Both competitions consisted of two phases, a round robin phase and a finals phase. With four teams in the men’s competition each side played each other once, and all four sides progressed to the semi-finals with opposition being determined based on pool standings. Winners of each semi-final progressed to the final, while the losers competed in the bronze medal match. The women’s competition consisted of three teams, with each side playing each other twice in the pool stages. The top two side in the pool progressed straight to the finals to determine the overall winner. 

Men’s Nkosi Cup 

Ireland began their tournament with a matchup against World #14 Namibia in the Wynberg Military base. Namibia showed their quality building a 4-0 lead by the start of the fourth quarter. Ireland built into the game, finding rhythm and eventually pulling two goals back through Ross Canning and James Walker. Namibia eventually pulled away in the final quarter, a quick trio of goals securing a then a 7-3 win. 

In their second pool game Ireland faced New Zealand. The Black Sticks opened the scoring, but Ireland responded just before the end of Q1, Ross Canning grabbing his second of the tournament. New Zealand pulled ahead on two more occasions in Q2, but both times Ireland had an answer, Craig Mackay drawing Ireland level in the 14th and 20th minute to see the sides go into the break on level terms. New Zealand asserted themselves on the game in the second half, gradually building a lead in Q3 and Q4 which saw them secure the points with a 7 – 3 win. 

The hosts, South Africa were Ireland’s final pool stage opponent. The current pool leaders were made to work for their win, having to come from behind when Craig Mackay grabbed the opening goal of the game after three minutes. South Africa found their feet scoring four unanswered goals before Ross Canning netted a penalty corner just before half-time to make it clear that Ireland would not back down. 

South Africa started the second half strong, scoring twice to reaffirm their lead. Oliver Kidd, however, reduced the deficit with his late goal taking the scoring to 6-3. A final South Africa goal from Mustaphaa Cassiem eventually cancelled it out to continue South Africa’s unbeaten run and see them top the group stage. 

The final pool standings meant Ireland and South Africa faced off yet again in the Semi-Finals. Again, a determined performance from Ireland made the hosts work to build their lead, visible by their celebrations after each goal. The home side built up a two-goal early lead, before extending that lead to four going into the final minutes. A goal from Ireland’s Craig Mackay briefly reduced the deficit, but South Africa’s late fifth cancelled it out and saw the progress to the finals against Namibia which they eventually one. 

A rematch against New Zealand in the Bronze Medal match gave Ireland an opportunity to end their Nkosi Cup journey on a high note. Ireland made no mistakes in the early phases, with Ross Canning breaking the deadlock after just 3 minutes. Greg Williams and Ross Canning grabbed Ireland’s second and third goal in the second quarter before New Zealand reduced the deficit to two with a goal just before half-time.  

Oliver Kidd gave Ireland the perfect start to the second half, restoring the three-goal cushion in the 21st minute. Again, the Black Sticks pulled a goal back, but just 4 minutes later Ross Canning completed his hattrick and again gave Ireland a three-goal lead.  

A late surge from New Zealand saw them produce a comeback, with Benedict Van Woerkom scoring three goals in just over ten minutes to draw them level and force the shoot-out.  

Ross Canning and Greg Williams were the attacking heroes in the shoot-out, scoring both of their efforts to give Ireland a commanding lead. Captain and Goalkeeper Stephen O’Keefe produced the decisive moment, saving New Zealand’s second effort to secure the bronze medal for Ireland. 

IRELAND SQUAD: Jakim Berndsen [GK]; Stephen O’Keeffe [C][GK]; Ryan Williams; Harry McMahon; Jack Haycock; Craig Mackay; Ben O’Grady; Oliver Kidd; Scott McCabe; Ross Canning; Greg Williams; James Walker. 

Women’s Nkosi Cup 

Ireland faced the hosts in their first game in Cape Town, with South Africa currently sitting #7 in the World, the second-highest ranked team from the southern hemisphere. Soth Africa opened the scoring after just one minute, but a quick response from Ireland’s Caroline Spence drew the teams level. South Africa dialled up the intensity, taking the lead and then extending it 4-1 by the end of the third quarter. Two more goals from South Africa in Q4 took the game to 6-1, but a late consolation goal from Ireland’s Chloe Brown lifted Ireland’s spirits ahead of another challenge the following day.  

#10 Namibia were next on the schedule for Ireland, on their second day in Cape Town. An incredible eleven goal thriller ensued, with Ireland narrowly coming out the wrong side of it. 

Sarah Patton gave Ireland the lead early on, but Namibia responded with three quick goals to take control of the game, giving them a 3-1 lead at the end of the first quarter. A goal one minute into Q3 extended Namibia’s lead to three, but Ireland’s Caroline Spence reduced the deficit to two going into half-time. Orla Fox’s calmly converted penalty stroke brought Ireland within a goal of Namibia halfway through Q3, just before Namibia made it 5-3 to regain their two-goal cushion.  

