Mark Tumilty steps down as Ireland men's hockey head coach

Ireland coach Mark Tumilty. Pic: Adrian Boehm

Mark Tumilty has stepped down as head coach of the Ireland men's hockey team following the recent World Cup campaign.

Tumilty has made the decision to take a break from the demands of international coaching following a significant period of commitment to the programme.

Hockey Ireland "respects his decision and wishes to express its sincere appreciation for his leadership, dedication and contribution to the development of the senior men's team".

Neville Rothman, currently assistant coach, has agreed to take on the role of interim head coach, ensuring continuity for the squad and wider high-performance programme during the transition.

Tumilty said: "Coaching Ireland has been a tremendous honour and something I've been incredibly proud to do. After a significant period of commitment to the programme, I feel this is the right time for me to step back and take a break from international coaching.

"I'd like to thank the players, coaching and support staff, Hockey Ireland and everyone who has supported the team during my time in the role. I wish the squad and the wider programme every success as they move forward."

Andrew Partridge, high-performance director at Hockey Ireland, added: "On behalf of Hockey Ireland, I'd like to sincerely thank Mark for his commitment and contribution to the Ireland Men's programme. He has given a huge amount to the team, and we fully respect his decision to step away at this point.

"We're also very pleased that Neville has agreed to take on the interim role. His experience and knowledge of the squad will be invaluable in maintaining continuity while we complete the recruitment process for a permanent head coach."

Hockey Ireland will commence a formal recruitment process for the permanent head coach position next week, with the aim of completing the appointment by the end of December 2026.