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Arsenal v Aston Villa – Preview, Betting, Probable Starting Teams

Emi Martinez returns to the Emirates Stadium again as round 9 of the Premier League sees the Gunners welcome Aston Villa

Arsenal v Aston Villa kicks off at 20:00 on Friday, 22nd October in the Emirates Stadium. Referee Craig Pawson will take charge of the tie.

The match will also be shown live on Sky Sports Premier League Ireland with coverage starting at 19:30.

Arsenal are a very happy team at the moment, their recent unbeaten run has got them into 12th place. Last week, after feeling hard done against Crystal Palace, they still managed a last-minute draw.

Bukayo Saka is now out with injuries due to a reckless challenge by McArthur that only saw yellow. Mikel Arteta will need his fringe players, Alexandre Lacazette and Gabriel Martinelli, to step up this weekend.

Aston Villa has hit a hard spot in their season’s form. Two recent losses have them in 13th place, one spot behind their weekend opponents.

Last week, they played some great football for 80 minutes only for three late Wolves goals to steal the match. You can read more here about the casino roulette feel it is watching them. Dean Smith will now be hungry for a win to get their team back on track.

The Gunners’ fans might be optimistic going into this game. In their last 18 meetings, Arsenal has won 12 games while Villa has won five. This is very unlikely to be a draw going by history with only one game ending in a draw.

Arteta’s main problem is that his team has lost their last three games on the bounce without scoring. September 2019 was the last time that the London Reds were victorious in this fixture.

Arsenal v Aston Villa Probable Starting Teams

Arsenal

Formation

4-2-3-1

Probable Starting 11

Ramsdale (GK), Tierney, White, Gabriel, Tomiyasu, Lokonga, Partey, Odegaard, Smith-Rowe, Aubameyang, Lacazette

Injuries / Suspensions

Saka (Calf), Xhaka (Knee)

 

Aston Villa

Formation

3-5-2

Probable Starting 11

Martinez (GK), Konsa, Tuanzebe, Mings, Targett, Buendia, Luiz, McGinn, Cash, Bailey, Ings.

Injuries / Suspensions

Trezeguet (Knee)

Arsenal v Aston Villa Betting

Arsenal to win: 10/11

Draw: 5/2

Aston Villa to win: 14/5

 

Score Prediction

This might be the best chance for Arsenal to win against Villa. They are back at home in front of a full crowd, unbeaten in six matches while the Clarets have lost their last two. Without young star Saka, it will not be easy but they should have enough attacking power to clutch a victory.

Expect the game to end 3-2 to Arsenal.

To read more in-depth and up-to-date Premier League and international club football news, click here.

Balbirnie hails Ireland bowler Josh Little ahead of crunch Namibia game

Ireland captain Andrew Balbirnie believes bowler Josh Little could hold the key to the national team’s chances of reaching the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 Super 12s after he starred against Sri Lanka.

Little returned career-best figures of four for 23 in Abu Dhabi, which featured two wickets in his first over, but could not prevent Sri Lanka from winning by 70 runs to secure their own safe passage to the next round.

The 21-year-old left-armer might have been on the losing side here but his performance was impressive, taking his 2021 T20I wicket tally to 12 from nine matches.

He delivered two brilliant balls to clean bowl both Dinesh Chandimal and Avishka Fernando with back-to-back deliveries as Sri Lanka stumbled to eight for three and later removed Pathum Nissanka for 61 and Bhanuka Rajapaksa for just one.

In between, Nissanka and Wanindu Hasaranga put on a partnership of 123 for the fourth wicket to rebuild Sri Lanka’s innings and they eventually made 171 for seven.

The Lions then bowled Ireland out for 101 but Balbirnie was quick to praise Little after the match.

“I was excited at eight for three,” he said. “Josh Little bowled to his plans and he has been a real find for us this year, he has bowled beautifully for us up top and we put them in real trouble.

