Bessbrook's O'Hanlon retains NI captaincy

SOUTH Armnagh ace Caroline O’Hanlon has been reappointed Northern Ireland netball captain by head coach Sheonah Forbes ahead of the three-Test series in Barbados which gets underway this Saturday.

The Warriors squad of 14, which also includes Frances Keenan from Cullyhanna, left yesterday (Mon) for the glamour tour to the Caribbean which was originally meant to feature a triangular invitation tournament called the Paradise Cup but unfortunately Malawi withdrew.

The African nation are ranked seventh in the world and have had some epic encounters over the years while hosts Barbados sit four places below Northern Ireland at 15th in the newly-updated official standings.

Northern Ireland’s most capped player of all time, O’Hanlon has captained her country since the summer of 2016 and had already committed to another new year with the Warriors as part of Netball NI’s high-performance programme.

The world-class centre was included in the Warriors squad for this Paradise Series when it was announced a few weeks ago but some wondered whether it might be significant that no captain was named at the time.

Long-serving vice-captain Fionnuala Toner led the team to a trophy triumph at May’s Europe Netball Open in the absence of O’Hanlon, who was playing gaelic football for Armagh in the Ulster showpiece the same afternoon as her Warriors were winning silverware.

The Warriors showed fantastic character in coming from behind to edge the United Arab Emirates 60-58 in Douglas while O’Hanlon’s Orchard crew were reclaiming the provincial crown by defeating Donegal after extra-time in Clones.

There were other credible alternatives too with Michelle Magee and Niamh Cooper being the vice-captains of O’Hanlon’s Leeds Rhinos and semi-finalists Severn Stars respectively in the 2024 British SuperLeague season.

Given that O’Hanlon, who has been in the Northern Ireland squad since 2002, turned 40 earlier this month and has struggled with injury recently, there would have been pragmatic grounds for Forbes to consider a captaincy change.

Like both her immediate predecessors, the former England Academy boss had retained O’Hanlon as captain when she took up post last summer and she clearly regards the mid-court maestro as still the right woman for the job.

That is testament to the ongoing hunger and dedication of O’Hanlon, who has been playing two sports successfully at the highest level for more than two decades and recently completed her 23rd consecutive season in the orange jersey of Armagh.

We are now midway through the cycle from Birmingham 2022 to the next Commonwealth Games and there is speculation that an announcement could be imminent on where those will be staged after the withdrawal of original hosts Victoria.

That would be a real relief for everyone involved in netball as it has appeared at times that the Commonwealth Games might be doomed, but the suggestion seems to be that 2014 hosts Glasgow will step in again to save the day.

Lisa Alexander, who won the 2015 World Cup as Australia head coach has publicly backed O’Hanlon to keep playing until the 2026 Commonwealth Games while Armagh gaelic followers will hope she commits to another Orchard campaign.

A season which brought the Orchard outfit’s first ever National League title and a fourth Ulster Senior Championship success in five seasons ended with a narrow All Ireland semi-final loss to Kerry, who went on to lift the Brendan Martin Cup by beating Galway.

Armagh have shown they are credible contenders for the top prize and the Orchard’s chances next year should be boosted by the anticipated return from a cruciate rupture of ace markswoman Aimee Mackin, which could help persuade O’Hanlon to give it one more go.

Despite doubling up playing British SuperLeague games most weekends too, O’Hanlon was in excellent form throughout this spring’s National League and made the ceremonial Team of Division One at the NFL Awards.

However, she was significantly curtailed by a torn calf muscle in the All Ireland quarter-final and semi, with a lot of the damage being done during extra-time in the Clones showpiece against Donegal when the triple All Star played through the pain barrier.

O’Hanlon’s fitness for this series in Barbados must be in some doubt which perhaps explains why new NI Under 21 captain and Derry gaelic footballer Orla McGeough, originally named as a travelling reserve, is now being brought to Barbados as a 14th player.

After a warm-up match against Barbados Under 21s, the Warriors will face the Bajan Gems on Saturday, Monday and Tuesday, though those matches will technically take place the following day our time with 1am starts.  It isn’t known yet whether they will be streamed live.

Northern Ireland have enjoyed good battles with Barbados, including defeating them 35-33 in a thrilling Quad Series final in Lisburn to qualify for the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and also winning when the teams last met at the 2019 World Cup.

Along with her captain fantastic, Forbes welcomes back two other frontliners who missed the Europe Netball Open in O’Hanlon’s fellow doctor Cooper and Leeds Rhinos forward Emma Magee, whose sister Michelle was only available for the final of that tournament.

Toner remains as vice-captain, with Michelle Magee and lead shooter Orlaith Rogers also cited as part of an official leadership group, while the players from the Europe Netball Open squad to miss out here are Lisa Carlin, Tillie Irvine, Ana Mulholland and Olivia McCloskey.

The Warriors tour means Carrickcruppen and Cullyhanna will be without their respective star players for this weekend’s quarter-finals in gaelic football’s Buttercrane Championships with Crossmaglen likewise stripped of taliswoman Lauren McConville, who has left for the AFLW.

Aiming to reach an astonishing 15th county final in 17 seasons, Carrickcruppen are away on Saturday (6.45pm) to Dromintee, who won their preliminary round tie at Granemore 6-12 to 3-10, while Crossmaglen host neighbours Silverbridge on Sunday.

The other two Senior quarter-finals are scheduled for Friday night (6.45pm) when Shane O’Neills, who beat Ballyhegan 6-7 to 2-9, host Killeavy and Armagh Harps, 7-17 to 2-8 victors away to Grange, face Clann Eireann at Abbey Park.

Even home advantage won’t be much comfort for Harps against the star-studded provincial champions and the same applies to Cullyhanna in Keenan’s absence against Intermediate title favourites Clan na Gael on Saturday (6.45pm).