Ireland’s European survival hopes hang tentatively in the balance after another nightmare first quarter cost them dear against England in Antwerp.

Ireland’s men produced a stunning late two-goal salvo to draw 3-3 with Scotland to just about keep their European Championships campaign alive in Antwerp.

The Green Machine recorded their first ever win over Korea in a ranking competition to guarantee their place in next October’s Olympic qualifiers with a 4-2 win in the FIH Series semi-final in Le Touquet.

The Irish men cranked back into gear with a crushing 11-0 win over Singapore in Le Touquet yesterday to grab top spot from their group and advance directly to Saturday’s Men’s FIH Series semi-finals where victory will secure their place in October’s Olympic qualifiers.

While an Olympic play-off place was achieved, Ireland’s FIH Series finals campaign ended on a deflated note as Korea struck three times in the closing quarter to silence a soldout crowd at Banbridge.

Ireland’s Road to Tokyo took a big leap forward as they saw off the Czech Republic with plenty to spare in their FIH Series’ semi-final at a drenched Banbridge.

Waterford and Limerick are still alive in the Munster MFC after last night’s error-ridden stalemate in Dungarvan. Déise full forward Aaron Ryan struck two late points to level matters for the fourth time in a game that featured 53 frees.

Munster minor football finalists in the last two seasons, Clare began their 2019 campaign with a comfortable 14-point win over Limerick in Newcastle West.

Conor Harte says today’s showdown with England is Ireland’s “World Cup final” with a draw or better required against the world number seven side.

Shane O’Donoghue equalled the Irish goalscoring record with a glorious 13th-minute volley but was left wishing the effort would have had much greater significance in yesterday’s Men’s Hockey World Cup opener against Australia in Bhubaneswar.

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.

One day after competitors in the 118th U.S. Open moaned that the setup of Shinnecock Hills Golf Club had crossed the line from tough to unfair, the U.S. Golf Association watered all the greens Saturday night and Sunday morning and reduced green speeds.

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.

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’s Conor Harte has overcome a knock to take up a place in the Irish men’s squad for next month’s World League semi-final tournament in Johannesburg, the main qualifier for the 2018 World Cup.

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.

The second season of the EY Hockey League gets underway this weekend and 11 Olympians will feature, fresh from their Rio 2016 campaign.

Day Seven of the Olympic Games produced even more history from an Irish point of view, with the medals table reached finally at the end of the opening week.

“Bloody delighted!” That was David Harte’s simple assessment as Ireland claimed their first win in an Olympic hockey tournament since 1908 in helter-skelter fashion, seeing off Canada 4-2.

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.

Irish hockey fans have long claimed national captain David Harte as one of the world’s best goalkeepers, and extra validation came yesterday as he was named as hockey’s top netminder for 2015.

As Irish hockey puts to bed one of the most memorable years in its history, the men’s national team will hope to break even more new ground in 2016.

Patrickswell 2-24 Adare 0-8: Patrickswell sent out a serious statement of intent at the Gaelic Grounds yesterday crushing neighbours Adare by a whopping 22 points in the Limerick County SHC semi-final. It appeared all so easy, as they booked their place in the final against Na Piarsaigh next Sunday.

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.

Hockey: Ireland 4 Malaysia 1

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.

Frustration abounded for the Irish men as they lost 2-1 to hosts Belgium in their final World League Round 3 group match in Antwerp.

Sergio Garcia was not the only player at Chambers Bay to question the quality of the putting surfaces at this week’s US Open but having taken to his Twitter account to air a much-shared view, the Spaniard the Americans love to heckle inevitably drew the most flak.

Darren Smith will hope to sign off with a flourish as Ireland’s women begin their Olympic qualification campaign in Valencia today.

Ireland’s men can look forward to a summer Olympic qualification campaign after securing their place in June’s World League 3.

Darren Clarke would insist he’s not a vain man but he was horrified that his svelte new-look had Twitter wags comparing him to former "Stars in Their Eyes" TV host Matthew Kelly, famous for his white stubbled chin as contestants impersonated showbiz stars for mass TV.

Bandon and Cork Church of Ireland brought Munster’s national cup final representation to four with stunning Irish Hockey Trophy semi-final wins on Saturday.

Champions Dromcollogher-Broadford remain the only side with a 100% record in the Limerick SFC after four rounds of group games.

Holland’s ‘Mr Backhand’ lived up to his name to break Irish hearts as the world number three side snatched a late 2-1 TriFinance EuroHockey Nations Championships win over the green machine in Boom, Belgium yesterday.

Madness reigned in Rotterdam on Saturday night as Ireland hit six unanswered goals in half an hour to retrieve a four-goal deficit against France and salvage the wreckage of their World League 3 campaign with an unlikely 6-4 victory.