It will be the first capped games for the Green Army on home turf since the 2019 Olympic qualifiers in Donnybrook with Ireland coming up against the Czech Republic (World Ranked 23rd), Poland (27th) and Turkey (33rd).

The winner of the competition will qualify for the top tier of 2023’s European Championships which is, in turn, a vital stepping stone on the road to Paris 2024. The Euros in Monchengladbach offers the first direct qualification ticket to the Olympic Games.

In addition, the places in the Olympic qualifying tournaments will also be determined by performances at the 2023 Euros and so reaching the top table is crucial for Ireland.

As such, the Irish hosts this week are looking to put on a big show at the Sport Ireland Campus to progress their Olympic hopes in front of a buzzing home crowd.

Over 1,200 seats have been installed at the venue, augmented by a fan village and children’s skill zone to add to the atmosphere.

Sarah Hawkshaw grew up minutes away from the venue in Castleknock and says this kind of set-up is unimaginable from her youth days in the area. She got her first glimpse of the new additions this weekend and is excited by the prospect of walking out to a raucous audience.

“With the stands in place, it looks class and looks a different pitch altogether from the one we train on. I wish it could stay all year!” she said. “It sets the perfect scene for what will be a really tough tournament but one which, for our campaign to Paris, we absolutely must win..

Come and watch some top-level hockey with food vendors, fun zones, and much more!