“But the way their guys came out and played was really impressive and took the innings away from us in the middle. But I thought we came back quite well.

“Josh is a huge asset. He has been a force in ODI cricket this year and really come to the fore.

“He showed off those new-ball skills and attacked the stumps. On these wickets, he comes into his own.”

Balbirnie knows Ireland lost control of the match when Hasaranga was batting but praised his side for the way they fought back to take four wickets in the last five overs.

It was a different story with the bat, however, as openers Paul Stirling and Kevin O’Brien fell cheaply to leave them in trouble early.

When Curtis Campher was dismissed for 24, Ireland lost regular wickets and succumbed to defeat.

The Irish captain praised the Sri Lankan bowling that snuffed out any chance of a successful chase.

He also talked about his time at-bat, where he lead his team in runs with 41 from 39 balls.

“It was obviously nice to spend time in the middle tonight – I was hoping that I may have gone at a better rate, but with the small boundary on one side I always thought we were in the game.

“Unfortunately, we couldn’t get going today and that was largely down to a good Sri Lankan bowling attack.”

They now face a crucial game against Namibia – both teams have lost to Sri Lanka and beaten the Netherlands so far.

The winner of Friday’s clash between the two sides will progress to the Super 12s to meet New Zealand, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and the highest-ranked side in Group B (currently Scotland).

“We are excited, they are the games you want to play in when you grow up watching cricket and see the knock-out games. They are the ones we want to be part of, so we will rest up and be ready,” Balbirnie added.

“We started the week really well and put in some really good performances against the Dutch. We knew if we lost that game, we would be playing catch up.

“This is a good Sri Lanka team, I thought they batted and bowled really well. We started well with the ball and finished well with the ball but we could not really get it going with the bat.

“We have a massive game on Friday now and it is all to play for.”

Ireland will play Namibia in their final match in Group A on Friday morning at 11 am. Sky Sports will begin their coverage of the match in Ireland and the United Kingdom at 10:30 am.

Ireland ‘desperate’ to reach Super 12 – Graham Ford

Ireland Men’s national cricket team Head Coach Graham Ford has said that his side are “desperate” to reach the next stage of the T20 World Cup – the Super 12.

Ireland are currently competing in the group stage of the competition, in which the top two teams from both groups will enter the Super 12 with those teams that had already qualified.

The loss to Sri Lanka on Wednesday means that Ireland must beat Namibia if they are to be part of the Super 12 after the African nation beat the Netherlands on the same day.

The winner will progress to the next round to meet New Zealand, India, Pakistan, Afghanistan and the highest-ranked side in Group B (currently Scotland).

At a press conference last night, Head Coach Graham Ford said: “I think for us, we come to the tournament with a slightly different view to some of the bugger countries, in that we are gaining and learning with every single outing – trying to make as much progress in our cricket as possible.

“So, every game is important as far as that is concerned – to try and make those little improvements here and there and to sharpen our skills, and adapt to the extra pace in the pitches.

“Win or lose, we are gaining and we are learning, so that’s a big plus for us – but quite obviously we are desperate to go through to the next phase of the tournament as well.

“Despite the loss [yesterday] we are still alive and still in the competition, and that’s the important thing.”

Captain Andrew Balbirnie also spoke on the 70-run defeat to Sri Lanka and noted that the team will have to adapt if they want to play top-level cricket on a consistent basis.

The captain said: “We don’t get wickets like this, or get pace like this too often back home, but the more we go up the levels and if we go through to next week it’s only going to get quicker and we need to find ways to cope with that pretty quickly.”

Ireland face Namibia in a ‘winner-takes-all’ clash at 11 am on Friday, October 22 – the match coverage in Ireland/UK is on Sky Sports from 10.30 am.

Women’s hockey overcomes France in World Cup qualifier

Ireland moved a step closer to women’s hockey World Cup qualification as they overcame a sticky first half to eventually run riot against France in Pisa

This sets up a very important Saturday date with Belarus in the women’s hockey semi-finals. 