A tense final quarter saw Ireland come within one goal of Namibia again, when Sarah Patton grabbed her second. Again, Namibia countered to make it 6-4. Caroline Spence scored in the dying embers of the game to make it 6-5, but ultimately Ireland walked away without the points in a game they largely dominated. 

Day three saw Ireland face South Africa again in a much-improved performance from the opening day. The two sides were locked at 1-1, with Ireland’s Orla Fox grabbing the opening goal of the game after 11 minutes, before South Africa equalised five minutes late. Ireland continued to dominate the game, controlling it for the first half. A missed stroke and a quarter 3 goal for the hosts gave them the fire they needed. South Africa pushed on, scoring two late goals to eventually run out as 4-1 winners. 

In their final game of the Nkosi Cup, Ireland displayed their ability to go toe-to-toe with top indoor nations, taking their learnings from the previous three games and implementing them excellently in their last outing.  

Namibia took the lead in the opening quarter, but Caroline Spence grabbed her fourth of the tournament to draw Ireland level. Chloe Brown scored just one minute later, to give Ireland the lead at the end of Q1.  

A perfect start to Q2 saw Ireland’s Ellen Robinson slot home to extend Ireland’s lead to two goals, a lead they maintained going into the final quarter. Namibia reduced the deficit to a single goal with seven minutes remaining. Having defended their lead superbly, a penalty corner was given against Ireland with just over a minute on the clock, a contentious decision which gave Namibia an opportunity to draw level, which they seized. The game finished 3-3, Ireland deserving much more than a draw fro their final game.

IRELAND SQUAD: Emma Maloney [GK]; Caoimhe Seymor [GK]; Sarah Patton; Laura Graham; Erin Robinson; Chloe Brown; Christine Seggie; Orla Fox; Orla Patton [C]; Milla Fulton; Jenna McCarlie; Caroline Spence.

The post Ireland Indoor Teams return home with Bronze from Nkosi Cup, having gone toe-to-toe with the best sides in the southern hemisphere. appeared first on Hockey Ireland.

David Harte will be making his fifth Hockey India League appearance, having previously represented Mumbai Magicians in 2014, followed by a three-year stint at Dabang Mumbai from 2015 to 2017. This season Harte will represent Tamil Nadu Dragons, based in the Southernmost state of India, Tamil Nadu.

Róisín Upton, Katie Mullan, Jaime Carr, and Tim Cross will all compete in their first ever Hockey India League. The five players have been drafted to play for Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers, based in the northeast region of Rahr.

First established in 2013, the Hockey India League is a closed franchise league organised by Hockey India. The league consists of eight men’s teams and four women’s teams which compete in a round robin format followed by a play-off phase to determine the overall winner. Just like the EY Hockey League, the Hockey India League has also adopted the bonus point shootout format, such that should the teams conclude regular time level on goals, they will both be awarded 1 point, and will compete in a shootout competition for an additional bonus point, adding extra excitement and jeopardy for teams and fans.

The competition will be held in two stadiums, the Birsa Munda International Hockey Stadium in Rourkela, and the Marang Gomke Jaipal Singh Astro Turf Hockey Stadium in Ranchi.

The Men’s HIL will commence on December 28^th, 2024, with David Harte, Jaime Carr, and Tim Cross set to play their first games the following day. Harte will line-up against Soorma Hockey Club, while Carr and Cross will face Hyderabad Toofans in their first match. The Women’s HIL will begin its first ever season on January 12, 2025, with Roisin Upton and Katie Mullan making their first appearance for Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers on January 13 against Soorma Hockey Club.

The Hockey Ireland Competitions Committee, in response to a formal exemption request from Railway Union, has considered the matter of eligibility for the two players (Mullan and Upton) to play in EYHL/ISC in the second half of the season on return from the Hockey India franchise league.

EuroHockey and the top European Nations amended their regulations at the start of this season to enable players use the mid-season break to play in closed franchise leagues outside of Europe and return to play the second half of the season, with continuing eligibility to play for their club in national leagues and EuroHockey club competitions in the same season.

Under Hockey Ireland Clubs Outdoor regulations, players are considered new members to a club if they have played competitive hockey anywhere else in the world, with the only specific exception being the recognition of the NCAA Field Hockey (USA Colleges) which is a closed competition and not a national league.

The decision of the Competitions Committee to grant Mullan and Upton eligibility to resume playing for Railway Union in the current season was made in alignment with the current regulations which do not apply to closed, non-European competitions. This also aligns with EuroHockey (and other National Associations) regulation changes introduced at the start of this season, to ensure there is no barrier to players earning from commercial / franchise competitions outside of Europe.

The Hockey Ireland Clubs Outdoor regulations will be amended before the start of next season to explicitly reflect this latest global commercial hockey initiative within the eligibility regulations, ensuring top players from Ireland can exploit earning potential, without detriment to the integrity and fairness of Hockey Ireland competitions.

