The Irish Wheelchair Rugby team will compete at their first European Championship qualifiers since October 2018 starting today.
The squad of seven players are competing in the World Wheelchair Rugby European Championship Qualifiers in Norway with hopes to qualify for the 2023 WWR (World Wheelchair Rugby) Championship in Wales.
Team Ireland is in Pool B and will go up against Finland (September 7, 12 noon), Czech Republic (September 7, 5pm), Sweden (September 8, 12 noon) and the host nation, Norway (September 8, 5pm).
The squad of 7 players is made up from 3 clubs and a Laois club is represented.
They include: John McCarthy (Rebel Wheelers), Alan Patterson (Ulster Barbarians), Jade Flynn Hurley (Rebel Wheelers), Deirdre Mongan (Ulster Barbarians), Christopher Meneilly (Ulster Barbarians), Alan Dineen (Rebel Wheelers) and Jonny Mulhall (Laois Lions).
Jonny plays for Laois Lions who are based in Clonaslee and he hails from Kildare.
Helpers for the tournament include Michael Kearney (Mechanic) Teresa Dineen (Support) and Alan Dodds (Support).
The side is managed by Lynn Cromie and coached by Eleanor Lucey.
Over the week ten teams will compete at the tournament with three places up for grabs at the 2023 WWR European Championship in Cardiff, Wales.
Wheelchair Rugby, a Paralympic sport was first introduced to Ireland in 1997.
Since then, IWA-Sport, as the national governing body for wheelchair rugby in Ireland, has supported Irish players and clubs, and helped them to grow both at grass-roots level and as a competitive force at the highest international level.
The event takes place at the Skien Aktivitetspark, south of the Capital, Oslo.
The event is being live streamed and can be followed here.
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