A chanceless first half was contrasted by a big second half in which corner goals from Upton and McLoughlin. They settled the nerves before a flurry of goals saw Zara Malseed and debutante Niamh Carey also on the mark. 

They will now meet Belarus in Saturday’s semi-final (11:00 Irish time) following their hugely impressive 7-1 win over Russia. Ireland needs to win that one and then also succeed in Sunday’s final to assure passage to next summer’s competition. 

Upton said it was crucial to follow the plan despite the first half frustrations and it paid dividends. 

“It’s something we talked about, sticking to the process no matter how long the game went on at 0-0, or even if we concede,” the Limerick woman said afterward.  

“We were really pleased we stuck to the plan and broke through. We knew we needed to win corners; the execution in the first half wasn’t so good so we had to pick it up and nail it. Getting on the scoresheet early in the second half settled everyone.” 

Ireland v France Match Report

The Green Army enjoyed a bright start, winning a couple of penalty corners to no avail. The French keeper Mathilde Petriaux impressed for the world’s number 27 side. 

France also showed intent with Ponthieu playing a part, keeping McFerran on her toes as the first half ended blank. 

After the break, Sean Dancer’s side hit full throttle with Sarah Hawkshaw winning the corner which led to the deadlock being broken, a rocket of a penalty corner in the 32nd minute. 

McFerran was forced to make a stunning low glove save from Marie Simon’s corner chance. The French upped their intensity having gone behind but Ireland finished out the third quarter better. 

And they got an extra buffer from a corner; Upton’s strike was blocked but McLoughlin picked up the ball and unleashed a shot that took a slight deflection in. 

Malseed got in on the act with another strike for 3-0 as goals suddenly rained in thick and fast. Guusje van Bolhuis got one back a minute later from a French set piece. This respite was brief for her side as Carey swooped to score a rebound from Curran’s initial shot for 4-1. 

 

And Upton said it was not surprising to see the UCD player get in on the act. 

“It’s no different to what we see every day in training! Her first cap has been a long time coming but she scores goals like that constantly, even in the uncapped games and it is great to have her here.” 

For Carey, herself, it was a super start to her international career, a marked difference from her twin Michelle’s first cap during June’s European Championships. 

“Knowing it was a tournament game, there is that added pressure of it being must-win. It was nice, though, facing a lower-ranked team, unlike [her twin] Michelle’s first cap against Holland [in June], knowing we would have more of the ball and I would get some touches than she would have had!” 

Next up, Ireland (12th in the world) will meet Belarus (21st) with a place in Sunday’s final on offer. The Green Army must win both to qualify for the World Cup. 

 

Ireland v France Teams

Ireland: A McFerran, M Carey, R Upton, K Mullan, L Tice, N Carroll, H McLoughlin, C Watkins, S Hawkshaw, A O’Flanagan, N Carey 

Subs: E Getty, Z Malseed, S Torrans, D Duke, E Curran, S McAuley, L Murphy 

 

France: M Petriaux, E Ponthieu, J Brachet, M Simon, A Lesgourgues, G van Bolhuis, E Verzura, I Lardeur, A Garot, D Gaspari, T-M Schubert 

Subs: M Lahlah, Y Lhopital, G Verrier, E van der Zanden, N Roque, L Ehrmann

To read more in-depth and up-to-date Irish hockey and other sports news, click here.

Daka scores four as Leicester win first EL match of the season

Patson Daka scored all four goals for Leicester City as they beat Spartak Moscow in a seven-goal thriller at Okritie Arena in the UEFA Europa League.

Leicester edged out Spartak after going two goals down in the first half, conceding the first goal after only 11 minutes.

Daka scored his second goal for the club as an instant response to Spartak’s second of the game and did not stop when he came back out for the second half.

Another two goals led to his first hattrick for the Foxes in a nine-minute period and he sealed the win for the side in the final quarter of the match.