The post Five Ireland Internationals all set for Hockey India League, competition starts Dec 28 appeared first on Hockey Ireland.

Hawkshaw, 29, was born in Dublin and began playing hockey at age 12. She earned her first cap for Ireland in January 2019 in a match against Chile and plays her Club hockey for Railway Union.

Hawkshaw was part of the Irish squad that made history by qualifying for the Olympics for the first time in 2020, achieving this milestone with a dramatic penalty shootout win over Canada. She competed in the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 after the games were postponed due to the pandemic.

Sarah also had a distinguished collegiate career at the University of Massachusetts from 2014 to 2017, earning multiple honors, including All-America recognition in her final two years. She finished her UMass career ranked among the program’s top scorers.

Brother Adam Hawkshaw is also an accomplished athlete. Adam captained the Ireland U20s Rugby Team to a Grand Slam in 2019 and currently plays his club rugby for Connacht.

Speaking on the announcement Sarah Hawkshaw said:

“It’s obviously a huge honour. It came with a lot of thought. Gareth [Grundie, Ireland Women’s Head Coach] believed in me and made that known. So it gave me a lot of comfort in accepting the role.

“While I am a new captain, I have experienced lots of different cultures of captaincy at club level and during my time in the USA. I think on the international side I’ve had 8 years with Katie Mullan as captain and she was also my captain when we were both in the Under 18 international team. You could always see that she was doing the right thing for the entire group. I’ve been watching her blossom into the role of captain. The whole team feels reflected through her and I will be able to ask her advice and have her example of what went before as I build in the role myself in helping Gareth advance the National team towards the goals of FIH Pro League qualification and the next World Cup and Olympics.

“It’s all about getting the best out of people and to achieve that, you have to make them feel confident in different situations. If I can even play a small part in that, then that’s my job done. I want everyone in the squad to feel empowered and that they belong. Belonging has always been a strong aspect of the Irish team, and we have a great group of leaders in this team. Lena Neill , Hannah McLoughlin and Róisín Upton will be sitting beside me. We will need to draw on all of that leadership going into a busy 2025 and not only next year, indeed the next four years leading up to L.A.”

Ireland Women’s Head Coach Gareth Grundie on the appointment of Sarah Hawkshaw as captain said:

“Sarah Hawkshaw leads by example but also embodies the values and spirit of the team. She brings a wealth of experience to the role. She has consistently performed at the highest level and has demonstrated exceptional professionalism both on and off the field.

“I think she has got the ability to connect with every member of the squad and understands the importance of fostering unity and inclusivity. Her leadership qualities and the standards she sets for herself will inspire the team to reach new heights. She has a real way of communicating with the entire squad, both the older players and the younger ones alike.”

The post Sarah Hawkshaw named as new captain of the IRL Women’s Hockey team replacing Katie Mullan appeared first on Hockey Ireland.

The competition, dubbed ‘The League of the Best’, unites the world’s finest men’s and women’s international hockey teams in a prestigious global competition. The league format will see Ireland compete in four stages across different countries, beginning in Argentina from Dec 11-16, and continuing to India in February 2025, and the Netherlands and Belgium in June 2025.

In the upcoming stage Ireland will play England in their opening game on December 12, followed by Argentina on December 13. The team will then play a repeat of these fixtures, playing England again on December 15, and Argentina on December 16. All four games will be played at 00:30 Irish Time in the Santiago del Estero Hockey Club.

The 2024/25 FIH Pro League will be Ireland’s second time competing in the competition in as many years. The team came 9^th overall in the 2023/24 competition, resulting in relegation but were invited to return to the league when New Zealand opted to decline to take up their spot. Despite relegation, Ireland’s performances in their inaugural Pro League drew much attention, as they demonstrated their ability to go toe-to-toe with the World’s top sides. The highlight of the first campaign was a duo of victories over current World no. 4 Belgium, in Antwerp.

Speaking after the squad announcement Head Coach Mark Tumilty said:

“When we entered the Pro League last year we went on a bit of a journey into the unknown to an extent. But we learned quickly during the India stage what the challenges would be.

There’s an element of the unknown facing England and Argentina during this part of the Pro League because both teams appointed new coaches since we last played them. The systems they played before will be modified to some extent by their new coaches. That’s another interesting challenge and one we are looking forward to.

It’s a nice time to restart the program. It gives us early purpose to our program after Paris and will be beneficial to the group.”

Speaking about the team’s expectations, Tumilty stated:

“We need to be more clinical when we have possession, and we’ve got to be better at holding on to the ball. We’ve got to be better at building better phases of play and spending more time in the opposition half.  We need more positive results in this second go at the Pro League. We had the two results against Belgium and lost narrowly to India, but we also suffered some heavy defeats. The experience gained at the FIH Pro League gave the    players the knowledge of what is required to take on the top 8 nations in the world at hockey. We’ve a lot of work to do to get into the top 10 and remain there.”

