Irish Wheelchair Rugby team set to depart for IWRF European A Championships
This Saturday the Irish Wheelchair Rugby squad will depart for the 2015 IWRF European A Wheelchair Rugby Championships. Ten players will make up the team, which will represent Ireland at the forthcoming Championships, to be held in Pajulahti, Finland from 13th – 20th September 2015.
Commenting on the announcement, Irish Wheelchair Rugby Chairman, Ann McGill, said “We wish the team the very best of luck. After the success of the team at the European B Championships in Prague in April we hope to see a strong performance in Finland. It is also refreshing and promising for the future of Irish Wheelchair Rugby to see new squad members coming to the fore. This is the beginning of a long journey for Irish Wheelchair Rugby to build towards qualifying for World Championship and Paralympic Games. This is a team of very talented players and this is a perfect opportunity for them to display their talent.”
The team, captained by Alan Lynch, is looking forward to the challenge of this European A Championships and is looking to improve on their current European and World Rankings in the hope of qualifying for next years Paralympic Games in Rio, Brazil. Ireland have been drawn together with the hosts Finland, Denmark, and Germany in Group whilst Great Britain, Belgium, France and Sweden make up Group A.
The Irish match schedule is as follows (in Irish Time);
- Tuesday 15th September – 17.00 Group B, Finland V Ireland
- Wednesday 16th September – 10.00 Group B, Germany V Ireland
- Thursday 17th September – 12.00 Group B, Ireland V Denmark
To follow the action every match will be broadcast live via the tournament website: www.wrec2015.fi/en
The Irish Team comprises ten athletes, across a range of classifications:
- 0.5 Will Doggart Belfast, Co. Antrim Ulster Barbarians
- 0.5 Finbar Dorgan Cobh, Cork Munster Crusaders
- 1.0 Alan Lynch (Captain) Tallanstown, Co. Louth Gaelic Warriors
- 2.0 Ciara Staunton Baltinglass, Co. Wicklow Laois Lions
- 2.0 Garrett Culliton Clonaslee, Co. Laois Laois Lions
- 3.0 Stephen Aylmer Marino, Co. Dublin Gaelic Warriors
- 3.0 Jonathan Mullhall Athy, Co. Kildare Laois Lions
- 3.0 Alan Dineen Togher, Co. Cork Munster Crusaders
- 3.5 Thomas Moylan Aughrim, Co. Wicklow Gaelic Warriors
The cost of sending the team to these Championships will cost in excess of €20,000 and in effort to contribute towards these costs we have launched a PledgeSport Campaign.
You can support the team by pledging your support at the following Pledge Sport page: https://www.pledgesports.org/projects/wheels-in-green-wheelchair-rugby-sponsorship/
For Further Information contact Irish Wheelchair Rugby Conor Galvin at conor@irishwheelchairrugby.com