Shaw set for tough European challenge
GRAHAM Shaw will be hoping that his Ireland Women’s squad can build on their seventh place finish at World League 3 in South Africa when they contest the Rabo Euro-hockey Championships in Amsterdam from August 18-27.
The Firhouse man has named his 18-strong panel for the trip to the Netherlands and has included Loreto pair Hannah Matthews and Ali Meeke.
The team will be back competing in the top tier of the championships having earned promotion two years ago in Prague and will see them up against World Number Two team England and Olympic bronze medallists Germany, as well as Scotland in Pool B.
“We are in a very tough group,” insisted Shaw.
“With England and Germany there it makes it very difficult, but our Number One goal is to retain our A status by finishing in the top six.
“If we could get a result against England or Germany and beat Scotland we could be looking at making the semi-finals and a top-four finish.
“The team is in good form and there’s a lot of confidence coming off World League 3.
“I was happy with five of seven of our games. Our performances were good but we were disappointed with a seventh place finish.
“I thought we could do better than that, but I feel once the performances are there, the results will follow,” he told The Echo.
Victory in Amsterdam will see them qualify automatically for next year’s World Cup, although an alternative route is still possible.
Indeed their seventh place finish at the Hockey World League Semi-Final sees them third on the list of sides waiting to see if they will make the cut.
With the final five berths going to the continental champions, to be decided between August and early November, places will become available if the continental champions already have a place at the World Cup.
Italy is first in line to benefit in this instance, with Spain and then Ireland next.
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