Sure and begorrah two women with local roots have gone and played for the Emerald Isle.
From May 24-31 Whitney Drouin and Lauren Elliott went to Pittsburgh, USA to compete in the World Championships of Ball Hockey, representing Team Ireland, and the team won the bronze medal.
Elliott grew up in Port Alice and Drouin in Port Hardy.
The two women now live in Fort McMurray.
“It was such an amazing experience to get to go on this trip together. We were two of three Canadians invited to play for Team Ireland (we were able to play due to Irish heritage) and it was a trip neither of us will ever forget,” Elliott said.
“It was an extremely competitive tournament and we were given leadership roles on the team, playing major floor time on the powerplay and penalty kill,” said Elliott.
Team Ireland played against Team Canada, USA, Slovakia and the Czech Republic.
“While we represented Ireland, we definitely played like Canadians out there. The Czech team picked us both out as the most aggressive players in the tournament,” she said.
Elliott and Drouin played soccer for years on the North Island, and the pair have been playing ice hockey up in Fort McMurray for the past six years together.
“So we definitely had an undeniable chemistry out on the floor. Team Canada was the best team of the tournament, and Whitney and I were on the starting lineup against them. Our line opened up the scoring in the first period, and we were the only team to lead Team Canada all tournament,” she recalls.
“Team Canada had been playing together for a long time, and our team only met one another three days before the tournament, so we were very happy with a bronze medal.
“In 2017, the World Championships will be in Beijing, China, and hopefully us North Islanders will get another chance for redemption!
“Bronze was acceptable for Ireland’s first time ever competing in this tournament, but we will be playing for Gold in 2017.”
