David Harte
Age: 36
Caps: 242
Club: SV Kampong (Netherlands)
Previous games: Rio 2016
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Twice voted world goalkeeper of the year in 2015 and 2016, the Kinsale-born player is one of the most experienced and decorated athletes in Irish sport. He made history when he led Ireland out in the Rio games, the first time an Irish hockey team had qualified for the Olympics. He has won the Irish Senior Cup with Pembroke and Cork Harlequins as well as the Dutch Hoofdklasse three times. His father Kieran played on the Tyrone GAA team of the 1970s and is a first cousin of Micky Harte. His twin brother Conor also played for Ireland and professionally with David for Dabang Mumbai.
John McKee
Age: 27
Caps: 102
Club: Banbridge
Previous Games: None
Another of the players who have punched past the century mark for Irish caps, McKee is a three-times Irish Senior Cup winner with his club and arrives in the French capital having missed out on qualification for Tokyo after an agonising defeat to Canada in Vancouver. A quirky penalty decision against Ireland ultimately cost the team dearly. A banker by profession, the Newry man has also won at Euro Hockey Championship II level and world League II. Younger sister Katie also plays hockey for Ireland, McKee has been playing for almost a decade after making his debut in 2015.
Daragh Walsh
Age: 26
Caps: 104
Club: Braxgata HC (Belgium)
Previous Games: None
A professional player in Antwerp competing in the Belgian Hockey League, qualifying for Paris finally put the disappointment of Vancouver behind the former Wesley College and Trinity student who made his Irish debut in 2017 against Pakistan in Lisnagarvey. Walsh has medaled twice with the national team, taking home gold at the 2023 edition of the EuroHockey Championship II, and silver at the 2018–19 FIH Series Finals in Le Touquet. He was also part of the Irish team that competed in the 16 team FIH World Cup held in Bhubaneswar, India. Formerly Three Rock Rovers he now plays in Antwerp.
Ben Johnson
Age: 23
Caps: 38
Club: Three Rock Rovers
Previous Games: None
The personal journey to Paris for the Dubliner has not been without a few bumps in the road after he has had to undergo two knee operations in the last three years. The Three Rock Rovers player captained the Newtown school team in Waterford to their first ever All-Ireland title before making his Irish debut in 2022 against Italy. Hockey runs in the family as both his father Craig and grandfather Roger were capped at youth and schools’ level for Ireland. A sustainability engineer, who plays midfield and forward, he is the least experienced player travelling.
Lee Cole
Age: 29
Caps: 124
Club: Monkstown HC
Previous Games: None
Also an underage cricketer with Ireland, Cole comes from a distinguished hockey family. To name a few, brother Stephen is an international, while his father David and uncle Johnathan played under 21 and senior hockey respectively for Ireland. Another one of the squad who agonisingly missed out on qualification for the Tokyo Olympics, in his formative years he was coached by Graham Shaw, who led the Irish women’s team to a World Cup final in London in 2018. A sharp defender with a substantial body of international work in his CV, he travels as one of the more experienced players.
Kyle Marshall
Age: 26
Caps: 52
Club: Old Georgians
Previous Games: None
The Market Hill player lists beating Korea to qualify for Paris as his most memorable sporting moment because the team had come close but were unable to close the deal on previous occasions. Played with Banbridge as his home club, where he won the Irish Senior Cup and learned from one of Ireland’s top players Eugene Magee. The data analyst has played Championship and Nations Cup in Eurohockey. He broke his thumb in the qualifying process, which kept him out of competitive hockey for three months, but is now back to full fitness and prepared for Belgium in the first match.
Jeremy Duncan
Age: 27
Caps: 117
Club: Monkstown
Previous Games: None
A Kilkenny College graduate, Duncan also played with UCD before settling into Monkstown in Dublin. He has had experience in the Nations Cup, EuroHockey Championship and most recently the world League, where Ireland played for the first time. Also played in Belgium with the Herakles club who won the Belgian league in 2018. The last six months have been the most physically and mentally demanding of his international career, which he sees as a positive in terms of preparation for what lies ahead in Paris. An Ad Astra scholarship recipient at UCD, he now works as a physiotherapist and clinic manager at DBC Sports Medicine Clinic.
Ben Walker
Age: 25
Caps: 92
Club: Braxgata (Belgium)
Previous Games: None
The South Dublin native is a graduate of St Andrews College and is currently a student and professional hockey player in Belgium. Graduated from UCD and is now studying for a Master's Degree in Business Administration in Leuven. Played in the world League and the EuroHockey Championships last year and is a multiple Irish championship and cup winner with Dublin side Three Rock Rovers. Has rugby centre and Irish captain Brian O’Driscoll as one of his sporting idols because of the way he turned up in big matches. He hopes to be at the sharp end of the Irish attack in Paris.
