeisha McFerran is an extremely talented keeper who is not only one for the future but in our opinion is delivering consistently high performances right now, with Stella we feel she had a good club season and has trained well with the National Squad over the past three months. She has speed, mobility and which we feel can be developed to an even higher level"

Selecting a national squad is never easy "Naming this squad has been extremely tough and in the players that have been left out for 2014 we know that there is quality. What we hope is that they will go back to their club environment and push again for selection in the future."

"I'm delighted for the new athletes as first selection is an exciting and rewarding time. I now encourage all 25 members to understand that this is just the beginning and we expect everyone within the Green Army environment to drive toward on field performance. Now the hard work begins with a full program through 2014 and into 2015"

GREEN ARMY SQUAD 2014/15
1. Emily Beatty (UCD)
2. Chloe Brown (Ards)
3. Naomi Carroll (Catholic Institute)
4. Aine Connery (Hermes)
5. Nicci Daly (Holcombe HC / Loreto)
6. Stella Davis (UCD)
7. Kate Dillon (Railway Union)
8. Deirdre Duke (UCD)
9. Nikki Evans (UCD)
10. Megan Frazer - Captain - (Holcombe HC / Ballymoney)
11. Emma Gray - (Hermes)
12. Hannah Matthews (Loreto)
13. Shirley McCay (Old Alex)
14. Ayeisha McFerran - (Randalstown)
15. Ali Meeke (Loreto)
16. Katie Mullan (UCD)
17. Yvonne O'Byrne (Cork Harelquins)
18. Anna O'Flanagan (UCD)
19. Audrey O'Flynn (Hermes)
20. Gillian Pinder (UCD)
21. Cliodhna Sargent - Vice Captain - (Cork Harelquins)
22. Emma Smyth (Railway Union)
23. Alex Speers (Railway Union)
24. Vanessa Surgeoner (Pegasus)
25. Chloe Watkins (Club De Campo / Hermes)