CASTRIES, Saint Lucia, CMC –Two Caribbean teams are down to participate in an International Netball Festival in Northern Ireland which runs from October 31 to November 3. Saint Lucia and Barbados are the Caribbean’s only representatives in a tournament that also involves 18th ranked Botswana and hosts Northern Ireland. President of the Saint Lucia Netball Association Rufina Paul told CMCSPORTS , Netball Northern Ireland (NNI) will be meeting the cost of the team’s return travel from Saint Lucia to Dublin as well as accommodation and meals for a contingent of 12 players and four officials. This world Netball ranking event will be held in the province of Antrim and the Saint Lucia team is expected to arrive in Dublin on October 29.
The Northern Islanders have said this is the first time they have been able to organise such a tournament and to be in a position to attract teams in the calibre of Saint Lucia, 10th ranked Barbados and Botswana to the province is an indication of their stature within world netball. In the opening round of matches on October 31 Northern Ireland plays Botswana in the first game followed by a match-up between Saint Lucia and Barbados.