Cork hockey players head to Spain for U18 tournaments

Four Harlequins players are currently in Spain as they prepare to play in an U18 eight nations hockey tournament, starting tomorrow.

Susanna Burke and Lilymay Kelleher are part of the Irish squad that will take on Belgium, Holland, Canada, Germany, Scotland, England and Spain from tomorrow up to next Friday, depending on results over the pool ties.

They start their campaign against the Netherlands tomorrow at 9pm Irish time in Granada, a tough opener for the Irish side.

They follow that up with a clash with Canada on Sunday and the other countries over the following days.

Both players were part of the Irish team that went to France for a tournament earlier this year over the Easter weekend, so will be aware of the tough games that lie ahead for them and their teammates.

Susanna and Lilymay are no stranger to success as they were part of the Scoil Mhuire team that won the Munster double – league and cup – at schools level this year.

They then went on to win the Daphe Hall All-Ireland Hockey Cup, with Kelleher one of their scorers in a 3-2 win in the final.

In their Munster Cup win over Crescent College Burke was named Player of the Game afterwards so both will be expected to play a major part for Ireland in the coming days.

They will be hoping to make the semi-finals which are scheduled for Thursday and if successful there the final is on Friday.

The Irish boys’ side are also playing the same opponents in this competition. Susanna and Lilymay will be joined by fellow Harlequins players, Charlie Bateman and William Black, who are part of the boys’ squad for the tournament.

Their schedule of games is similar to the girls as Ireland will be hoping to bring home some silverware at the end of the tournaments.