Feb 27, 2012
Ronan Gormley, Ireland’s Men’s Hockey Captain, Speaks about the upcoming Electric Ireland FIH Road To London (Olympic Qualifiers)
Monday 27th February
Four years ago, the Irish men’s Olympic dream unwound in gut-wrenching fashion in New Zealand. A three-way tie saw Ireland level with the Black Sticks as well as Argentina but they missed out on a one-off playoff for the final place at the Beijing Games by just a single goal on goal difference.
While many would wracked their brains, wondering where an extra goal could have been eked out over the five game group phase, current Irish skipper Ronan Gormley admits it is something he never really dwelt on. He simply states that the side “performed well”. Indeed, focus on performance is a theme which runs through Gormley’s thoughts in spite of a 12-month period which has seen a string of wins.
Among their most recent successes was an epic 5-4 result against a rising Belgian force, a side already qualified for the Games.
When asked whether he was in anyway concerned by some mixed results in the build-up for the Olympic qualifier, which starts on March 10 in Belfield, he is genuinely surprised.
“Until that question, I hadn’t even thought of it. Focus is on performance. It’s nice to get results. There isn’t really excitement in the build-up games as such when you do [beat Belgium].
“It’s another match ticked off; what did we do well and what can we learn for the next match? There’s handshakes and a pat on the back but, after the match, results against that sort of opposition are accumulating. It’s not something you have a skip and a jump about it.”
Last summer, one of the results that announced Ireland as an emerging contender on the world stage was a 5-1 victory over world number six side Korea but Gormley adds what looked a ground-breaking win for supporters was greeted in the same manner.
“It was very similar. It was very matter of fact when we walked off the pitch. We’re going to do the same thing, do our warm down then watch the video, rest and then go again the next day.”
The Asian side, nonetheless, are the biggest hurdle to be overcome in the Electric Ireland FIH Road To London (Olympic qualifier) and are fresh from an incredible comeback series win against New Zealand.
“Korea are the top ranked side so it’s obvious to say they are the calibre team. Malaysia, we’ve had some good battles with them in the past, tight margins so both teams are big challenges. Chile are quite hungry as a lower ranked team; they always fight hard while we’ve had the better of Russia in the last while but they have beaten other higher ranked opposition so need to be taken care of as well.”
On the face of it, Malaysia and Ireland look set for a showdown on the second Saturday of the competition (17th March). The south-east Asian side have been inconsistent with a victory over the Netherlands followed by an 8-1 capitulation to Australia, something which Gormley says makes them both “dangerous and weak at the same time”.
Should Ireland continue their recent upward curve, though, they will be a side to beat. Injury has created some headaches – Gormley among them along with corner specialist John Jermyn – but these appear to be clearing up in good time.
For instance, the skipper came back to the fray in the last of the recent series with Spain in Alicante.
“It was quite early to make the comeback but it reacted really well in the first few days on the couch with my leg elevated, watching the golf and the US Open tennis!
“There are a few niggles but there’s strength in depth. A lot of players were used last year who can step in if they don’t quite make it. But everyone is pulling through now. You’re never going to get away in elite sport – especially with hockey’s intensity – with zero injuries. Last year, we were incredibly lucky. This year, we just have to deal with it.”
The other pressure may come from a sense of expectation after a 2011 which yielded three trophies and a best ever European championships finish but riding such a wave is a positive in Gormley’s eyes.
“It’s a tournament at home and we take great positives from that. There are potential distractions if you let your mind wander but we have been able to control that before. In Monchengladbach [at the Europeans] and the Champions Challenge II a couple of years back, so we have a history of dealing with such pressure.
“Having vocal Irish support there is great and I hear tickets are flying out so I look forward to playing in front of lots of familiar faces and lots of noise.
“The guys just do what they do. We’ve been doing it for the last two or three years, made lots of progress and hopefully can keep doing it. However that affects the public here – if it does so in a positive way – that’s superb for Irish hockey.”
Written by Stephen Findlater on behalf of the Irish Hockey Association
The Tournament, Electric Ireland FIH Road to London, takes place in UCD, Dublin from 10th – 18th March 2012
Feb 22, 2012
Triathlon Ireland offer Irish athletes the chance to compete for their country at age group or non elite level at a range of European and World Championship events each year.
2011 was a record year for Triathlon Ireland with over 100 athletes representing Ireland at European and World Championships in a variety of distances. 2011’s most popular race was the European Triathlon Championships in Pontevedra, Spain where 49 Irish triathletes battled it out against the best age group athletes in Europe.
Mark Horan took gold in the Men’s 30-34 age group while Cork man Mark Nolan and Limerick lady Andree Walkin also made the podium each taking third place in their age group.
In 2011 the Triathlon World Championships was held in Beijing where Ireland had a team of 9 age group representatives and 3 elite athletes travel. Deidre Casey took a superb gold in the 25-29 age group, making the long trip worthwhile.
If you fancy representing Ireland in the fastest growing sport in the country now is the time to start training. Triathlon Ireland has just opening applications for the 2013 European and World Championships.
With the World Championships just a stone’s throw away in London and the European Championships in Turkey, Triathlon Ireland CEO, Matt McKerrow expects to see a big team travelling. “Ireland has 20 slots available per age group per gender so we could have a couple of hundred people competing for us at the World Championship. There’s always a great atmosphere around these races and with it being in London the Irish support will be that much better.”
If you’re looking for a different challenge Triathlon Ireland are also taking applications for the Off Road and Long Distance European and World Triathlon Championships and for those who are not natural swimmers there is always the European and World Duathlon Championships.
