Irish Squad Named and American Head Coach Appointed.

March 17, 2010 - PRLog -- Stepping up to the plate for the second time, American Tim Weir has been named head coach of the Irish National Team as they boost preparations for this year’s FIL Men's World Lacrosse Championships.

Weir is no stranger to Irish lacrosse, having held several coaching positions for Ireland since 2003. In the 2004 Championships, his offensive coaching helped Ireland win their division and topped all other nations in scoring charts. This carried over into the 2006 FIL World Championships, where his coaching helped guide Ireland to win five of its seven games. He was promoted to head coach of the national team for the 2008 European Championships and also serves as the Director of Coaching and Development for the Irish Lacrosse Foundation.

The players making up the 23 man roster for the 2010 World Lacrosse Championships were selected from a pool of more than 80 candidates that participated in selection camps in both Ireland and New York in 2009.

Weir has announced his top squad of 23 players who will represent Ireland at the World Lacrosse Championships, which will take place in Manchester, England, beginning on July 15th. The Irish will be one of 30 national teams competing in the event, hoping to better their seventh place finish at the 2006 World Championships.

Special travel packages have been arranged for Irish fans, through the 2010 World Lacrosse Championships’ official travel organiser, ATP Events and Experiences. ATP have exclusive deals for top hotels in Manchester, starting at just £75 a night. These deals can be found at www.2010worldlacrosse.com/travel

Only 2,500 seats now remain available to the public.  Get your Season Pass today to secure your seat at the Final Match in addition to over 200 more World Class lacrosse matches.
There are also few sponsorship opportunities left for those who would like to be part of the FIL 2010 World Lacrosse Championships.


The 2010 Irish Men’s National Team players and Staff Include:
Player   Position   Hometown
Sean Bodie   Midfield   Dublin
Andrew Springer Browne   Defence/LSM   Dublin
Chris Byrne   Defence/LSM   New York, NY
John Frame   Defence   Dublin
Sean Gibson   Midfield   Blackrock, Co. Louth
Zak Jordan   Midfield   Dublin
Keith Kane   Defence/LSM   Dublin
Michael Kennedy   Midfield   Dublin
Dan Leidl   Defence   Westover, WV
Ryan Licht   Defence   Bridgewater, NJ
David Lusby   Attack   Dublin
Sean McTernan   Attack   Indianapolis, IN
Brian Murray   Attack   Hillsdale, NJ
Jerry Nevin   Defence   San Francisco, CA
John O’Connor   Midfield   Waterford (IRL)
Paddy O’Leary   Midfield   Enniscorthy, Co. Wexford
Kevin Owens   Midfield   Fairfield, CT
Kristian Prior   Attack   Merrick, NY
Kevin Quinn   Goalie   Ballina, Co. Mayo
Tom Riley   Midfield   West Nyack, NY
John Ryan   Midfield   Astoria, NY
Connor Sweeney   Goalie   South Salem, NY
Matt Walsh   Attack   Dublin

For further enquiries please contact James or Sarah at Made in Manchester on 0161 834 6446 or email 2010lacrosse@madeinmanchester.tv
To learn more about the 2010 FIL World Championships in Manchester, England, visit http://www.2010worldlacrosse.com.

Notes to Editors –

The 2010 FIL World Lacrosse Championships take place between the 14th and 24th of July 2010 and promise to be the biggest Championships in Lacrosse history.

The championships will bring together over 30 different nations and the festival will attract 64 elite international touring sides from all over the world. In addition to this a Community event will run alongside the Championships and host local Primary, Secondary and Club teams. There will also be an official FIL Festival from 17th-24th July, for the first time in the sports history.

The 2010 World Lacrosse Championship website contains up to date news, and can be found at http://www.2010worldlacrosse.com.

The FIL World Lacrosse Championships, Manchester 2010 are being delivered through a funding partnership that includes:

Manchester City Council - Following the success of the XVII Commonwealth Games in 2002, Manchester has developed a worldwide reputation for hosting major international events that benefit the community by attracting visitors and investment to the city.
The event is one of two world championships coming to the City in 2010 along with the English National Badminton Championships as well as the final of the National Squash Championships.

Northwest Regional Development Agency - The Northwest Regional Development Agency works to deliver economic success in England’s Northwest by building the competitiveness of businesses, people and places. As part of its work to support these objectives, the NWDA works with partners to secure world-class events, which are distinctive and capable of attracting large numbers of visitors from outside the region and which significantly, enhance the profile of the region.