Typical 'Irish dogged performance' books Olympic spot for Ireland Men's Hockey team

Ireland prevailed 4-3 over a determined and thoroughly spirited Korea side on Sunday to seal their place at the Paris Games.

PARIS HERE WE COME: The Ireland team celebrate qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Pic Credit: Frank Uijlenbroek, Inpho.

“Where do you start?” quipped David Harte.

The Cork goalkeeper ran through the emotions last night after Ireland men secured their first Olympic Games berth for eight years. It followed a quite pulsating, end-to-end encounter as Ireland prevailed 4-3 over a determined and thoroughly spirited Korea side.

Ireland twice held two-goal cushions in this win or bust denouement. But Korea were no strangers to fightbacks in this FIH Olympic qualifying tournament and the Green Machine had to withstand 40 minutes of Korean counter-punching and crash balls before Ireland consigned their 2019 qualifier controversy to history.

“It typified an Irish dogged performance, grinding it out, making it tough on ourselves sometimes but getting over the line,” said Harte.

“It’s a feeling that goes back to Canada and 2019, to those boys who were there and the release of emotion at the final whistle said it all.

“We came out all guns blazing, played our best hockey of the tournament, scored some great goals and were unlucky again with goals against.

“Everyone put in a serious shift. For some players they have had a harder journey to get here but we all worked together and it’s an incredible feeling. We are off to Paris and it’s indescribable.” 

Matthew Nelson and Ben Johnson had given Ireland the lead inside the opening 20 minutes, while Korea twice rallied when 3-1 and 4-2 down. Ireland’s third and fourth goals, from John McKee and Shane O'Donogue, somehow kept Korea at bay as Mark Tumilty’s side survived a barrage of circle chances with a shoot-out in sight.

The drama was unrelenting through the 60 minutes here. Ireland did indeed play their best hockey when it mattered, pre-planning before this week that their Olympic hopes might hinge on their fifth and final game. Sean Murray, Ireland’s captain, had an exceptional game, setting up two of Ireland’s goals, while there was also another battling defensive shift.

Kyle Marshall was forced off in the second quarter after his thumb was hit flush from a crash ball into the circle, during a period of five goals in 15 first-half minutes.

“Kyle’s thumb exploding from that ball in the second quarter, those are the little details where guys sacrifice a lot on and off the pitch to make these moments really special,” Murray said later.

John McKee, centre, Peter McKibbin, left, and and Michael Robson of Ireland celebrate. Photo by David Ramirez/Sportsfile

In amongst the physical battle, Ireland answered Mark Tumilty’s calls for more open play goals with a sizzling attacking performance. The best goal, Ireland’s second, was made by Murray from the baseline after stealing the ball off Korea outside their 23m line. It ended with a superb reverse volley at the far post by Ben Johnson, his third of the week.

Korea scored from two of their five penalty corner chances, while their third came from a penalty stroke to set up a tension-filled final 20 minutes.

After Ireland successfully overturned a Korean goal, Harte then pulled off a wonder save to his left in the closing moments of the third quarter. Lee Nam Yong was then handed a 10-minute yellow card for misconduct in the Irish circle on the stroke of the hooter. It proved pivotal, the final quarter offering just enough respite for Ireland.

“They kept coming back to us and it could have gone to shoot-outs at the end,” said Murray, awarded player-of-the-match.

“It’s been a stressful old time, the two weeks we’ve been in Valencia feels like an eternity and to be ready for almost just this game.

“The match was a bit of a blur but everyone just dug deep to get us over the line.” Twenty four hours earlier, Ireland women couldn’t do the same in a match which also had one final ticket to Paris on offer.

Their shoot-out defeat to Spain left them facing the prospect of beating Great Britain for the first time this century. In the end, the Green Army lost 2-1.

They were outclassed in midfield by GB and Ireland couldn’t find enough circle threats. Hannah McLoughlin scored on the final hooter from a penalty corner, their last strike coming all too late after a brief second-half rally.

Ireland captain Katie Mullan said: “We came out all guns blazing and it’s so disappointing as the game was there for the taking. It’s devastating.

“We started this journey of a dream of going to Paris and it’s heartbreaking that it's not going to be our reality and our ending.

“It’s a huge positive for the group. To have shown up, it’s one of the privileges of high-performance sport. We definitely worked hard enough.”