Tumilty’s side for Argentina blends together a mix of youth and experience, with several uncapped players among those selected including Banbridge Goalkeeper Luke Roleston, YMCA’s Adam Walker, and Three Rock Rovers’ Ben Pasley. The team will also include the experience of cap centurions Darragh Walsh, Ben Walker and Lee Cole, and will be captained by Kyle Marshall in the absence of Sean Murray.

Speaking about the squad selection itself, Tumilty said:

“We’ve various guys missing through work commitments and others through injuries and those would be the main reasons for their absences from this squad. But I also think even if everyone had been available, we would still have given our younger players an opportunity in this phase.”

Ireland Men Squad – FIH Pro League, Argentina

Luke Roleston (GK)

James Milliken (GK)

Kyle Marshall (C)

Peter McKibbin

Mark McNellis

Fergus Gibson

Tim Cross

Lee Cole

Adam Walker

Peter Brown

Jonny Lynch

Daragh Walsh

Nick Page

Luke Witherow

Ben Pasley

Ali Empey

Ben Walker

Conor Empey

Ben Nelson

Louis Rowe

The post Tumilty names his Ireland men’s squad for first stage of 2024/25 FIH Pro League. appeared first on Hockey Ireland.

The side earned their place in the knockout stages having come second in Group C thanks to a 2 – 1 win over Australia, a 2 – 2 draw with hockey superpower the Netherlands, and a goalless draw against Argentina IMC.  

Ireland then followed this up with two incredible performances beating Scotland 2-0 in their Quarter Final before thrashing South Africa 5-0 in the semi-final, to book their place in the World Cup Final. 

The final which was held in the North Harbour Hockey Stadium in Auckland where they faced England at 01:15am Irish Time early on Saturday morning. 

In an exceptionally tense and closely fought final, the sides went into half-time level, with chances coming down both ends. It wasn’t until late in the third quarter when the deadlock was broken, England’s Julia Butterworth scored in the 48th minute. Despite continuously pushing to level, the game ultimately ended 1-0 in England’s favour and Ireland took home the silver medal.  

The side become one of very few Irish teams to be able to claim they have played in a World Cup Final, following the footsteps of the Ireland Senior Women’s Hockey Team, who also achieved this rare feat in 2018 when they face The Netherlands in the FIH Hockey Women’s World Cup in London. 

Also competing in Auckland were the Ireland O50 Women who came 6th overall, and the Ireland O55 men who finished 8th. 

IRELAND: Sinéad Guilfoyle [GK]; Julie Bell; Jane Salter; Helen Kilroy; Julie Fisher; Annie Lawlor; Joanne O’Grady; Maria Whelan; Linda Jenkinson [C]; Kathy Shaw; Rosaline Burke; Anne Young; Jacqui Freyne: Marian O’Brien; Julie Shaw, Karen Long-Eacrett; Catherine Johnston, Kathy Cunningham 

Coach: Mary Logue 

Manager: Sarah Kavanagh

Physio: Jean Roche

The post Ireland Women O55s Hockey Team win World Cup Silver Medal in Auckland. appeared first on Hockey Ireland.

In the Girls’ competition, Leinster and Ulster faced off in both finals at Monkstown Hockey Club. Leinster U16 capped off an unbeaten campaign with their 2-1 win to secure the silverware. Ulster U18s soared to a 3-0 victory over Leinster, having been beaten by their opposition 4-0 just a couple of weeks before.

In the Boys’ competition, Leinster and Ulster also faced off. Leinster U16s held Ulster to a 1-1 draw, with Leinster coming away with the shootout bonus point. Leinster U18s grabbed an emphatic 3-2 win over Ulster. The results mean the competition comes down to the final weekend, where Ulster will have to beat Munster if they are to climb above Leinster in the table to claim top spot.

U16 Girls Final

LEINSTER 2 ULSTER 1

It was anyone’s guess who would triumph in the first final of the day. Both sides boasted excellent records coming into the game, with Leinster holding a slight upper hand having beaten Ulster 2-1 earlier in the competition.

The game began at a very high pace, with Leinster dominating possession and scoring after just 2 minutes when Pippa Beatty latched onto a loose ball in the circle, the ball appearing to deflect off an Ulster stick before it looped into the net.

However, Ulster wasted no time in refocusing and gaining a foothold in the game. Just six minutes later, they pulled themselves level when Lucy Megaw intercepted the Leinster clearance from within the circle and calmly flicked into the top corner of the net.

The sides remained gridlocked for the remainder of the first half, and indeed the third quarter with both team’s goalkeepers being called into action on multiple occasions but making no mistake.