For more information on age group selection see www.triathlonireland.com
Pic: Sportsfile: Conor Devitt and Amy Brogan celebrate after they finish the Sprint Distance European Championships in Spain.
Feb 22, 2012
The Irish Sailing Association (ISA) is delighted to announce its partnership with Dubarry of Ireland for the ISA Dubarry 6th Annual National Conference. The event will take place on the 3rd of March in the Royal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire, Co. Dublin to launch what will be one of the most exciting years for watersports in Ireland with so many major international events being hosted in Ireland as well as the participation of the Irish Olympic Sailing team in London 2012.
Dubarry of Ireland Marketing Director, Michael Walsh remarked “2012 is the celebration of Dubarry’s 75th year in business, having been established in 1937 in County Galway. Dubarry have had a very long association with sailing in Ireland down the years and we are delighted to sponsor this ISA National Conference in a year that is very special for us. We also have the Volvo Ocean Race coming to Galway with a strong on board Dubarry product presence on both Telefonica and Abu Dhabi Ocean Racing”.
The ISA Conference has undergone a revamp for 2012. With many high profile events coming to Irish shores this year it is important for the ISA to provide a platform from which to increase awareness of sailing which in turn will drive incremental participation in the sport.
The one day conference, which will be facilitated by RTE broadcaster Fergal Keane, will host seminars and workshops across a range of interesting topics including the latest training and racing topics, raising money, running successful events and media management delivered by guest speakers.
Among the many seminars, Failte Ireland will be presenting their Marine Leisure Marketing Strategy for 2012 as well as detailing how international events benefit Ireland’s tourism industry. Learn more about the international events Ireland will be hosting including the ISAF Youth Worlds, Cork Week, Round Ireland, the Volvo Ocean Race and many more.
With three ISA Olympic Teams having already qualified for London 2012, the ISA High Performance Manager James O’Callaghan will be delivering an Olympic Update as we follow the athletes as they prepare for the pinnacle of four years of training.
ISA Chief Executive Harry Hermon states “We are delighted to welcome Dubarry on board as title sponsors of the ISA Annual Conference and wish them continued success during their 75th year in business. The ISA Dubarry 6th Annual National Conference is free for all ISA members and we are looking forward to a strong attendance at this year’s event so we can pull all resources together to drive the sport forward”.
For more information go to www.sailing.ie/Conference.
Feb 21, 2012
The Irish Daily Star Leagues throw in on Sunday February 26th with Wexford bidding to record a hat-trick of Division One titles.
Wexford vice-captain Catherine O’Loughlin, Galway’s Tara Ruttledge,Waterfordskipper Nicola Morrissey and Aishling Jackson of Antrim joined President of the Camogie Association Joan O’Flynn and Irish Daily Star Sports Editor Eoin Brannigan for the launch of the Irish Daily Star Leagues atCrokeParkthis afternoon.
This is the second year of the partnership between the Camogie Association and the Irish Daily Star.
Speaking at this afternoon’s launch President of the Camogie Association Joan O’Flynn:
“It’s great to be getting ready for another year of top camogie action, commencing with our leagues this coming Sunday. The National Leagues are of huge significance and have formed an important launching pad for future All Ireland success later in the year as shown by our current Division One and Two champions, Wexford andWaterfordwho secured Senior and Premier Junior titles, respectively last September.
The Camogie Association values the enormous contribution of a strong national brand like the Irish Daily Star in promoting the National Leagues.”
Ger Colleran, MD of the Irish Daily Star said:
“We at the Irish Daily Star are committed to providing the very best coverage of sport at all levels inIrelandto almost 400,000 readers.
Last season was our first year as sponsor of the Irish Daily Star Camogie Leagues and it proved to be a great success. We got a great reaction to our enhanced weekly coverage of the games and this helped cement our position asIreland’s premier sporting newspaper.
We have enjoyed an excellent relationship with the Camogie Association over the years and we look forward to continuing this. We are honoured to be the title sponsor of the Irish Daily Star Camogie League again this year.”
Feb 21, 2012
Better Boards, Stronger Sport is a project that is led and inspired by the sports movement. It is based on the premise that sports organisations must be empowered to take responsibility for setting the agenda and improving governance without regulation or compliance being dictated to them by outside regulators. The project is based on the foundation that real improvement has to be driven by the sports movement itself because regulation will only achieve compliance and not drive improvement.
The project has received funding from the EU commission as part of the funding for Preparatory Action in the field of sport. The project empowers sport organisations to act on the issue of governance by establishing a broad understand of the key features of good governance in sport across Europe and developing case studies and tools to help organisations understand and achieve the features.
The project is a partnership:
Project Lead:
- The Sport and Recreation Alliance (UK)
Project Partners:
- Estonian Olympic Committee
- European Athletes as Student
- European Women in Sport
- Finnish Sports Federation
- Hungarian Sports Confederation
- Just Sport Ireland
- Polish Ministery of Sport and Tourism
The project will produce a toolkit that will include:
- the key features for good sports boards,
- case studies examples with action points outlining how to implement the features
- tools to help sports organisations achieve the key features.
The project team will consult the sports movement on the development of each part of the project to ensure that the final toolkit is created by the sports movement and will drive improvement.
This project is created and directed by the sports movement for the sports movement. There will be consultations that we will make you aware of and we encourage you to input into the project to help make it a success.
For more information on the project please contact: sarah.oconnor@irishsport.ie
