Bethany Barr: Ireland star joins injured squad absentees for Tokyo Olympics
- Published
Bethany Barr in action in Ireland's tense Olympic play-off against Canada in November 2019
Ireland women's hockey squad has been dealt another injury blow for the upcoming Olympics after Bethany Barr was ruled out.
Barr suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in training earlier this week and joins her twin sister Serena and Zoe Wilson on the sidelines because of the same type of injury.
An ACL normally has a recovery period of between eight and 12 months.
Barr made her Ireland debut against Chile in Santiago in January 2019.
She helped Ireland qualify for a first Olympics by scoring a crucial goal in the shoot-out win over Canada in November of the same year.
There are just six Ulster players left in the panel of 22 from which the squad for the Olympics and preceding it the European Championships at the beginning of June will be selected from - Shirley McCay, Megan Frazer, Lizzie Colvin, team captain Katie Mullan, Ayeisha McFerran and Zara Malseed.
Bethany's sister Serena suffered her ACL injury last September while playing for Belfast Harlequins in a friendly while Wilson is continuing her rehab following surgery after she was hurt in an international with Spain in January.