However, the decisive moment was to come for Leinster in the 59^th minute. Leinster Captain Emi Walsh stepped back onto the pitch from her time in the sinbin to immediately make a tackle right on halfway, connect with fellow teammate Olivia Lacy for a one-two, and drive into the circle to win a penalty corner. Leinster followed the move up with a perfectly executed penalty corner variation, going from top circle back to injector Emi Walsh to push the ball to the back post where Isabelle Carroll-Breen laying in waiting to deflect into the goal.

Ulster continued to ask questions of the Leinster defence as they continued to fight valiantly to draw level. But Leinster remained resolute, seeing out the game to secure the silverware.

LEINSTER U16: Siobhan Emmerson (GK); Isabelle Mulcahy (C); Nicole Barry; Ella Tosh; Pippa Beatty; Lienkies De Klerk; Rosie Stafford; Laura Keogh; Alannah Sheridan; Emilia Walsh; Daisy Ovington.

SUBS: Laylah Fitzpatrick (GK) [36 min]; Isabelle Carroll-Breen [8 min]; Emily Sexton [10 min]; Olivia Lacy [6 min]; Georgia May Agnew [8 min]; Ella Galligan [8 min]; Evelyn Kwik [8 min].

ULSTER U16: Makyla Stevenson (GK); Charlotte Betts; Bonnie Connor-Boyd; Cassie McMaw; Maggie Scott (C); Leah Callaghan; Ellie Costelloe; Brianna Gregg; Katie Leslie; Hollie Givan; Sophie Tate.

SUBS: Katie Dolan (GK); Maisy Hannath [8 min]; Kate Livingston [15 min]; Alana Thornton [7 min]; Grace Adamson [7 min]; Ruby Caddoo [10 min]; Lucy Megaw [7 min].

U18 Girls Final

LEINSTER 0 ULSTER 3

It wouldn’t have been unfair to state prior to today’s final that Leinster were favourites coming into the tie. Having beaten their opposition 4-0 in Banbridge back in October and finishing the campaign unbeaten. Leinster were very much a team firing on all cylinders. However, Ulster were not to be written off and had left no stone unturned in their preparation for the rematch.

It was end-to-end in the opening phases, with chances coming for both sides. But Ulster were the side to open the scoring when Erin Pim latched on to a long ball, twisted and turned her way onto the baseline and delivered a pinpoint ball back to Katie Herron on the penalty spot to graciously tap home. Heroic saves from Ulster’s Anna Wilson and Leinster’s Lucy McGoldrick meant the score remained 1-0 at the end of the first quarter.

Despite a sustained period of pressure from Leinster which resulted in a penalty corner heroically saved on the line by Ulster, it was Ulster who scored next. Katie Herron grabbed her second of the game when Joni Cunninham penalty corner drag flick found her on the right post to deflect goalward.

Ulster extended their lead further before half-time through Rebekah Lennon. The side opted for another variation from a penalty corner, this time slipping the ball left for Lennon to powerfully slap into the net at the near post. In her post match interview, Lennon revealed the move was not a pre-practised routine, but instead a clever call from teammate Scarlett Taylor.

With a mountain to climb going into the final quarter Leinster continued to throw everything they had at Ulster to find a way back into the tie, pulling the keeper in the final minutes. Ulster remained resolute in defence, threatening on several occasions to extend the lead further, and eventually saw out the game to win 3-0.

LEINSTER U18: Lucy McGoldrick (GK); Eva Doyle (VC); Holly Farrell; Lucy Fox; Amber Mealia; Julie Potter Cogan; Mollie Lennon (VC); Sarah Byrne (C); Isobel Field; Kate Byrnes; Lauryn Barry.

SUBS: Flourish Olufemi Ojo (GK) [36 min]; Hollai Quinn [6 min]; Daisy Costello [8 min]; Abbie O’Connor [9 min]; Sophie Maxwell [6 min]; Luisa Kennedy [15 min]; Amelia Ryan [11 min].

ULSTER U18: Anna Wilson (GK); Ruby Johnston; Joni Cunningham; Erin Pim; Rebekah Lennon (C); Katie Herron; Evie Girvan; Emma McEntee; Evie Duncan; Isla Allen; Anna McRoberts.

SUBS: Lola Henderson (GK) [18 min]; Rihanna Gillespie [13 min]; Emily Adamson [15 min]; Scarlett Taylor [11 min]; Lara Wilson [13 min]; Evie Thompson [18 min]; Chrissy Hopkins [15 min].

Image courtesy of Henry Simpson

Boys U16

LEINSTER 1[3] ULSTER 1[1]

Leinster played their last outing of the 2024 Inter Pros, while Ulster had one more round against Munster still in the calendar with the U16 Inter Provincial title still up for grabs.

Ulster opened the scoring in the first quarter thanks to Charlie Taylor to give his side the lead in the game.

Leinster captain Simon Montgomery led by example to draw his side level in the second quarter from a penalty corner.

