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.

Templeogue are the only unbeaten side in the Men’s Super League following their impressive 85-70 over joint leaders Keane’s SuperValu Killorglin.

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.

An international summer of over 80 matches at each level tips off in earnest with perhaps the biggest of the challenge games, Olympic silver medalists Germany, coming to Pembroke tomorrow and Saturday.

Craig Fulton has expressed frustration that little movement has been made to support Irish athletes – both from hockey and beyond – who work full-time in addition to representing their country.

Cork’s long-running jazz festival provided a mix of old and new sounds, writes Alan O’Riordan

Shoot-out king David Harte came to Ireland’s rescue to all but assure a first World Cup ticket since 1990 as they battled their way to victory over France at the World League in Johannesburg.

Kinsale man Conor Harte will become the fifth Irish man to reach 200 international caps this evening when he lines out to face Pakistan at Comber Road (7.30pm).

World goalkeeper of the year David Harte believes new-look Ireland are in an “exciting” place after they survived some tough tests to win World League 2 in Belfast yesterday.

Ireland’s men begin their 2018 World Cup qualification journey with a new-look panel charged with winning World League 2 in Belfast over the coming week.

Setting a cracking pace and mastering the wet conditions, Monaghan’s Sam Moffett (Ford Fiesta WRC) guided by Cavan’s James Fulton won the Abbey Court Hotel Nenagh Rally, the opening round of the Triton National Rally Championship.

Swansea 0 Arsenal 4: Arsenal’s Petr Cech is confident a collective effort from the chasing pack will keep the pressure on runaway Premier League leaders Chelsea.

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.

Bob Bradley promised to fight on after another defeat that leaves his Swansea side deep in relegation trouble.

Last Wednesday night, assistant manager Jay Larranaga sat on the bench to watch his Boston Celtics beat the New Jersey Nets by three points in an NBA season-opener.

Swansea 1 Manchester City 2: Manchester City recorded their ninth successive win under Pep Guardiola by seeing off EFL Cup opponents Swansea at the Liberty Stadium.

Swansea 2 Chelsea 2

Ireland 2 Germany 3

The unlikely Olympian almost fuelled the unlikeliest of comebacks as Ireland’s return to the top table of international hockey after a 108-year wait came agonisingly short against India.

It was a mixed bag for the Irish on the official opening day of action.

Drugs, bugs, refuseniks, and a troubled host city: it really hasn’t been the smoothest of rides so far for Rio 2016, writes Brendan O’Brien

Cavan’s Jonathan Pringle (Ford Escort) and co-driver James Fulton took a controlled victory on the Midleton-based Imokilly Rally, round four of the PlasticBags.ie Southern 4 Rally Championship.

Swansea 3 Liverpool 1

Seventy years after his speech on the Cold War, Churchill’s words still linger writes Geoffrey Roberts.

Further recognition of Ireland’s ascension to world hockey’s top table came yesterday when Craig Fulton was named as the International Hockey Federation’s coach of the year.

Oxford boss Michael Appleton saluted a “magnificent” performance after Kemar Roofe sent Swansea tumbling out of the FA Cup.

Exeter 2 Liverpool 2

Officials at Chepstow are optimistic Saturday’s Coral Welsh Grand National will go ahead after being given the green light to move the feature event to a slot earlier in the afternoon.

While Ireland’s men are still riding high on the back of Olympic qualification, the same can’t be said of South Africa.

Craig Fulton believes Ireland’s qualification for the 2016 Olympics in Rio “will change the sport forever” here.

Ireland’s top international hockey players will assemble in the early hours of Sunday morning to find out whether their Olympic qualification dream can become a reality.

The waiting game begins for Ireland after they concluded their best ever year in international hockey with a remarkable Unibet EuroHockey Championship bronze medal on Saturday.

EuroHockey Championships semi-final: Netherlands 1, Ireland 0

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).

Ireland enhanced their reputation as the coming team in world men’s hockey by reaching a European championships semi-final for the first time yesterday.

The growing use of mobile phones has increased the problem of gambling in Ireland, contributing to hidden online activity, a new study shows.

Ireland 1 Pakistan 0: Alan Sothern’s 46th-minute goal moved Ireland within touching distance of Olympic qualification as they saw off Pakistan 1-0 yesterday in Antwerp.