Commonwealth Games 2022: Netball NI captain Caroline O'Hanlon facing crunch time with club and country

Netball NI captain Caroline O’Hanlon faces a huge few months with her club and on the international stage.

The centre has been an integral part of leading her Super League team Manchester Thunder to the top of the table with a prefect nine wins from nine games.

O’Hanlon won the title with the club in 2019.

She will also skipper the Warriors at the Commonwealth games in Birmingham as Netball NI start the quest for a medal against defending world champions New Zealand.

Due to a lack of court time caused by Covid the Warriors had very limited opportunity over the last two years to get matches and improve on their world ranking but qualified in 11th place for Birmingham.

“There was a lot of uncertainty with Covid. Some of the nations were able to play a game, the restrictions were variable and we weren’t sure what way things were going to go in terms of qualification and the world rankings,” said O’Hanlon.

“It’s a relief (to qualify). We did get some games before Christmas and our focus then was very much on qualification, so I suppose our focus now in the run in it is going to be on performance and building on the platform that we have had from the last world cup.”

“I’m looking forward to it and we can very much focus in as it is in our sights, and it is good to have that just to build towards.”

There has been a big change in personnel on the playing side from the team that travelled to the Gold Coast four years ago.

“There is a good mix and there is plenty of potential within the squad, it certainly freshens it up, that youth and inexperience coming in brings energy as well," she added.

“There is a lot of potential and there is a lot of work to be done we really need to use these months well and be very