Despite plenty of chances for each side, neither team could produce the decisive moment, meaning the point was shared and a shootout was required to decide who would leave with the bonus point. It was Leinster who held their nerve, winning a crucial bonus point.

The result means Ulster must now beat Munster in the final round next week to take home the title.

LEINSTER U16: Dylan Evans (GK); Simon Montgomery (C); Conor Fox (VC); Ross Collins; Matthew Kinch; Isaac Bell; Patrick Caulwell (VC); Harry Grainger; Jonah Nathan; Charlie Trotter; Louis Rothwell.

SUBS: Luke Murphy (GK) [18 min]; Nathan Sweeney [5 min]; Morgan Duigan [8 min]; Max Stead [5 min]; Albie Chance [7 min]; Jan Christian Dijkstra [8 min]; Josh Kelly [5 min].

ULSTER U16: Rory Cunningham (GK); Euan Jack; Daniel McKee; Charlie Costelloe; Josh Gill; Riley Marney; Charlie Taylor; Finn Thompson (C); Robbie McAreavey (VC); Thomas Barbour; Noah Cuddy.

SUBS: Cameron Luney (GK); Bobbi Robinson [10 min]; Cohn Henry-McCool [9 min]; Jamie Lunn 18 min]; Owen Dobson; Ethan Kilpatrick [32 min]; Carter Lunn [7 min].

Boys U18

LEINSTER 3 ULSTER 2

The last time these sides met Ulster came out the better side of a 3-2 scoreline in Havelock Park. Both sides have since gone on to unbeaten runs, with Ulster the slightly better off following Leinster’s draw with Munster last week.

Leinster new if they were to get the result, they needed from this game they would need to make a strong start to this game, and that they did. Ríagan Dunne gave Leinster the lead after 7 minutes, with Milo Dagg adding a second goal before the end of quarter 1.

Ulster pulled a goal back when Michael Hollway converted a penalty corner less than 5 minutes into the second quarter. Leinster’s Oliver Graham restored the two-goal lead with a goal of his own before the whistle blew for half-time,

The scoreline remained 3-1 for the entirety of the third quarter, but Ulster again pulled a goal back through Michael Holloway to make it a tense final 15 minutes. Leinster held their nerve to sustain their lead and pick up a crucial three points.

The Leinster win leaves them top of the table, two points ahead of Ulster. Ulster now must win against Munster in the final round of the Boys Inter Provincial series or watch Leinster lift the trophy.

LEINSTER U18: Oskar Nielsen (GK); Alife Le Quesne; Noa Mulvey (VC); Toby Slye O’Connell; David Rankin; Liam Walsh (C); Niall Ryan Doyle; Scott Kenny; William Knatchbull; Bruce Whaley; Jake Fulton.

SUBS: Guy Sheehy O’Shea (GK) [35 min]; Luc McKiernan [11 min]; Milo Dagg; [6 min]; Oliver Graham [11 min]; Riagan Dunne [6 min]; Henry Rhys Thomas [11 min]; Jacob Davy [6 min].

ULSTER U18: Thomas Costelloe (GK); Adam Duffield; Seb Holley; Michael Hollway; Ed Irwin; Matthew McAreavey; Adam McKee; Max Nicholson; Josh Osborne (C); Milo Thompson; Harry Thompson.

SUBS: Benji Patterson (GK) [18 min]; James Barbour [14 min]; Jacob McIlhatton [24 min]; Matthew Lunn [8 min]; Isaac Kelso [43 min]; Ethan Redford [9 min]; Harry Taylor [10 min].

2024 Inter Provincial Series Program

The post Leinster U16 and Ulster U18 crowned 2024 Girls Inter Provincial Winners as Leinster Boys force competition to go down to the final day. appeared first on Hockey Ireland.

The first-round draw promises intense competition for the tournament ahead. In the men’s Cup, the standout fixture of the round will pit Three Rock Rovers against Banbridge, a game worthy of the final. Banbridge narrowly missed out on bringing the cup to Havelock Park for the 13^th time last year as they were beaten in the final by Ulster rivals Lisnagarvey, who also hold the accolade of being the competitions most decorated side with 26 titles to their name. Three Rock will pose a huge threat to Banbridge’s hopes of returning to the final, with the home side one of the most in-form teams in Ireland at present.

Among the other men’s fixtures is a matchup between Cookstown and Pembroke Wanderers, which offers Cookstown a chance to avenge their loss to Pembroke in last season’s EY Hockey League Division 2 Semi-Final. Avoca will host YMCA in a match which could be one of the most fiercely contested, and Instonians will face Annadale, with Ulster Premiership side Instonians desperate to knock out fellow Ulster-based side Annadale, who currently compete in the Ireland’s top League, the EY Hockey League.