“[It’s a] very emotional night for me,” the 23-year-old told LCFC TV. “It’s so hard to describe in words, to be honest.

“I’m just thanking God to be in this position today and I’m just happy that I was able to help the team, which was very, very important. It’s a great performance from the team.

“Everyone is so happy for me. I’m sure you saw it on the pitch. Everyone is really happy. The atmosphere in the team is really great.

“We’re supporting each other each and every day and we’re putting the team first, which is very important for us.”

The Zambian opened his account with the club at the weekend, scoring the winner in a 4-2 victory over Manchester United at the King Power Stadium.

Daka joined the Premier League outfit from Red Bull Salzburg in the summer for a fee of £27 million and has taken a while to adapt to the change of scenery.

He came into Brendan Rodgers’ side off the back of a 34-goal season with the Austrian Club.

Rodgers praised his striker’s performance that saw the Foxes earn their first win of the Europa League group stage.

“He was exceptional,” the Leicester boss said. “To score four goals in a game… the first one, he takes it really, really well and we needed that just before half-time.

“Then, in the second half, Youri [Tielemans] produced a great pass that’s set up Kels [Iheanacho] to cross it and finish, so he’s in the right place at the right time.

“Madders [Maddison] plays one through, so yes, his finishing was sublime, but we’ve seen that in training since he’s come in. Left foot, right foot, he’s very composed, he’s very calm and we needed that tonight.”

Daka stressed that consistency is what he is aiming for as he looks to continue scoring in his new colours.

“Everyone can score, but it’s all about the consistency and that is the greatest challenge,” he noted.

“I don’t want to dwell on the goals I’ve scored, it’s all about the consistency, I have to continue working hard and making sure I continue doing what I have to do to help the team.”

Emma Slevin finishes 19th in WGC final

Galway gymnast Emma Slevin made history this morning by becoming the first Irish woman to compete in a World Championships final

Slevin earned her way into this final after a brilliant display in the heats on Tuesday. She joined a list of 24 of the world’s best gymnasts after she was ranked in 19th place in qualifying. The Championships was taking place in Kitakyushu in Japan.

To read more about how Emma Slevin qualified for this morning’s final, click here.

She made her way into the arena for the women’s All-Around final at 10:00 this morning.

Two of the highest-ranking women going into this were the USA’s Kayla de Cello and Russia’s Angelina Melnikova.

Women’s AA World Championships final

The Galway woman was the highest-ranked of the fourth group of athletes. This group began their set with a routine on the floor mat.

After Round One, De Cello was in first place with a score of 14.600 while Slevin found herself in 22nd place with 11.264.

Next up, the Irish woman would go sixth in her group on the vault. She scored a well-needed 13.600 with the crowd showing their excitement at her routine. At the halfway point, she jumped up in the ranking to 17th place.

Slevin’s third apparatus would be a challenging prospect on the uneven bars. After a moderately difficult routine, she moved into 18th place with an overall score of 37.399.

She was nearly five and a half marks behind the Russian leader going into the last round. Slevin finished her event with the balance beam. After a decent routine earning 13.733, she finished out the competition in 19th place with a final score of 50.132, very narrowly off her qualification score.

The gold medal in the women’s All-Around was awarded to Russia’s Melnikova. America’s Wong and Di Cello won silver and bronze respectively.

 

The end of Slevin’s campaign also spells the end of Ireland’s involvement in the World Championships in Kitakyushu.

This has been a very impressive and successful year for Slevin after performing strongly in the European Championships and finishing in 19th place at only 17 years of age.

Now 18 years old, the Galway woman still has plenty of years to improve on her performances internationally.

 

To read more in-depth and up-to-date Irish gymnastics and other sports news, click here.

Glasgow Warriors v Leinster – Preview, Teams, Odds, Where To Watch

Leinster face Glasgow Warriors on Friday night at Scotstoun Stadium in Round 5 of the United Rugby Championship.

