Thursday, February 19: Eire Males’s Hockey Staff head coach Mark Tumilty has introduced his 20-player squad to journey to Santiago, Chile to play within the FIH Hockey World Cup Qualifiers from March 1 – 8. The essential event offers Eire the chance to safe their place on the 2026 Hockey World Cup, which might finish the eight-year look ahead to the Males’s Staff to compete in hockey’s prime worldwide competitors.
Jaime Carr will likely be Eire’s first selection between the sticks, with the shot-stopper persevering with his world class type into 2026 with each Eire and Belgian membership Gantoise. Alongside him is Luke Roleston, who joins the squad as soon as once more having impressed with Banbridge.
Kyle Marshall, Peter McKibbin, Mark McNellis, and Sam Hyland will lead Eire’s defensive efforts centrally, with Lee Cole, Luke Witherow, and Fergus Gibson supporting from the fullback positions.
Greg Williams additionally joins the squad as a part of the backline, taking part in in simply his second main Senior worldwide event after an distinctive show for the Eire U21 Squad on the FIH Hockey World Cup in India the place he scored on six events.
In midfield, Sean Murray and Peter Brown would be the focal factors, with Johnny McKee, Jonny Lynch and Adam McAllister linking up with them as Eire transition from defence to assault.
Up entrance, the skilled head of Jeremy Duncan leads the road, with the Monkstown ahead quick approaching his 150th Worldwide cap. Matthew Nelson will play alongside him trying so as to add to his objective tally, with Ben Walker, Ali Empey and Louis Rowe finishing Eire’s attacking line.
Talking on the announcement, Head Coach Mark Tumilty stated:
“The squad have labored exceptionally laborious to make sure we’re in the perfect place to earn qualification for the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup. We now have a really sturdy group travelling to Chile whom I’ve the upmost confidence in to get the job finished.
Our goal is easy: return to the FIH Hockey World Cup. We all know it gained’t be a straightforward activity, however we’re prepared for the problem.”
The IRL Males have been drawn in Pool B of the FIH Hockey World Cup Qualifiers and can start their qualification bid in opposition to Canada (#19) on Sunday, March 1 at 15:00 Irish Time, of their first assembly since Canada denied Eire a spot on the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Video games in 2019. The crew will then face Korea (#16) on Tuesday, March 3 at 14:15 Irish Time, whom Eire beat in 2024 to qualify for the Paris Olympic Video games, earlier than ending their marketing campaign with a gathering with Poland (#24) on Wednesday, March 4 at 12:00 Irish Time, because the crew look to avenge their shootout loss within the EuroHockey Championship Qualifiers in Dublin in 2024.
The crew might come up in opposition to France (#9), Wales (#15), Scotland (#20), or Chile (#22) ought to they handle to progress out of the pool. Eire might want to obtain a prime 3 end general within the competitors to safe their place, ending within the prime two locations within the pool and profitable both their semi-final tie or the threerd/4th Place Play-Off match if required.
Eire Males’s Squad
Jaime Carr
Luke Roleston
Greg Williams
Luke Witherow
Fergus Gibson
Lee Cole
Kyle Marshall
Mark McNellis
Sam Hyland
Peter McKibbin
Peter Brown
Johnny McKee
Adam McAllister
Sean Murray
Jonny Lynch
Jeremy Duncan
Ben Walker
Matthew Nelson
Louis Rowe
Ali Empey
FIH Hockey World Cup – Fixtures
Mar 1 – 15:00 Irish Time – IRELAND vs Canada
Mar 3 – 14:15 Irish Time – Korea vs IRELAND
Mar 4 – 12:00 Irish Time – IRELAND vs Poland
Mar 6 – 8 – Crossover Matches (SF, F, & Rating Matches)