In the women’s AIG Irish Senior Cup, current cup holders Railway Union will face high-flying side Old Alex in another hugely competitive clash. Old Alex have a storied history within the competition, being just the 4th side to ever win it, back in 1906. However, Ireland’s oldest hockey club, founded in 1893, Old Alex haven’t managed to secure an Irish Senior Cup since 1991 and will be hoping to begin their journey to the finals with a win over Railway Union.

Other major women’s fixtures in the first round see two Ulster derbys as Ulster Elks host Ards, and Pegasus face Queen’s University. UCD and UCC will play out a collegiate face off in Belfield, and Pembroke Wanderers take on Monkstown in a Dublin derby.

Commenting on the announcement, Chair of the Hockey Ireland Competitions Committee Iain Kelly remarked:

“The competition is an open draw format played for by the best men’s and women’s Hockey Clubs across Ireland, and announcing the draw for the Senior Cup each season is always an occasion. This tournament is one of the most exciting and brings large crowds of avid supporters to Cup Final day, making it one of the highlights in the domestic calendar.”

As title partner of the AIG Irish Senior Cup, John Gillick of AIG Ireland added;

“We’re delighted to partner with Hockey Ireland in support of the clubs competing for the AIG Irish Senior Cup. The heritage and prestige associated with the competition only enhances the exciting round of match-ups that have been announced today and we’re looking forward to seeing how they unfold in the new year.”

First competed for in 1894 for the men, and 1903 for the women, the AIG Irish Senior Cup is the World’s Oldest Club Hockey Cup and brings with it a wealth of history and legacy that makes it one of the most sought-after accolades for both players and clubs alike. The Cup is contested each season by sixteen seeded club teams, and follows an open draw knockout format across 5 rounds, with the 2024/25 final set to take place on the 10^th May 2025. AIG became title partners of the Irish Senior Cup in 2024 following a new three-year agreement.

Men’s AIG Irish Senior Cup Draw

AVOCA vs YMCA

BELFAST HARLEQUINS vs CORINTHIAN

UCD vs LISNAGARVEY

THREE ROCK ROVERS vs BANBRIDGE

MONKSTOWN vs CORK CHURCH OF IRELAND

INSTONIANS vs ANNADALE

GLENANNE vs CORK HARLEQUINS

COOKSTOWN vs PEMBROKE WANDERERS

Women’s AIG Irish Senior Cup Draw

ULSTER ELKS vs ARDS

PEMBROKE WANDERERS vs MONKSTOWN

PEGASUS vs QUEEN’S UNIVERSITY

CORINTHIAN vs PORTADOWN

BELFAST HARLEQUINS vs CATHOLIC INSTITUTE

LORETO vs CORK HARLEQUINS

UCC vs UCD

RAILWAY UNION vs OLD ALEX

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The total amount of grants awarded is €173 million, benefiting 35 individual projects. With this announcement, the cumulative investment from the LSSIF since 2020 now reaches €297 million 

Included within the projects that received funding is the construction of an FIH certified hockey pitch in Kinvara Hockey Club in Galway, a hockey pitch as part of the development of the Cavan Regional Sports Campus, and a hockey pitch as part of the development of the Eas Coast Hub, Gorey.  

All applications submitted under the LSSIF Fund were required to have the prioritised endorsement of a National Governing Body for Sport (NGB) or a Local Authority. This prioritisation was one of a number of factors taken into account in the assessment and ultimate ranking of projects. It was informed by factors such as the potential to enhance sports participation, sustainability, similar access for both men and women, and the ability to execute the project within a specified timeframe.

Speaking on the announcement, Chair of Kinvara Hockey Club Fiona Rodgers remarked:

“It’s a game changer for us, the club, the community and for Connacht. It makes what we had hoped to do so much more tangible.

“We’re traveling 180km for games and 60 kms for training, so to be able to walk to the pitch for the first time will be incredible.”

“Our Club was founded 44 years ago, exactly to the day, yesterday, by local women who were forward thinking for their time. I think of these founding members of the Club now and how we have decades ahead of us thanks to this announcement.”

Speaking at the announcement, Minister Byrne said: 

“The Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund emphasises the significance of collaboration among government entities, local authorities, and national governing bodies in enhancing sports infrastructure. Through cooperative efforts, these organisations can ensure that funding is allocated to projects that will most effectively promote sports participation and community development. 

Inclusivity in sports is paramount and thanks to the implementation of the new Similar Access Requirement, we have ensured that women and men will enjoy similar access to all sports facilities, which are publicly funded.” 

For the full list of projects included in the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund 2024, visit https://www.gov.ie/. 

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Friday, November 1, Dublin: Following confirmation of the international competition calendar for both Ireland senior squads, Hockey Ireland today announced changes and updates to its domestic competition calendar for Season 2024/25. The changes were made to facilitate the Senior Men’s participation in FIH Pro League Season 6 starting December 2024, and the Senior Women’s participation in FIH Nations Cup in February 2025.

