Ireland women's national field hockey team

Ireland
Association Hockey Ireland
Confederation EHF (Europe)
Coach Graham Shaw
Assistant coach(es) Gareth Grundie
Nigel Henderson
Colin Stewart
Darren Kenna
Manager Arlene Boyles
Captain Katie Mullan
Home
Away
FIH ranking
Current 8 Increase (August 2018)

The Ireland women's national field hockey team is organised by Hockey Ireland and represents both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland in international women's field hockey competitions, including the Women's Hockey World Cup, the Women's EuroHockey Nations Championship and the Hockey Series. They have previously competed in the Women's Hockey Champions Challenge and the Women's FIH Hockey World League. On 2 March 1896, Ireland played England in the first ever women's international field hockey match. Ireland were finalists and silver medallists at the 2018 Women's Hockey World Cup.

History

Early years

The Irish Ladies Hockey Union was established in 1894. On 2 March 1896 they organised and hosted the first ever women's international field hockey match when Ireland defeated England 2–0 at Alexandra College. [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]

Olympics

Tournament Place
1991 Women's Field Hockey Olympic Qualifier11th
2000 Women's Field Hockey Olympic Qualifier8th
2004 Women's Field Hockey Olympic Qualifier8th
2008 Women's Field Hockey Olympic Qualifier3rd
2012 Women's Field Hockey Olympic Qualifier2nd

Ireland have never qualified for an Olympic Games. They were invited to enter the inaugural 1980 tournament but did not participate because of the boycott. [8][9] Between 1991 and 2012 Ireland competed in Olympic qualifiers. In 2012 they reached the final of a qualifying tournament but lost 4–1 to Belgium. [10][11] Ireland attempted to qualify for the 2016 Summer Olympics via the 2014–15 Women's FIH Hockey World League. However they failed to qualify after losing out to China in a penalty shoot-out during a round three tournament in Valencia. [8][9][12]

World Cup

Tournament Place
1986 Women's Hockey World Cup12th
1994 Women's Hockey World Cup11th
1997 Women's Hockey World Cup Qualifier8th
2001 Women's Hockey World Cup Qualifier5th
2002 Women's Hockey World Cup15th
2010 Women's Hockey World Cup Qualifiers3rd
2006 Women's Hockey World Cup Qualifier8th
2018 Women's Hockey World Cup2nd, silver medalist(s)

Ireland have played in four Women's Hockey World Cups, making their debut in 1986. Ireland hosted the 1994 Women's Hockey World Cup and made their third appearance in 2002. [13][14]

2002 qualification controversy

Ireland qualified for the 2002 Women's Hockey World Cup following a bizarre and controversial set of circumstances. At the 2001 Women's Hockey World Cup Qualifier Ireland played Lithuania in a fifth to eighth place classification match. The match finished 2–2 and Lithuania won the subsequent penalty shoot-out 6–5. However Ireland captain, Rachel Kohler, spotted that the penalty strokes were being taken in the wrong order. She was initially ignored by the match officials, but Ireland appealed and the tournament director ruled the shoot-out should be replayed the next day. However Lithuania refused to take part and withdrew from the tournament. [15][16][17] Ireland went on to defeat Scotland 2–1 in the fifth place play-off and were initially confirmed as the final qualifier from the tournament. Before the match the Lithuania team staged a sit down protest on the pitch. [18] Lithuania lodged a further appeal to the FIH who then ordered that Ireland, Lithuania, India and the United States take part in a second qualification tournament. Lithuania were due to play India in a seventh and eighth place play-off before they withdrew. The United States had been unable to participate in the original qualifier due to the disruption of airline schedules after the September 11 attacks. [13][16][17][19][20][21] However Ireland in turn appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport who overruled the FIH decision and finally confirmed Ireland's place in the 2002 Women's Hockey World Cup. [22]