Glasgow host the defending champions on the back of three wins on the trot and having just lost once in eight across the Rainbow Cup and URC.

However, they will need to buck a poor record against Irish provinces which has yielded just one win in 11 fixtures – a 15-12 home success over Leinster in the Rainbow Cup in June.

Leinster are one of only three teams – Ulster and Munster the others – to have won all four games this season.

Three bonus point wins and a poor display against the Dragons have showcased a Leinster team that are growing into the season.

The side’s loss to the Warriors in the summer was their only defeat on their travels in the championship since April 2019 but they have been beaten six times in 10 visits to Scotstoun in all competitions.

The Irish provincial outfit have a lot of positive news on the injury front heading into their clash with the one-time league winners.

Caelan Doris (calf) and Ciarán Frawley (dead leg) both came through the win over Scarlets with no issues and will train as normal this week.

Jack Dunne (ankle) and Scott Penny (dead leg) have both returned to full training, with Dunne lining out at the weekend with Dublin University in the Energia All-Ireland League.

Harry Byrne and Dave Kearney are back in training this week after hip and ankle injuries respectively while Johnny Sexton will be monitored throughout the week after his hip injury.

Jimmy O’Brien missed out last week through illness and will be further assessed this week before a decision is made, as will Rory O’Loughlin (shoulder).

James Ryan has entered the Graduated Return to Play Protocols while Robbie Henshaw will be unavailable for selection this week but in positive news, he will take some part in training this week as the medics continue to monitor his progress.

There are no further updates on Michael Milne (calf), Will Connors (knee) and Thomas Clarkson (hamstring).

Lions duo Zander Fagerson and Ali Price return for the Warriors but seven players remain unavailable.

Teams

Leinster

15. Hugo Keenan (33)
14. Adam Byrne (58)
13. Garry Ringrose (89)
12. Ciarán Frawley (39)
11. James Lowe (54)
10. Ross Byrne (107)
9. Luke McGrath (154) CAPTAIN

1. Cian Healy (235)
2. Rónan Kelleher (27)
3. Tadhg Furlong (115)
4. Ross Molony (120)
5. Ryan Baird (31)
6. Caelan Doris (42)
7. Dan Leavy (74)
8. Jack Conan (106)

Replacements:

16. Dan Sheehan (16)
17. Ed Byrne (73)
18. Michael Ala’alatoa (4)
19. Devin Toner (267)
20. Rhys Ruddock (192)
21. Jamison Gibson-Park (104)
22. Jamie Osborne (8)
23. Josh van der Flier (101)

Glasgow Warriors

1. Jamie Bhatti (51)
2. Johnny Matthews (14)
3. Zander Fagerson (101)
4. Rob Harley (254)
5. Richie Gray (65)
6. Ryan Wilson (C) (196)
7. Rory Darge (7)
8. Jack Dempsey (3)

9. Ali Price (97)
10. Duncan Weir (110)
11. Rufus McLean (13)
12. Sam Johnson (76)
13. Sione Tuipulotu (4)
14. Kyle Steyn (34)
15. Ross Thompson (18)

16. George Turner (63)
17. Oli Kebble (59)
18. Enrique Pieretto (21)
19. Lewis Bean (9)
20. Matt Fagerson (72)
21. George Horne (70)
22. Nick Grigg (93)
23. Cole Forbes (10)

Odds

Glasgow Warriors 7/2

Draw 25/1

Leinster 1/5

Where To Watch

The match is scheduled to kick-off at 7:35 pm and will be shown live on Premier Sports, URC TV and TG4.

Cian Healy starts for Leinster in clash with Glasgow Warriors

The Leinster Rugby team to face Glasgow Warriors in Round 5 of the United Rugby Championship at Scotstoun Stadium tomorrow has been named by Leo Cullen (KO 7.35 pm – live on TG4, Premier Sports and URC TV).

