Hamburg Masters: Ireland coach Craig Fulton names 20-strong squad

Banbridge's Eugene Magee is named in a 20-strong Ireland squad

Ireland coach Craig Fulton has named a strong 20-man squad for this week's Hamburg Masters which will see his team take on Spain, Austria and Germany.

The tournament forms part of the Irish build-up to the World Cup qualifier in Johannesburg next month.

Peter Caruth, Michael Robson, Ronan Gormley, Conor Harte, Kyle Good, John Jermyn and Kirk Shimmins are all notable absentees for various reasons.

Ireland begin their campaign against Spain on Thursday (15:45 BST).

The Spanish are ranked 10th in the world rankings, one place below Ireland.

Next up for Fulton's squad will be Austria on Friday (15:45), a team which Ireland needed a penalty shoot-out to overcome on their way to the World League 2 title at Stormont in March.

Spain and Austria are in the other pool in the World League 3 series in South Africa, but Olympic bronze medallists and world number three Germany, who Ireland face at 11:30 on Sunday are in the same pool.

Fulton's squad to travel to Germany on Wednesday includes 10 Ulstermen, five of whom play their club hockey for Lisnagarvey - Jonathan Bell, Paul Gleghorne, Neal Glassey, Sean Murray and Matthew Nelson.

Banbridge are represented by Matthew Bell, Eugene Magee and Johnny McKee, while English-based duo John Jackson and Chris Cargo complete the Ulster contingent.

Women's squad for World League 2

Meanwhile Ireland women's head coach Graham Shaw has not included any new faces in his squad of 18 players to take part in the World League semi-finals from 8-23 July.

The World League offers the side the chance to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in London and in doing so they would become the first Irish women's team to play at a World Cup since the 2002 Perth tournament.

Qualifying for the 2018 event has been expanded to 16 teams.

Ireland will open against world number 11 ranked Japan, world number seven Germany, and Poland, before a three-day break which sees them round out their pool games against world number two England.

Ireland men's squad for Hamburg Masters:

David Harte, Jamie Carr, John Jackson, Jonathan Bell, Paul Gleghorne, Matthew Bell, Lee Cole, Stuart Loughrey, Stephen Cole, Chris Cargo, Neal Glassey, Shane O'Donoghue, Sean Murray, Darragh Walsh, Matthew Nelson, Alan Sothern, Eugene Magee, Johnny McKee, Jeremy Duncan.

Ireland women's squad for World League 2:

Grace O'Flanagan, Hannah Matthews, Zoe Wilson, Shirley McCay, Elizabeth Colvin, Elena Tice, Chloe Watkins, Katie Mullan, Gillian Pinder, Anna O'Flangan, Sinead Loughran, Nicola Evans, Nicola Daly, Deirdre Duke, Emily Beatty, Roisin Upton, Yvonne O'Byrne, Ayeisha McFerran.