Professional League: Eire Joins Professional League As South Africa Withdraws

Hockey Eire is happy to just accept an invite from the Worldwide Hockey Federation, FIH, for the Eire Males’s Senior Squad to affix the FIH Hockey Males’s Professional League subsequent season.
Eire completed runners-up to South Africa within the inaugural FIH Nations Cup event final November, shedding an exciting remaining 4-3.

It meant South Africa gained promotion to the Professional League for 2023-2024 changing the nation that can end backside on the finish of the present season.
Nevertheless South Africa have determined to not take up their place and as runners-up within the Nations Cup, Eire have been invited by the FIH to switch them and have chosen to take action. The 2023-2024 Professional League season will seemingly get underway in October and Eire can count on video games towards the just lately topped World Champions Germany and Olympic gold medal winners Belgium in addition to different hockey powerhouses similar to Australia and India and nearer to house Nice Britain.

Earlier than that Eire will host Division 2 of the EuroHockey Championships in July on the Nationwide Sports activities Campus in Abbotstown, seeking to declare a spot within the Olympic Qualifying Tournaments for Paris 2024.

Commenting on the announcement, Hockey Eire CEO Ronan Murphy stated: “This announcement comes at a really thrilling time for Irish Hockey, as we glance to develop participation within the sport and compete on the highest degree on the worldwide stage. The truth that our Senior Males at the moment are competing in World Hockey’s Professional League towards eight prime Hockey groups from around the globe is a testomony to all of the onerous work up to now and is aligned with our Excessive-Efficiency technique and goals”.

“As we proceed our Olympic qualification marketing campaign, we’ve a really busy yr forward with the EuroHockey Championships in Abbotstown in July providing an ideal alternative for Irish Hockey followers to return alongside and watch the group in full worldwide motion.”

Mark Tumilty, Eire Males’s Head Coach can’t wait to get began within the Professional League. “We’re delighted this has come about. It’s an enormous alternative for us and for males’s hockey in Eire. It’s a large problem for us however I’ve stated many instances earlier than that for Eire to maneuver ahead in world hockey we have to be enjoying aggressive video games towards the highest nations. To have the prospect now to play sixteen video games towards the highest international locations on the planet will give our programme added function and focus.”

Hockey’s world governing physique the FIH additionally commented: “While we’ll miss South Africa within the subsequent season, we all know that the South African Hockey Affiliation firmly intends to affix the FIH Hockey Professional League as quickly as doable. Subsequently, that is only a matter of time. In the meantime, we’re completely delighted to welcome the Irish males’s group and we will’t wait to see them carry out within the League subsequent season!”