This is the last game of the five-game block in the URC before a break for the Autumn Internationals.

Cian Healy starts at loosehead this week alongside Ronan Kelleher and Tadhg Furlong in the front row.

Ross Molony and Ryan Baird round out the front five in the second row, with Caelan Doris, Dan Leavy and Jack Conan the back row trio.

Luke McGrath captains the side from scrum-half with Ross Byrne playing alongside him in the number 10 shirt.

Hugo Keenan, Adam Byrne and James Lowe are the back three selected by Cullen with recent Ireland call-up Ciarán Frawley and Garry Ringrose the centre partnership.

Another recent national call-up Dan Sheehan resides on the bench alongside the likes of Josh Van Der Flier and Devin Toner.

Leinster Team v Glasgow Warriors

15. Hugo Keenan (33)
14. Adam Byrne (58)
13. Garry Ringrose (89)
12. Ciarán Frawley (39)
11. James Lowe (54)
10. Ross Byrne (107)
9. Luke McGrath (154) CAPTAIN

1. Cian Healy (235)
2. Rónan Kelleher (27)
3. Tadhg Furlong (115)
4. Ross Molony (120)
5. Ryan Baird (31)
6. Caelan Doris (42)
7. Dan Leavy (74)
8. Jack Conan (106)

Replacements:

16. Dan Sheehan (16)
17. Ed Byrne (73)
18. Michael Ala’alatoa (4)
19. Devin Toner (267)
20. Rhys Ruddock (192)
21. Jamison Gibson-Park (104)
22. Jamie Osborne (8)
23. Josh van der Flier (101)

Sailors to watch at the Irish Youth National Championships

Ones to watch at the Investwise Irish Sailing Youth Nationals 2021 – over 100 young sailors ready to compete after a gap of two years

After a gap of two years, 135 young sailors are signed up and raring to go at the Investwise Irish Sailing Youth National Championships. The event is unique – not only is it the biggest youth event held in Ireland, it’s the only time that different youth classes come together to compete, gain valuable experience on the water, hear from Irish Sailing coaches, and, along with their families, learn more about the Irish Sailing Performance Pathway. There are five classes (types of boat) taking part from all across the country and we’ve outlined some of the names to watch below.

In the ILCA 6 (Laser Radials) there are some well known names including Eve McMahon (Howth YC) who’s fresh from a successful summer of overseas competing where she won the ILCA 6 Youth World Championships in Italy in July, and a previous winner at the Youth Nationals. She’s joined by three of the Irish Sailing Laser Radial Academy athletes: Ellie Cunnane (Tralee Bay SC) and local sailors Jonathan O’Shaughnessy and Michael Crosbie (both RCYC). Rocco Wright (Howth YC) is a new entry coming up from ILCA4 (Laser 4.7s) and one to watch.

The small 420 fleet will have sailors who know each other well, and three clubs dominating: Lough Ree Yacht Club, Waterford Harbour Sailing Club, and Malahide Yacht Club.

Female helms lead the way in the 29er class with a 60/40 girl/boy ratio. Three of them are representing Dun Laoghaire’s Royal St George YC: Emily Riordan, Rachel Flood and Clementine van Steenberge.  Local Cork helm James Dwyer had a top 15 finish at the 29er World Championships in Spain in September. This is the first time the 29ers will compete at the Youth Nationals, and the class are in discussions with Irish Sailing about becoming a full Performance Pathway class.

ILCA4 (Laser 4.7s) sees a lot of new entries in the class, with many of the top competitors moving on from the ILCA 4s up to the bigger ILCA 6 or another dinghy. Ones to watch are Sienna Wright (Howth YC) and Hannah Dadley-Young (Ballyholme YC) along with Daniel Palmer (Ballyholme YC) who’s moved up from the Topper class, along with Spaniard Mauro G Regueral Noguerol (RCYC).

