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

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.

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.

David Harte says the Olympic qualifying process for men’s hockey gives “perceived lower ranked teams” more of an opportunity of making it to Rio De Janeiro.

There is abundant evidence to prove that Irish salmon is safe for consumption, writes Richie Flynn

New captain John Jackson admits Ireland have their sights set on crushing the TriFinance EuroHockey Nations Championships dreams of near neighbours England next week.

Ireland captain Ronan Gormley yesterday hailed the “world class” appointment of Andrew Meredith to the senior men’s national post.

A remarkable fundraising drive by the Irish hockey community had a happy ending as Ireland’s participation in next month’s men’s Champions Challenge I in Argentina was confirmed yesterday.

The focus turned to fundraising yesterday after the Irish Hockey Association’s board made an “unreserved apology” to the national senior men’s team and its supporters over a row that engulfed the sport this week.

A raft of Munster men will get their first taste of senior international hockey when Ireland A take on England A next weekend in Dublin.

Teenage starlet Shane O’Donoghue is one of many Irish internationals facing a busy Easter weekend of hockey across two different countries, as the U21 interpros, EuroHockey League last 16 and an international series in Germany test the country’s top players.

Ireland’s Olympic dream was snatched from them in the cruellest fashion yesterday, as the tale of the tape gave Korea a contentious winner with just nine seconds to go to stun a packed Belfield into silence yesterday.

Ireland's Olympic dream died in agonising fashion at Belfield today as they were undone by a Korean winner in the final seconds of the Electric Ireland FIH Road to London final, going down 3-2.

Ireland coach Paul Revington insists playing for a draw against Malaysia in their crunch final pool clash at the Electric Ireland FIH Road to London Olympic qualifiers in UCD tomorrow (3pm) is not an option.

Ireland will today learn whether they’ll have to plan without key centre-back Conor Harte for the remainder of their Electric Ireland FIH Road to London Olympicqualification campaign.

It says a lot about where Ireland are and where they want to be that last night’s draw with world number six Korea at the Electric Ireland FIH Road to London Olympic qualifier at a sold-out Belfield was met with disappointment by coach and players alike.

Ireland 1 Korea 1

Ireland 12 Ukraine 0

Ireland 6 Russia 1

After a spectacular 2011, Ireland’s men will hope they can continue the momentum and qualify for the Olympic Games for the first time.

There were few surprises as Ireland’s coaches revealed their hands for this month’s Olympic qualifiers, but fitness concerns could give Paul Revington and Gene Muller sleepless nights yet.

IRELAND continue to be European hockey’s great entertainers but ultimately saw their slim Olympic qualification hopes dashed by the Netherlands, who claimed a 7-4 victory in a topsy-turvy EuroHockey Nations Championship tie in Germany yesterday.

IRELAND’S senior men gave coach Paul Revington plenty more to chew on as they came away from Lille with the Champions Challenge II title in the bag following a 4-2 final defeat of France.

IRELAND turned on the style to blitz Russia 4-0 and top their pool on goal difference from hosts France at the Champions Challenge II in Lille yesterday.

THE days where an Irish club might be seen at the finals weekend of the biggest club competition in world hockey might be some way off yet, but there will nonetheless be some local interest as the EuroHockey League draws to a close this weekend.

JEAN MCDONNELL has been handed the chance to prove her Irish international credentials after she was named in an 18-strong squad for next week’s FIH Champions Challenge I in Dublin.

ULSTER man Chris Cargo made his mark on European club hockey’s biggest stage with a stunning two-goal salvo to help Reading into the last eight of the Euro Hockey League in Bloemendaal, Holland on Saturday.

PEMBROKE WANDERERS are charged with the task of causing one of the biggest upsets in EuroHockey League history when they take on Spain’s Club de Campo at Bloemendaal, near Amsterdam, today (11am Irish time).

IRISH captain Ronan Gormley will come face-to-face with his hometown club Pembroke Wanderers in the last 16 of the EuroHockey League, after his side, Club de Campo were drawn against the Dubliners yesterday.

IRELAND’S hockey coach Paul Revington has described the loss of two key players on the eve of his side’s World Cup qualification campaign as ‘a body blow’.

OLD FRIENDS will meet up on and off the pitch at Garryduff this weekend as the heavyweights of Cork Church of Ireland and Pembroke Wanderers fight to stay in the men’s Irish Senior Cup.

IRELAND senior men’s interim coach Dave Passmore believes the young players in his squad will be in for a serious test as they take on Argentina in the first of an international double-header at Belfield tonight (7.30pm).

Ireland's men's hockey team is on course to qualify for this year's Olympics following an 8-0 victory against United States in Auckland today.

Ireland 1 England 1

AS ONE of the Irish heroes of their opening 1-1 draw with reigning European Champions Spain on Sunday, 19-year-old goalkeeper David Harte says that confidence levels have surged throughout the side.

IF IT might reasonably have been expected that the Irish men’s and women’s teams would deliver thin gruel in their European Championship openers against Spain and England respectively, it transpired that the men at least delivered some haute cuisine here in Belle Vue yesterday.

THEY had a wildly contrasting season in terms of achievement, but both Cork Harlequins and Cork Church of Ireland go into this weekend’s men’s senior club championships in Dublin with one aim in mind — qualification for Europe.

Ireland 1 Japan 2

Ireland have included two debutants in their squad for tomorrow evening’s match against Belgium in Dublin.

Ireland 4 England 6

The Irish U-21 hockey team began their European ‘A’ Division tournament in Nivelles, Belgium, yesterday with a 1-0 win over Scotland.