Munster will have its largest representation for any Irish panel in many years next week when eight players travel with the U18 squad to Lilleshall for a series with England.

Hockey Ireland have conceded there's no further avenue of appeal they can pursue over the Irish men’s video nasty in the Olympic qualifiers last October in Vancouver.

With the winter break just a couple of weeks away, new research from chartered physiotherapist Huw Rees says this is a key phase for Irish hockey clubs to manage after a spate of injuries last spring.

Michael Houghton says he has hit upon a framework that will play a key role in building a long-lasting dividend from Irish hockey’s recent successes.

Brid Ryan, who founded Queen B Athletics with her sister Aedin Corbyn,describes their excitement as they watched the Irish women’s hockey team qualify for their first Olympics.

Dave Passmore has announced the first Irish women’s indoor international squad since 1990, naming a 14-player panel for a December trip to Durban, South Africa for six test matches.

For uninitiated members of the hockey bandwagon who joined in the last 18 months, they would be forgiven for thinking every contest ends in a shoot-out.

Ireland’s shoot-out queens are Tokyo-bound as Ayeisha McFerran added another glorious entry into her own sporting folklore with three incredible shoot-out saves.

Both the Irish senior women and men got one of their preferred draw for the Olympic qualifiers as they both face battles with Canada in the next two months for a ticket to Tokyo 2020.

Sport Ireland has announced a multi-year investment of more than €3 million in National Governing Bodies of Sport through the re-launch of the Women in Sport Programme.

It concludes a tough spell for the side with the Dutchman taking on the role just over a year ago, taking over the reins from Craig Fulton who left the job for a role with Belgium who have subsequently gone on to win World Cup and European titles.

The Irish men's hockey coach Alexander Cox has resigned

He was not named in the panel released by Hockey Ireland with Jamie Carr and Mark Ingram included in the goalkeeping spots.

Ireland’s Under-21 women and men’s team salvaged upbeat wins to their European campaigns though the ultimate feeling will be of missed opportunities for both.

Ireland and New Zealand’s exchange of coaching know-how is set to continue with Sean Dancer swapping hemispheres to take on the role as Green Army head coach.

Stephen Findlater Hockey Ireland chief executive Jerome Pels admits they face an onerous task in their efforts to retain world-class coaching talent.

Graham Shaw says the lure of his “dream role” in New Zealand was too good to turn down, as he leaves behind a World Cup silver-medal- winning team for the world number six Blacksticks.

“I hope you continue on this journey, inspiring the next generation of hockey players in Ireland and I hope to see you in Tokyo.”

By Cliona Foley Irish sports bodies are waking up today to €5 million more in funding, their first increase from the Government in a decade.

The Irish women’s team’s Olympic Games hopes received a huge boost as they were confirmed as one of the host nations for the next phase of qualifiers for Tokyo.

Seventeen Irish sporting organisations received welcome news yesterday with the announcement that Sport Ireland’s board approved an additional €1.5 million in high-performance funding.

Minority sports crave that moment that propels them into the national sporting consciousness. Think Katie Taylor at London 2012 and the O’Donovans in Rio 2016. Hockey Ireland’s Phil Oakley swears that after Irish ’s exploits at the Cricket World Cup in 2007, he saw lads using hurleys to play cricket in Mayfield on Cork’s northside.

Irish pride was strongly on display among Irish Women's Hockey coach Graham Shaw's fellow Glenanne Club members, as they watched this afternoon's final against The Netherlands with huge pride at The Morgue Pub in Templeogue today.

Dubbed the “catalyst” for the Irish men’s huge rise on the world stage, Craig Fulton’s decision on Thursday to resign from the role six months out from a first World Cup appearance in 28 years has sent shockwaves through the local hockey community.

Cork Harlequins women will have to adjust their plans at short notice with the news that the EY Champions Trophy play-offs have been switched at short notice from Banbridge to Grange Road in Dublin.

Where once just Bandon was the last outpost beyond Cork’s city limits, a hockey revolution of sorts is spreading south and west of the county, giving optimism for further expansion.

Fixture information and cancelled events this weekend.

Conor Harte has added to the growing volume of Irish hockey players calling for a proper winter break following another weekend of widespread cancelations.

Dave Passmore has received clearance to run an ongoing women’s U21 programme from Hockey Ireland.

Cork man Conor Harte hammered the final nail in Banbridge’s Euro Hockey League coffin for this season as his drag-flick completed a 6-2 win for Royal Racing Club de Bruxelles.

With the détente between the Irish Hockey Umpires Association and Hockey Ireland in place, the EY Hockey League will tip off this weekend after two weeks of cancellations.

Munster Hockey’s first series of provincial fixtures could go the same way as last Saturday’s national EY Hockey League with a blanket set of postponements looking imminent.

The Irish club season has been put on hold with the blanket cancellation of the first series of EY Hockey League matches — the sport’s marquee competition — due to a dispute over umpire remuneration.

Hockey Ireland chief executive Jerome Pels says the lack of a viable international stadium and the organisation’s financial history – rather than performance levels – scuppered Ireland’s hopes of being part of the Pro League.

Ireland’s sports funding model needs to be altered to help the nation’s hockey teams continue their recent progress, according to senior men’s coach Craig Fulton.

Three of Ireland’s leading non-EY Hockey League clubs have opted out from attempting to qualify for next year’s tournament, it has emerged.

Funding of almost €27m was announced by Sport Ireland yesterday, with hockey, modern pentathlon, Community Games, gymnastics, and golf among the big winners.

Ireland will be hoping to add another chapter to their remarkable underdog story when they meet hockey powerhouse the Netherlands in today’s Unibet EuroHockey Championships semi-finals in London (1.15pm).

Minister for Sport, Leo Varadkar is expecting no additional cuts in funding to the Irish Sports Council in the coming year.