2018 Women's Hockey World Cup

Ireland were finalists and silver medallists at the 2018 Women's Hockey World Cup. [23][24][25][26] Deirdre Duke scored twice against the United States as Ireland won their opening pool stage game 3–1. Shirley McCay was also on target for Ireland. [27][28][29][30] In their second pool game against India, Anna O'Flanagan's goal secured a 1–0 win for Ireland and a place in the quarter-finals. [31][32][33][34][35][36] Ireland lost their third pool game against England. However after winning their first two games, they had already qualified for the knockout stages. [37] The quarter-final against India finished 0–0 but Roisin Upton, Alison Meeke and Chloe Watkins were all on target as Ireland won the penalty shoot-out 3–1. [38][39][40] Ireland coach Graham Shaw hailed Ayeisha McFerran's performance in the penalty shoot-out after she saved three out of the four India penalty strokes. [41] In the semi-final against Spain, O'Flanagan scored her second goal before Spain equalised and the game finished 1–1. In the subsequent penalty shoot-out, Ireland won 3–2, with Gillian Pinder scoring twice and McFerran again saving three penalty strokes. [42][43][44][45][46][47][48] Despite losing the final 6–0 to the Netherlands, [49][50] Ireland were acclaimed for their overall performance in the tournament. They had began the tournament as underdogs, the second lowest seed. They were ranked 15th out of sixteen teams taking part. Their team was made up of part-timers and amateurs while in the final they played a team of full-time professionals. [51][52][53][54][55] It was reported in The Irish Times that the players had to pay €550 to compete. [52][56] Although this claim was subsequently denied by both Sport Ireland and the Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Shane Ross. [57] Following their appearance in the World Cup final, Ireland moved up to a best ever eighth position in the FIH World Rankings. Their previous highest ranking position was 14th. [58]

Women's Hockey Champions Challenge

Season Place
2009 Women's Hockey Champions Challenge II3rd
2011 Women's Hockey Champions Challenge I6th
2012 Women's Hockey Champions Challenge I3rd
2014 Women's Hockey Champions Challenge I2nd

World League/Hockey Series

Season Place
2012–13 Women's FIH Hockey World League23rd
2014–15 Women's FIH Hockey World League15th
2016–17 Women's FIH Hockey World League13th
2018–19 Women's Hockey Series

Between 2012 and 2017 Ireland competed in the Women's FIH Hockey World League. In January 2017 they won a Round 2 tournament in Kuala Lumpur, defeating Malaysia 3–0 in the final with goals from Anna O'Flanagan, Katie Mullan and Zoe Wilson. [59][60] Ireland's seventh place finish in at the 2016–17 Women's FIH Hockey World League Semifinals eventually saw them qualify for the 2018 Women's Hockey World Cup. [61][62][63]

EuroHockey Championships

Tournament Place
1984 Women's EuroHockey Nations Championship5th
1987 Women's EuroHockey Nations Championship7th
1991 Women's EuroHockey Nations Championship8th
1995 Women's EuroHockey Nations Championship8th
1999 Women's EuroHockey Nations Championship9th
2003 Women's EuroHockey Nations Championship6th
2005 Women's EuroHockey Nations Championship5th
2007 Women's EuroHockey Nations Championship6th
2009 Women's EuroHockey Nations Championship5th
2011 Women's EuroHockey Nations Championship6th
2013 Women's EuroHockey Nations Championship7th
2015 Women's EuroHockey Championship II1st
2017 Women's EuroHockey Nations Championship6th

Ireland competed in every edition of the top division of the Women's EuroHockey Nations Championship between 1984 and 2013. However after finishing 7th in 2013, they were relegated to the second division, the Women's EuroHockey Championship II. Ireland subsequently returned to the top division after winning the 2015 Women's EuroHockey Championship II, defeating the Czech Republic 5–0 in the final. [64]

Invitational tournaments

Tournament Place
2012 Women's Hockey Investec Cup6th
2016 Hawke's Bay Cup5th
2017 Women's Four Nations Cup2nd

Current squad

2018 Women's Hockey World Cup squad.

Head coach: Graham Shaw

No. Pos. Player Date of birth (age) Caps Club
1 1GK Grace O'Flanagan (1989-04-07)7 April 1989 (aged 29) 34 Republic of Ireland Railway Union
19 1GK Ayeisha McFerran (1996-01-10)10 January 1996 (aged 22) 73 United States Louisville Cardinals
4 2DF Yvonne O'Byrne (1992-01-02)2 January 1992 (aged 26) 113 Republic of Ireland Cork Harlequins
11 2DF Megan Frazer (1990-10-02)2 October 1990 (aged 27) 128 Germany Mannheim
12 2DF Elena Tice (1997-11-16)16 November 1997 (aged 20) 68 Republic of Ireland UCD Ladies
23 2DF Hannah Matthews (1991-03-24)24 March 1991 (aged 27) 108 Republic of Ireland Loreto
27 2DF Zoe Wilson (1997-02-15)15 February 1997 (aged 21) 74 Northern Ireland Belfast Harlequins
10 3MF Shirley McCay (1988-06-07)7 June 1988 (aged 30) 267 Northern Ireland Pegasus
15 3MF Gillian Pinder (1992-05-05)5 May 1992 (aged 26) 137 Republic of Ireland Pembroke Wanderers
18 3MF Roisin Upton (1994-04-01)1 April 1994 (aged 24) 39 Republic of Ireland Cork Harlequins
20 3MF Chloe Watkins (1992-03-07)7 March 1992 (aged 26) 194 Netherlands HC Bloemendaal
21 3MF Lizzie Colvin (1990-01-04)4 January 1990 (aged 28) 160 Northern Ireland Belfast Harlequins
30 3MF Alison Meeke (1991-06-07)7 June 1991 (aged 27) 114 Republic of Ireland Loreto
8 4FW Nicola Evans (1990-01-17)17 January 1990 (aged 28) 163 Germany UHC Hamburg
9 4FW Katie Mullan (C) (1994-04-07)7 April 1994 (aged 24) 151 Republic of Ireland UCD Ladies
14 4FW Emily Beatty (1996-01-26)26 January 1996 (aged 22) 78 Republic of Ireland Pembroke Wanderers
22 4FW Nicola Daly (1988-04-03)3 April 1988 (aged 30) 163 Republic of Ireland Loreto
26 4FW Anna O'Flanagan (1990-02-18)18 February 1990 (aged 28) 168 Netherlands HC Bloemendaal
28 4FW Deirdre Duke (1992-06-09)9 June 1992 (aged 26) 103 Republic of Ireland UCD Ladies

