Introducing Leinster South

Leinster South is a legacy of the old South-East Hockey Association. After initially being formed in the 1930s the South-East Hockey Association as Branch of Irish Hockey Association was integrated within Leinster Hockey Association in 2017, albeit with agreement it would continue to maintain its status with interprovincial representative teams and that there would be ongoing support for the development of hockey in the region.

A number of years ago it was decided to expand the original South-East geographical area to include clubs and schools in County Kildare and County Wicklow to increase the number of players available for selection and increase the standard of the region.

At present Leinster South (as it is now known) has two interprovincial girls teams at u16 and u18 age group and has 3 to 4 district u14 teams. The interpro teams play in White & bottle green, or mint green and bottle green which is the traditional SE colours of white and bottle green.

District Phase

Entry into the programme begins through the U14/U15 Development Programme, where schools and clubs nominate players for both development and assessment. Clubs and schools are also able to renominate players from previous seasons, recognising the different development pathways and rates of progression for young players.

Following nomination, players are placed into District Development Panels, where they train together and take part in inter-district matches throughout the season. This phase of the programme culminates in the Leinster Regional Blitz/Tournament each April or May, involving approximately 12 girls teams (including Leinster and Leinster South districts) and six boys teams competing across a full day of hockey.

From these district panels, a number of players are then selected to represent Leinster and Leinster South at the National U15 Festival/Tournament, where six girls teams and three boys teams compete against teams from the other provinces.

Interprovincial Phase

The National Festival marks the conclusion of the initial development phase, with approximately 35 players then invited into the Leinster U16 Summer Panel from June through to August.

Players not selected for the Summer Panel will continue their development pathway through the District Cup competition, which takes place throughout June and July. The District Cup provides players with additional competitive match opportunities while continuing to represent their districts, before culminating in a finals day for both girls and boys competitions.

For players selected as part of the Leinster U16 Summer Panel, the programme culminates in the Interprovincial Tournament, currently held each August. Over three days of high-quality hockey, Leinster faces Leinster South, Ulster, Munster and Connacht in one of the standout events within the development calendar.

Representing Leinster or Leinster South at Interprovincial level is a huge achievement and one of the highlights of the player pathway.

Coaching Staff: 

Eric Comerford - Head Coach 

Eric is the Head Coach of the Leinster South U16s, while also serving as Leinster South Development Manager alongside Claire Byrne.

The role oversees all aspects of Leinster South Interprovincial and Development Hockey, from U18 level through to the U13 and U14 development programmes. Leinster Hockey introduced the role in 2026 to further strengthen and enhance player development structures across the South-East region, and we are delighted to have someone with Eric’s knowledge, experience and passion for hockey involved in the programme.

Eric has been coaching hockey at Kilkenny College for more than 10 years and has also been heavily involved with Leinster South (formerly South-East) hockey for a similar length of time. Alongside this, he also runs his own coaching business, Hockey Express.

Catherine Garner: Assistant Coach