Matty Nelson
Age: 26
Caps: 87
Club: Lisnagarvey
Previous Games: None
It was the Lisburn man’s goal that sent Ireland on their way to Olympic qualification in a nerve-shredding 4-3 win over South Korea in Valencia back in January. The PE teacher is one of several members of the squad who have had spells with clubs abroad, Robson playing for Fremantle in the Australian league last year. “Long but rewarding,” he said of the team’s route to Paris. “There have been some highs and plenty of lows, but that’s sport. Hard work pays off. Qualifying for the Olympic Games with Ireland is a dream come true.”
Michael Robson
Age: 29
Caps: 162
Club: Annadale
Previous Games: 2016 (Travelling reserve)
A native of Holywood, Co Down, Robson was a travelling reserve for Ireland in Rio in 2016, when the team qualified for the Olympics for the first time, but he’s now a central figure in the side having reached the 150 cap mark last February. An accountant by profession, the midfielder made his Irish debut a decade ago and along with his brother and fellow international Callum spent time playing for Crefelder in the German league before returning to Annadale.
Nick Page
Age: 27
Caps: 53
Club: Oxted, Surrey
Previous Games: None
The Londoner represented England from under-16 to under-21 level and played for Britain’s under-23 side before being called up by Ireland in the summer of 2021, Page eligible through an Irish-born grandparent. “The journey to Paris has been a long and arduous one, filled with setbacks, challenges, and moments of triumph, but ultimately leading to a moment of pure elation upon selection,” he said. “Despite all the sacrifices, mistakes, injuries, challenges, ups and downs I’ve had along the way, I wouldn’t change a thing and I’d do it all over again.”
Peter Brown
Age: 30
Caps: 43
Club: Banbridge
Previous Games: None
The vastly experienced Banbridge player, who has won every honour in domestic hockey several times over, has had a stop/start international career since making his senior debut 11 years ago, but is firmly back in the fold and is relishing his Olympic debut. “We have pushed ourselves to the limit physically and are leaving no stone unturned in our preparations. The team has made many sacrifices to allow ourselves to reach new heights on/off the pitch. We performed very well in the January qualification tournament and played in our first ever Pro League against the top nations in the world. We can all grasp the honour that comes with representing your nation at the Olympics.”
Peter McKibbin
Age: 27
Caps: 48
Club: Lisnagarvey
Previous Games: None
One of eight Ulster players in the squad, McKibbin, who hails from Comber, Co Down, plays his hockey with Lisnagarvey, returning to the club after a year playing professionally with Grossflottbeker in the German league. The defender, who works for the Northern Ireland Civil Service, made his senior Irish debut in 2019. “The journey to Paris has been challenging and a lot of hard work has gone in to it, but ultimately it has been thoroughly enjoyable. Competing in the Olympics has been a dream of mine ever since I was a kid, and to be able to achieve that will be incredible.”
Sean Murray
Age: 27
Caps: 140
Club: Gantoise Hockey Club
Previous Games: None
After starting out with Lisnagarvey, the Irish captain has been playing professionally in Europe since 2018, first joining Rotterdam and then moving to Belgium where he had a spell with Leuven before switching to Gantoise in Ghent. “We’ve all put in a lot of hard work and sacrifices over the years with the ultimate goal of playing at an Olympic Games,” said the Lisburn man. “I am very excited to represent Ireland, my family, friends and every coach who has helped me along the way.”
Shane O’Donoghue
Age: 31
Caps: 234
Club: Glenanne
Previous Games: Rio 2016
One of just two survivors in the squad from the Rio Olympics, goalkeeper David Harte the other, the Dubliner is Ireland’s record goalscorer, becoming the first man to reach the 100 goal mark back in 2019 and amassing 234 caps along the way. He spent four seasons playing professionally in Belgium before returning to Glenanne. O’Donoghue scored the decisive goal in the 4-3 win over South Korea in Valencia back in January that sealed Ireland’s qualification for Paris. “It’s been a rollercoaster, but it’s now about putting our best foot forward in Paris. Feeling positive, excited and confident.”
Tim Cross
Age: 33
Caps: 61
Club: Hampstead & Westminster HC
Previous Games: None
After winning eight caps for his native Australia, Cross moved to Europe to play in the Dutch league, later switching allegiance to Ireland and making his senior debut in 2019. After a spell playing with Annandale, the PE teacher joined Hampstead and Westminster in the English Premier Division last year. “I’m feeling a mix of nervousness and excitement in advance of Paris, it’s an incredible opportunity, and I’m ready to play against the best in the world. I can’t wait to get out there and play on the biggest stage for our sport.”
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