Finally in the Toppers, there is a large fleet from across the country with Bobby Driscoll from the North (Royal North of Ireland YC) and Rian Collins from the South (Royal Cork YC) sure to feature. With many sailors finishing the season strongly, Ciara McMahon (Malahide YC), Riona McMorrow Moriarty (Tralee Bay SC) and Dan O’Leary (Royal Cork YC) are also in the mix.

The Investwise Irish Sailing Youth National Championships take place 28-31 October 2021 at the Royal Cork Yacht Club, Crosshaven, Co Cork.

 

Young sailors from across Ireland will compete across four different classes: 420, Topper, ILCA 4 (Laser 4.7) and ILCA 6 (Laser Radial). These are the classes that have been identified as the best to facilitate progression through the Irish Sailing Performance Pathway. The remaining four classes will be joined for the first time by the 29er class.

David Quinn, MD, Investwise Financial Planning, commented: “We are delighted to support this wonderful event for young sailors.  Sailing teaches important life skills such as awareness, responsibility, patience and respect, as well as building friendships that last a lifetime. We’re delighted that our youth sailors have the opportunity to get back out on the water to compete again at their National Championships after a break of two years.  It promises to be a superb event in Cork over the mid-term break and I look forward to meeting everyone there.”

Ireland v Russia – Preview, Team News, Where To Watch

The Ireland Men’s national hockey team will take on Russia in their first game of the European qualifier for the 2023 Men’s FIH Hockey World Cup.

The qualification tournament is being played at the Sport Wales National Centre in Cardiff and features eight teams looking for the final European spot at the 2023 World Cup.

The national team need to win their first two games to land a place at the 2023 showpiece event to be played in India.

Ireland will be looking to reach a second successive World Cup and their fourth overall after appearing at their first in 28 years in 2018.

They come into the competition as the second-highest ranked side, one place behind France in 14th.

Their opponents, Russia, are yet to qualify for the World Cup, with this qualification tournament acting as a golden ticket for the second-lowest ranked team out of the eight competing.

If Ireland beat Russia, they will face either Wales or Italy on Saturday, October 23 for a place at the World Cup.

Mark Tumilty’s side qualified for the eight-team tournament after finishing third at the 2021 Men’s EuroHockey Championship II in Poland back in August.

Since then, Olympian Conor Harte has returned to the side while Luke Madeley, Jamie Carr and Lee Cole are also available having missed out on playing time at the Euros when they were deemed close contacts in the lead-up to the event.

11 of the team that saw game time in Poland have been called up for the qualifiers at the end of the month.

Russia earned their spot after qualifying for the 2021 Men’s EuroHockey Championship, at which they finished last after conceding 33 goals in six games.

Ireland will head into the qualifiers after sharing a series on short notice with Malaysia in Lisnagarvey at the start of October.

Team News

Ireland men’s squad for World Cup qualifiers (club/caps)
Jamie Carr (GK, KHC Leuven, 34)
Mark Ingram (GK, Pembroke, 27)
Tom Cross (Annadale, 22)
Luke Madeley (KHC Leuven, 23)
Lee Cole (Monkstown, 90)
Conor Harte (KHC Dragons, 254)
Peter McKibbin (Lisnagarvey, 8)
Kyle Marshall (Old Georgians, 7)
Shane O’Donoghue (Glenanne, 197)
Sean Murray (captain, KHC Leuven, 85)
Neal Glassey (Crefelder HTC, 67)
Daragh Walsh (KHC Leuven, 58)
Michael Robson (Annadale, 120)
Johnny McKee (Banbridge, 49)
Conor Empey (SCHC, 2)
Sam Hyland (YMCA, 2)
Ben Walker (Braxgata, 42)
Jeremy Duncan (Monkstown, 63)

Travelling reserves
Matthew Nelson (Lisnagarvey, 69)
Kevin O’Dea (UCD, 7)

Where To Watch

The match will begin at 4 pm and will be shown live on EuroHockeyTV.

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