Scotland U18 Women will face Ireland this weekend in a two match series at Forthbank Stadium, Stirling. The first match is scheduled for Saturday 12 March, with the second contest taking place on Sunday 13 March. There will also be a shortened training match scheduled in for Saturday morning.
The Scots will utilise a large training squad throughout the weekend, with all squad members expected to play a part in the matches for what will be their first taste of international hockey at this level. Ireland presents a good test for Head Coach Colin Clarke’s charges, with the Irish being the higher ranked nation.
Looking forward to this weekend’s matches, Clarke said, “The girls have been working hard in training and throughout the conditioning programme, but this is our first opportunity to see the players compete at international level. We have a training squad of twenty-seven players and everyone will get game-time this weekend. We will be keeping tactics simple and testing various combinations of players.”
Of the twenty-seven players named in the squad, there is a strong contingent from CALA Edinburgh, Grove Menzieshill and Milne Craig Clydesdale Western, plus players from Inverleith, Grange, Giffnock, Kelburne, Borders Fjordhus, GHK, and Granite City Wanderers.
CALA Edinburgh starlet Fiona Plain will play a prominent role in the squad, having already been rewarded for her excellent form this season with a call-up to the Scotland U21s for the EuroHockey Junior Nations Championship in February, and will impart useful experience gained at U21 level to this weekend’s encounters.
As well as providing the Scotland management team and coaches with the opportunity to assess the home players in action, they will also be able to cast an eye over Ireland’s squad before the sides meet in international competition in the summer.
“Playing Ireland gives us a good opportunity to assess the strengths and weaknesses of an opponent we will face in forthcoming European competition. This weekend will provide tough games for the squad but I feel the teams are evenly matched so we are hopeful of seeing some positive results.”
With European competitions a matter of weeks away, Clarke will be looking for his team to gel together quickly and develop an excellent team spirit.
“I’ve been very pleased with the progress and level of skill in training sessions so far, and we will be expecting the girls to translate this into performance on the pitch. The girls will get to know each other and experience playing together this weekend, which is vital in our preparations for summer internationals.”
Scotland U18 Women: Mairi Drummond, Amber McNeill, Fiona Plain, Kate Smith, Hazel Hall, Kirsty Hill (all CALA Edinburgh), Jennifer Hendry, Heather Howie, Bethan Mann, Kirsten McIntosh, Karin Belch (Milne Craig Clydesdale Western), Nicki Cochrane, Anna Gourely, Jenni Smith, Louise Campbell (all Grove Menzieshill), Kike Lawal, Fern Mitchell, Lucy Preston (all Grange), Heather Lang, Lucy Lanigan, Emma O’Rourke (all Giffnock), Emma Barlow, Amanda Maxwell (both Kelburne), Laura Page (Inverleith), Jenny Morris (GHK), Sarah Robertson (Borders Fjordhus), Emily Watson (Granite City Wanderers).
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
Match and Training Schedule:
| Date | Time | Opposition / Training | Venue |
| 12th March | 9.00-10.30 | Scotland Training | Forthbank |
| 12th March | 11.30 | Training Match | Forthbank |
| 12th March | 18.00 | Match 1 | Forthbank |
| 13th March | 14.00 | Match 2 | Forthbank |
Players & Officials:
| Position | Surname | Forename | Phone | |
| Manager | Hay | Lindsay | tamlin2246@aol.com | 07891 300 194 |
| Coach | Clark | Colin | beaksy@hotmail.com | 07980 823 892 |
| Ass. Coach | Ralph | Mark |
Squad Details:
| Surname | Forename | Club |
| Drummond | Mairi | CALA Edinburgh |
| Lawal | Kike | Grange |
| McNeill | Amber | CALA Edinburgh |
| Page | Laura | Inverleith |
| Plain | Fiona | CALA Edinburgh |
| Preston | Lucy | Grange |
| Smith | Kate | CALA Edinburgh |
| Hall | Hazel | CALA Edinburgh |
| Mitchell | Fern | Grange |
| Cochrane | Nicki | Grove Menzieshill |
| Gourlay | Anna | Grove Menzieshill |
| Smith | Jenni | Grove Menzieshill |
| Campbell | Louise | Grove Menzieshill |
| Watson | Emily | Granite City Wanderers |
| Robertson | Sarah | Borders Fjordhus |
| Hill | Kirsty | CALA Edinburgh |
| Barlow | Emma | Kelburne |
| Maxwell | Amanda | Kelburne |
| Hendry | Jennifer | Milne Craig Clydesdale Western |
| Howie | Heather | Milne Craig Clydesdale Western |
| Lang | Heather | Giffnock |
| Lanigan | Lucy | Giffnock |
| Mann | Bethan | Milne Craig Clydesdale Western |
| McIntosh | Kirsten | Milne Craig Clydesdale Western |
| Morris | Jenny | G.H.K. |
| O’Rourke | Emma | Giffnock |
| Belch | Karin | Milne Craig Clydesdale Western |