04/07/2008

CELTIC CUP ANNOUNCED

There will be a new competition in ice hockey next season with the launch of the Celtic Cup.

Taking part in the tournament will be Pirates, Dundee Stars, Fife Flyers and Solway Sharks who will be joined by Dundalk Bulls and The Hawks from the Republic of Ireland.

Teams will play against each other once at home and once away with each of the Scottish clubs playing a double header in Ireland. The first match will be on Saturday evening followed by a lunchtime game on Sunday to allow the teams time to catch the ferry back to Scotland.

The Scottish clubs will be allowed to ice up to two imports but the Irish teams have been give permission to ice the rosters from last season which contain several more ‘imports’.

As the sport at this level is relatively new to Ireland, there hasn’t been the opportunity to raise home grown players and it was felt that to make the two teams competitive this dispensation would be allowed.

The competition will be on a round robin basis with the top four teams progressing to the play-offs.

Details of the Northern League and Scottish Challenge Cup will be announced soon.