Hockey Ireland also took the opportunity to announce Banbridge Hockey Club as hosts, once again, of the EY Champions Trophy Weekend in May 2025 to cap off the season’s EY Hockey League programme.

The updated and revised Calendar can be found on the Hockey Ireland website, with the accompanying Calendar Operations Document, including details of alternative contingency dates for specific clashes, e.g. EuroHockey Indoor Club events also available on the site.

The main changes to the domestic calendar, announced today, include:

The Irish Senior Cup (K016), Irish Hockey Trophy (KO8) and Irish Hockey Challenge (KO8) has been moved back by 1 weekend from 8th to 15th February, with the Irish Senior Cup (K08) also going back one weekend from 15th February to 22nd February.

EY Hockey League (D1) will restart 1 weekend earlier after the mid-season break and two weekends of EYHL will be played on the 1st and 8th February, before the international players head to their respective FIH competitions and the clubs continue competitive hockey with two rounds of Irish Senior Cup over two weekends.

Men’s summary: For EYHL (D1), the men will complete the first half of the season on 30th November (Round 10), finishing 1 week earlier before Christmas and restarting 1 week earlier on 1st February. After the 4 weekends of EYHL and Irish Senior Cup in February, they will resume the EYHL on 1st March as per the current Calendar, albeit some of the matches will be refixed to accommodate players returning to Ireland on 27th February.

Women’s summary: For EYHL (D1) women, there is no change prior to the mid-season break, with competition resuming 1 week earlier than the existing Calendar on 1st February with 2 weekends of EYHL and 2 weekends of Irish Senior Cup through February. As the FIH Nations Cup will still be underway on the 1st March, this date will be a contingency date domestically for any Cup postponements due to weather, etc. EYHL Round 15 will pick up on 8th March as per the current Calendar.

Speaking about the changes announced to the domestic competitions calendar today, Chair of the Hockey Ireland Competitions Committee Iain Kelly said:

“The domestic calendar for this season was largely built in anticipation of the international schedule and changes made were relatively minor despite only recent confirmation of the Senior Men’s participation in FIH Pro League Season 6 starting December 2024.”

The Competitions Committee developed a revised Calendar and led the process of engagement across High Performance, Provinces, Irish Hockey Umpires Association and Officials culminating with the Revised Calendar being signed off by the Hockey Ireland Board on 23rd October.

Iain Kelly added:

“I’d like to thank all those who engaged in the revision process and also for the early start we made to the calendar outline for this season, providing us a robust model to minimise the impact of international events which are common across all sports with congested calendars being the norm.”

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Herbie Sharman Trophy

In the first semi-final played at Newpark St.Andrew’s took on Midleton and Henry Thomas gave the Dubliners a 1-0 lead on 20 minutes with a goal from open play .Callum Keely added a second goal also from open play in the 36th minute to leave them 2-1 up. Midleton got what proved to be a consolation goal through an open play goal from Oscar Curtis on 46 minutes. In the second semi-final Wallace fell behind 0-1 when Paddy Brown’s 20th minute PC gave Sullivan Upper the lead.
M. Turner equalised for Wallace in the 32nd minute and the turnaround was completed by a 45th minute penalty corner converted by M Thompson put them into a final with St. Andrews.

The final was an exceptionally close affair. Neither side could break the deadlock in the first half, despite the exceptional attacking talent on display. St Andrews eventually opened the scoring in the third quarter, and doubled their lead not long after. Wallace were not to be discouraged, keen to fight until the final minutes, pulling a goal back to make the closing minutes exceptionally tense. St Andrews held firm to run out 2 – 1 victors and be crowned 2024 Herbie Sharman Winners.

All-Ireland Schoolboys Championship Final

The much sought after Tasmanian shield was on the line, an accolade being fought for for the 41st time this year since it’s inaugural tournament in 1982.

In the semi-finals Banbridge took on Wesley College on Friday morning at their place. Adam McKee gave Banbridge Academy the lead with a goal from open play in the 18th minute. Charlie Taylor added another goal from open play on 29 minutes to leave them 2-0 ahead. Conor Fox’s 31st minute converted penalty corner proved to be a consolation for Wesley College as Banbridge qualified for the final yet again. RBAI took on Friends in the other semi-final played at Grange Road . RBAI took the lead in the 11th minute when they were awarded a penalty stroke which John Cunningham converted to put them 1-0 ahead. Friends equalised through a converted penalty corner in the 19th minute from Tom Archbold. Jack Mulholland put Friends into the final with a 23rd minute field goal to seal the 2-1 win.

In the final itself the first two quarter produced no goals. Banbridge struck in the third quarter when Adam McKee scored from open play in the 31st minute to put Banbridge 1-0. There was no further scoring in quarter three and quarter four so Adam’s goal was enough to give perennial finalists the Tasmanian Shield All-Ireland School’s title for season 2024-25.

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