Source: [65][66][67][23][25][68]

Honours

References

  1. ↑ "125 Year Anniversary Of IHU Formation". www.hockey.ie. 6 February 2018. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
  2. ↑ "A history of the sport on the island as Hockey Ireland celebrates 125th anniversary". www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk. 6 February 2018. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
  3. ↑ "Alex celebrate 120th anniversary on St Patrick's Day". www.hookhockey.com. 16 March 2013. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
  4. ↑ "Living for the days of the big finals Alexandra College". www.irishtimes.com. 27 February 2008. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
  5. ↑ "A History of Hockey – Part 2". www.wispsports.com. 17 December 2016. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  6. ↑ "Hockey: Internationals Set For Three Rock Rovers & Alexandra College". www.sportireland.ie. 13 October 2014. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  7. ↑ "Grange Road and Milltown to host Scotland series". www.hookhockey.com. 13 October 2014. Retrieved 8 September 2018.
  8. 1 2 "Irish women's hockey on the brink of Rio qualification". www.irishtimes.com. 17 June 2015. Retrieved 9 August 2016.
  9. 1 2 "Olympics beckon for Ireland hockey". www.bbc.co.uk. 17 June 2015. Retrieved 12 September 2018.
  10. ↑ "Olympic hockey play-off: Belgium 4-1 Ireland". www.rte.ie. 27 March 2012. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  11. ↑ "Belgium v Ireland - Women's 2012 Olympic Qualifying Tournament Final Photos". www.sportsfile.com. 25 March 2012. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  12. ↑ "Heartbreak for Irish women as Olympic hockey dreams suffer blow after shoot-out defeat". www.independent.ie. 18 June 2015. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  13. 1 2 "When hockey came home to Ireland – the joys of Dublin 1994". www.hookhockey.com. 18 July 2018. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  14. ↑ "Shaw airs pride as Ireland women qualify for hockey World Cup". www.rte.ie. 12 October 2017. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  15. ↑ "Irish protest earns second chance". news.bbc.co.uk. 29 September 2001. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  16. 1 2 "Irish women must wait for appeal decision". www.rte.ie. 25 January 2002. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  17. 1 2 "Women's Hockey: Ireland wait for verdict". www.telegraph.co.uk. 25 January 2002. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  18. ↑ "Controversy as Irish qualify". news.bbc.co.uk. 30 September 2001. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  19. ↑ "Doubt over Indian women qualifying for World Cup". www.rediff.com. 2 November 2001. Retrieved 31 October 2012.
  20. ↑ "Women's World Cup qualification still in limbo". www.thehindu.com. 23 December 2001. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  21. ↑ "FIH gives US chance to qualify". www.rediff.com. 17 September 2001. Retrieved 23 October 2012.
  22. ↑ "Irish score emphatic win at CAS appeal". www.irishtimes.com. 1 February 2002. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  23. 1 2 "20 things you didn't know about Ireland's hockey heroes". www.irishexaminer.com. 5 August 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
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  25. 1 2 "Meet the Irish women's hockey team who are making history as they take on the World Cup final". www.thesun.ie. 5 August 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
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  28. ↑ "'Magnificent' Ireland open hockey World Cup campaign with USA scalp". www.rte.ie. 21 July 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
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  32. ↑ "Anna O'Flanagan makes dreams reality for Irish women's hockey". www.irishtimes.com. 27 July 2018. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  33. ↑ "'It was a dream come true' - Team Ireland rejoice as they prepare for World Cup quarter-final". www.the42.ie. 27 July 2018. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  34. ↑ "Huge sacrifices make this all the sweeter - O'Flanagan". www.rte.ie. 27 July 2018. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  35. ↑ "Anna O'Flanagan has Ireland goalscoring record in sight as Girls in Green aim to down World Cup hosts England". www.thesun.ie. 28 July 2018. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  36. ↑ "O'Flanagan in 'dream world' as Irish book last-eight berth". www.bbc.co.uk. 26 July 2018. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  37. ↑ "England v Ireland - Women's Hockey World Cup Finals Group B Photos". 