Hockey: Ireland to host qualifiers for Tokyo Olympics
The Irish women’s team’s Olympic Games hopes received a huge boost as they were confirmed as one of the host nations for the next phase of qualifiers for Tokyo 2020.
They will be home for an eight-team FIH Series finals event from which two sides are assured of going on to the final playoffs for the Games.
The location in Ireland remains to be seen, with no venue confirmed. Hockey Ireland and UCD are in a stand-off over the redevelopment of the obvious venue in Belfield, with the pitch now three years past its sell-by date.
Should that impasse remain, the potential venues could include Stormont — host of the 2017 World League Round 2 — the Mardyke, or the recently refurbished Havelock Park in Banbridge.
All would need temporary infrastructure like stands and video towers to be installed but all have the standard of turf and space required.
In the competition itself, the Green Army will be top seeds — at eighth in the world — after their World Cup exploits.
Next best on the current entry list is Korea in 10th with Scotland (18th) also a dangerous opponent. Czech Republic (19th), Malaysia (22nd), France (32nd), and Ukraine (27th) will be joined by one more side following completion of FIH Series Open events in Africa and Asia.
The Irish men, meanwhile, will travel to Le Touquet in France for their Series final. Again, they will be the highest ranked side, coming up against the hosts (20th) and Korea (14th), two sides with whom they have plenty of history. Chile, Scotland, and Singapore are outsiders while another two countries will complete the line-up.
Alexander Cox, meanwhile, named his squad for November’s World Cup yesterday with Luke Madeley’s inclusion the most eye-catching.
The Three Rock Rovers defender has been in powerful form this season at club level and it will be the former Irish U21 skipper’s first ranking tournament. He takes up the spot made available by John Jackson who could not commit due to work commitments. Otherwise, the panel was reasonably as anticipated with Kilkenny man Jeremy Duncan shading John McKee for one of the forward spots. Kinsale twins Conor and David Harte are among 10 of the Rio Olympians included.
They ramp up their preparations with five games in seven days in Valencia, starting on Monday.
