2018 will see a notable milestone for Irish handball, as the men’s Under 18 squad are set to compete in the M18 European Championships in Austria from August 10 to 19. To broaden their pool of players from which to select the final team, the Irish Olympic Handball Association (IOHA) have launched the ‘Ireland’s Call’ campaign, in search of overseas-based players with Irish roots.

 

Though 2018 is a year of men’s youth-age tournaments in Europe, as women’s national teams will contest the IHF Youth and Junior World Championships, IOHA are reaching out to both male and female players as they look toward future development.

 

“The aim of the campaign is to form a database of overseas male and female handball players who qualify through their parents, grandparents or having been born here to represent Ireland in international competition alongside players who are being developed in Ireland,” said the statement on the official IOHA website.

 

Aiming to kickstart further development in Ireland

 

The manager of the U18 men’s team, Hartmut Krahn, said he is convinced there are players in England who may be available to play for Ireland:

 

“Handball has been growing very well in GB after the London Olympics and we have grown the sport in Ireland. We have many Irish-based players, but still need some help from abroad,” Krahn told Irish World. “We hope this first-ever participation of an Irish Youth team at the European level will kickstart more development in Ireland.”

 

At the M18 European Championship in August, Ireland will play from Group A, opening their campaign against Turkey before taking on Montenegro, Czech Republic, Ukraine and Great Britain. The M18 European Championship is the second-tier continental competition after the M18 EHF EURO, which will be played in Croatia from August 9 to 19.

 

More information on Irish handball can be found on the IOHA website.

 

Photo: Irish Olympic Handball Association