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UCD ladies line-up as Ireland preps for its opening game at Hockey World Cup

Posted 19 July, 2018

As Ireland competes in its first Hockey World Cup in over 16 years, the team will be in safe hands under the stewardship of UCD veteran (opens in a new window)Katie Mullan.

The talented sports star will captain the women’s hockey team as they begin their World Cup glory bid in London this weekend.

Recently graduating with a Masters in Biomedical Engineering after six years in University College Dublin, Katie and her teammates face the USA in their opening pool B fixture this Saturday, 6pm at London's Lee Valley Hockey and Tennis Centre.

A former Ad Astra Elite Athlete, Katie will be joined on the field by fellow UCD club members, Law with Social Justice graduate (opens in a new window)Deirdre Duke and (opens in a new window)Elena Tice, who is studying Economics.

Also joining the trio on the world stage this weekend are four other past UCD students, (opens in a new window)Gillian Pinder, a grduate with a Bachelor of Business & Law, (opens in a new window)Chloe Watkins, a graduate with a Bachelor of Commerce (International), (opens in a new window)Anna O'Flanagan, a graduate with a Bachelor of Law with Economics, each formerly enrolled in the Ad Astra programme, and (opens in a new window)Nikka Evans, a graduate with a Bachelor of Business and Law.

Following the agonising heartbreak of missing out on the 2016 Olympics, the Irish ladies will be hoping to use their first game as a launch pad ahead of sterner tests against India, 26 July, and current Olympic champions England, on 29 July.

Ireland would have qualified for the Summer Games in Rio along alongside the men’s team if not for a 4-3 a penalty shoot-out with China.

With the competition now expanded to include 16 teams, Ireland is targeting a quarterfinal placement – which would place them among the top eight in the world.

Ireland World Cup squad:

  • Katie Mullan, Captain (UCD)
  • Deirdre Duke (UCD) 
  • Elena Tice (UCD)
  • Ayeisha McFerran (University of Louisville)
  • Grace O’Flanagan (Railway Union)
  • Yvonne O’Byrne (Cork Harlequins)
  • Hannah Matthews (Loreto)
  • Zoe Wilson (Belfast Harlequins)
  • Roisin Upton (Cork Harlequins)
  • Shirley McCay (Pegasus)
  • Nicci Daly (Loreto)
  • Gillian Pinder (Pembroke)
  • Megan Frazer (Mannheim)
  • Chloe Watkins (Bloemendaal)
  • Lizzie Colvin (Belfast Harlequins)
  • Nicola Evans (UHC)
  • Ali Meeke (Loreto)
  • Anna O’Flanagan (Bloemendaal)

Ireland World Cup fixtures, pool B:

  • July 21st: Ireland v USA
  • July 26th: Ireland v India
  • July 29th Ireland v England

By: David Kearns, Digital Journalist / Media Officer, UCD University Relations

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