29 July 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  38. ↑ "Green Army Beat India To Reach World Cup Semi Final". www.hockey.ie. 2 August 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  39. ↑ "Cork hockey ace Upton rallies Ireland to a historic victory". www.eveningecho.ie. 3 August 2018. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  40. ↑ "Irish hockey's penalty hero Upton: It's just up, up, up from here". www.irishexaminer.com. 3 August 2018. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  41. ↑ "Graham Shaw: 'It's incredible for the whole sport of hockey in Ireland'". www.irishtimes.com. 2 August 2018. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  42. ↑ "Ireland's history makers see off Spain to reach World Cup final". www.irishtimes.com. 4 August 2018. Retrieved 23 August 2018.
  43. ↑ "'We're here to win it - we've got the talent and the spirit' - Irish stars ready to create sporting history". www.independent.ie. 5 August 2018. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
  44. ↑ "Ireland v Spain - Women's Hockey World Cup Finals Semi-Final Photos". www.sportsfile.com. 4 August 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  45. ↑ "'This is 100% the greatest moment of my life apart from my kids and wife'". www.the42.ie. 4 August 2018. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  46. ↑ "'Most of us are off social media' - Shoot-out hero Gillian Pinder on how Ireland are staying grounded". www.independent.ie. 5 August 2018. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  47. ↑ "'Crazy' - Irish match-winner Pinder on rollercoaster journey". www.rte.ie. 5 August 2018. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  48. ↑ "Ireland have reached the World Cup final after beating Spain on penalties". www.joe.ie. 4 August 2018. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  49. ↑ "As it happened: Ireland v Netherlands, Women's Hockey World Cup final". www.the42.ie. 5 August 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  50. ↑ "Ireland v Netherlands - Women's Hockey World Cup Final Photos". www.sportsfile.com. 5 August 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
  51. ↑ "Ireland's all-conquering women's hockey team go for gold in the World Cup final". www.irishtimes.com. 5 August 2018. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  52. 1 2 "Ireland women hockey team's incredible story: Part-timers, second lowest ranked side to World Cup runners-up". indianexpress.com. 5 August 2018. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  53. ↑ "Silver medals for underdogs who feared no one". www.thetimes.co.uk. 6 August 2018. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  54. ↑ "Hockey World Cup: Fans hail Irish history-makers". www.bbc.co.uk. 5 August 2018. Retrieved 15 September 2018.
  55. ↑ "Why Ireland are hockey heroes". www.bbc.co.uk. 6 August 2018. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
  56. ↑ "Ireland's Hockey World Cup heroes pay to represent country". www.irishtimes.com. 1 August 2018. Retrieved 13 September 2018.
  57. ↑ "Irish women's hockey team members 'didn't have to pay €550 levy for World Cup'". www.thejournal.ie. 5 August 2018. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  58. ↑ "Ireland women's hockey team up to eighth in world rankings after World Cup". www.bbc.co.uk. 7 August 2018. Retrieved 10 September 2018.
  59. ↑ "Outstanding Ireland add gold to WL3 ticket". www.hookhockey.com. 22 January 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  60. ↑ "Half-century milestone was not on the radar – O'Flanagan". www.hookhockey.com. 23 January 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  61. ↑ "Ireland qualify for Hockey Women's World Cup London 2018". www.fih.ch. 12 October 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  62. ↑ "Ireland clinch place at 2018 Hockey Women's World Cup". www.fih.ch. 12 October 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  63. ↑ "Ireland women book World Cup slot after Australia win 23-0". www.irishtimes.com. 12 October 2017. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  64. ↑ "Golden moment for Ireland's women as McCay breaks caps record in Prague". www.hookhockey.com. 25 July 2015. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
  65. ↑ "Senior Women Squad". www.hockey.ie. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
  66. ↑ "UCD ladies line-up as Ireland preps for its opening game at Hockey World Cup". www.ucd.ie. 19 July 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  67. ↑ "Ireland name squad for World Cup". www.rte.ie. 26 June 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  68. ↑ "Women's Hockey World Cup: Ireland's Megan Frazer ruled out of final". www.bbc.co.uk. 5 August 2018. Retrieved 11 August 2018.
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