Anna O’Flanagan’s brilliant four-goal salvo propelled Ireland’s women to within touching distance of an FIH Series Finals semi-final berth as they blitzed the Czech Republic 8-1 in Banbridge.

The 126-time international has been part of each major ranking tournament with the Green Army since 2015, culminating in last summer’s World Cup silver medal.

London’s Lee Valley is fast becoming a mecca for Irish hockey as it once again witnessed one of the greatest ever moments in Irish hockey history.

Ireland’s women were left hugely frustrated as a last-second German goal denied them the scalp of the Olympic bronze medallists at the Hockey World League semi-finals in Johannesburg.

After the utter devastation of a shoot-out loss to China in what was a direct Olympic qualifier, Darren Smith has the unenviable task of picking up his players to go again for another huge match on Saturday in Valencia.

Ireland 2 USA 0: Ireland will take aim at a place in the 2016 Olympics with confidence tomorrow after stunning world number five USA 2-0 in Valencia yesterday.

Ireland’s senior women have moved into their final phase of preparation for their Olympic qualification campaign after selecting their squad for next month’s World League 2 yesterday.

HOCKEY: Ireland made it three from three with a 4-0 win at Alexandra College yesterday in their final test match against Scotland.

Ireland coach Craig Fulton will be taking on some familiar faces this afternoon as his men’s senior team play South Africa on day one of the London Cup.

Irish senior women’s coach Darren Smith says he is willing to support high performance hockey in Munster — but that the drive must come from within the province.

Gene Muller offered no excuses as a second Irish Olympic hockey dream went up in smoke within seven days when Belgium proved an all-round superior force in Kontich yesterday.

Gene Muller hailed Ireland’s women’s win over Spain yesterday in Kontich, Belgium as the “biggest result” of his tenure as his side now look forward to a play-off on Sunday for an Olympic berth.

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.

OPPORTUNITY knocks for two of UCD’s leading lights as Ireland senior women’s coach Gene Muller has opted to shake things up for his side’s trip to Argentina next month.

IRELAND fell to a solo penalty corner strike for the second successive 1-0 win for Spain as Lola Riera’s 45th minute drag-flick did the damage in Belfield last night.

ÁINE CONNERY looks set to be given the chance to resurrect her Irish international hockey career, after she was confirmed as a participant in the team’s central preparation programme (CPP) yesterday.

SCOTLAND struck late in each half to compound Ireland’s woes at the World Cup qualifiers in Santiago, Chile as a lack of killer instinct either end put paid to any remote chance of reaching the second biggest competition in the game.

IRELAND coach Gene Muller believed only three of his squad of 16 performed to standard as his side were thrashed 3-0 by Malaysia in Santiago yesterday, virtually ending their World Cup dreams at the first hurdle.

AUDREY O’FLYNN faces into the biggest test of her fledgling international career next month after she was yesterday named in Gene Muller’s 18-strong Ireland squad for the World Cup Qualifiers in Chile.

IRELAND’S senior women’s squad touched down in Nice, France yesterday ahead of this weekend’s Celtic Cup tournament, knowing many are in the last-chance saloon as they bid to secure a place in the squad for next month’s World Cup qualifier in Chile.

HAVING watched their male counterparts blaze a trail of glory for the majority of the summer, Ireland’s senior women have a chance to keep the good vibes coming as they begin their EuroHockey Nations Championship campaign in Amsterdam tomorrow.

Ireland 2 Ukraine 1

CORK Harlequins began their campaign in the European Club championships in Prague yesterday with a comfortable 1-0 victory over local side SK Slavia Praha.