The luck of the Irish: Men’s hockey team to play in FIH Pro League after South Africa turn down invitation
The Irish men’s national hockey team are set to play in their first FIH Pro League next season. They have earned their place after the South African Hockey Association (SAHA) declined their invitation, after qualifying in the inaugural Men’s FIH Nations Cup.
The SAHA have been coy about the precise reasons for not taking their place, but it would appear that the costs of competing in the tournament seem to be the main reason. When the news came out a number of the South African players were shocked and their captain Dayaan Cassiem could not hide his displeasure on social media.
He stated in an Instagram story: “Disappointed, frustrated and broken at the fact that SA Hockey has decided to pull out of the Pro League. After a hard fight to win the FIH Nations Cup in Potchefstroom, I’m beyond disappointed by this decision. We always seem to make monumental steps forward only to be pulled right back to where we started. We as players give everything, sacrifice a lot and deserve more than what we’ve been given.”
This is not the first time South Africa have withdrawn from a major tournament. SAHA pulled the women’s team out of Rio 2016 after the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee deemed their qualification through the African Championships to be insufficient, marking the first time in 20 years they didn’t play in the competition. SAHA has responded to the recent criticism by promising to return to the competition as soon as possible.
The Irish were the runners-up to South Africa in the Nations Cup losing 4-3 in the final but have now been awarded a coveted Pro League place due to South Africa’s withdrawal. This is an opportunity the “Green Machine” are determined to embrace.
Hockey Ireland chief executive Ronan Murphy has lauded Ireland’s inclusion. He said: “It has been a testament to all the hard work that they have put in and they have got aligned views on their high-performance strategy”.
Ireland boast a blend of youth and experience. With an average age of just 25, their side is supplemented by veterans including Conor Harte, who plays for Belgian club side KHC Dragons. He played for Ireland at the Rio 2016 Olympics and the 2018 World Cup and has enjoyed 17 years in the green jersey so far after making his debut in 2006.
Ireland as a hockey nation have proven form of surpassing expectations as the underdogs. In 2018, their women’s team historically won a silver medal in the World Cup, going from being one of the lowest-ranked teams in the tournament and having to raise funds to go to the event altogether, to seeing off all competition to reach the final. They fell short to the Dutch, who have been the most ferocious side in women’s hockey for many years.
The men can rely on the experience of captain Sean Murray, with 110 caps to his name. He has won 67 matches and has scored 19 goals.
Midfielder Nick Page is another dependable player for the Irish. He has played 21 games and has 16 wins under his belt. Just before the FIH Pro League, he may also be selected for the second divison EuroHockey championships in Dublin beforehand which would allow him to get some playing time and more confidence.
One other key player is goalkeeper David Fitzgerald, his skills between the sticks helping Ireland to 27 wins in his 48 caps.
They haven’t competed in a major international tournament since 2019, where they were relegated from divison one of the EuroHockey championships after finishing eighth. They narrowly failed to qualify for the 2020 Olympics, losing to Canada in a shootout, and also missed out on qualification for the most recent World Cup which was held in January.
They will now have to prove themselves against the best teams in the world, with 16 games against the likes of Great Britain, Argentina, Netherlands, and current world champions Germany to name a few. They are currently ranked 13th in the World, the lowest of all the teams in the competition.
However, this could prove to be the perfect opportunity for them to make some much-needed improvements while gaining top-flight experience ahead of the Olympics next year. This summer they will take part in division two of the EuroHockey Championships as hosts. A tournament win would see them progress to the top EuroHockey divison in 2024.
It is great that Ireland will have the opportunity to play in their first FIH Pro League. Having experienced players and also youth in the Ireland team could lead Ireland to do well in the tournament.
Ireland may just have the luck of the Irish on their side as they head into this historic season 🍀
