Aine has her eye on London and the Olympics

KILKENNY’S Olympic Games contingent could have a new member by the end of March, writes Trevor Spillane.

Jenkinstown’s Aine Connery will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of athlete Joanne Cuddihy and boxer Darren O’Neill by earning her ticket to the Summer Games in London this month.

Connery has been named as part of the Irish women’s hockey squad which will be gunning for the Olympics when they travel to Belgium for the qualifiers. The 24-year-old, who plays for Dublin club Hermes, will be in Beerschot as the national side take on five other countries in their bid to make the Games.

The Irish team, under coach Gene Muller, will travel to Belgium to compete in the 9-day tournament. Ireland will play Spain, Belgium, Mexico, Russia and France there.

Fittingly, if a good-luck omen was needed, the tournament starts on St Patrick’s Day!

“Making the Olympics would be huge,” Aine said. “We have a great chance to do it. We’re in the same group as the likes of Spain and Belgium, two teams we’ve had great results against in the past so it’s going to be a really competitive tournament.”

See Kilkenny People this week