Local hockey players head to Spain for World Cup
WEXFORD HOCKEY Club will be proudly cheering on three of their members when they jet off to Spain to play in the Exin Masters World Cup in Terrassa, Spain this weekend.
Ciara Pettitt, Sinead McDonnell and Leonie Grant are all in the Irish Over-40 squad for the tournament, following a heavy training schedule, most of which ran in tandem with their busy club season.
The trio, who play with Wexford’s first team, have already played inter-provincial competitions with Leinster, which they won, and the Home Nations tournament in Swansea earlier in the year. All three are former students of the Loreto Secondary School where they were trained, like many others, by Kai Gahan.
All three players have seen a huge increase in hockey playing time this year as, not only were they training at regular intervals since last October, they have also had extra club commitments as Wexford Hockey Club joined the Leinster league this year and had over 20 games, many of which were in Dublin. The club secured promotion from Division 5.
Ciara Pettitt, from Piercestown, has played in numerous inter-provincial tournaments and previously played hockey in Dublin with Hermes (now Monkstown) and Pembroke Wanderers. This is her first year qualifying for the Masters and she has thoroughly enjoyed the experience so far.
‘We have a great group of girls and everyone is very committed. I played for Ireland at Under 16 and Under 18 level and two of the girls on this team were on that U16 team so we are playing together again after 24 years!’
She said the Home Nations tournament had been a great learning experience but also the site of a new milestone for Ciara as she scored her first international goal against Scotland.
Sinead McDonnell, from Barntown, has represented Ireland from U16 up to U21 level, as well as playing senior with Leinster and playing with Hermes in Dublin.
‘This experience tops it all. We’ve had brilliant coaches, the team is very competitive and everyone is hugely committed. It has been so enjoyable that I don’t want it to end!’
Leonie Grant, from Castle Ellis, was a member of the squad last year when the team took part in the European Cup in Tillberg, in the Netherlands, getting to a fourth-place play-off against England. Leonie, who is the owner of Grant Pharmacy Group, said it was a great experience, particularly as Wexford Hockey Club has the highest number of players on the squad.
The trio will travel to Spain on Thursday with the squad and a contingent of their Wexford club-mates are heading over to support them at the weekend.