Wednesday, June 3: Ireland Women’s Head Coach Gareth Grundie has announced his 25-player squad to travel to Rotterdam and Berlin as Ireland close out their first ever FIH Hockey Pro League season. The side have enjoyed a very positive debut campaign where they have proven their ability to consistently challenge the world’s best sides and are targeting topflight survival with eight games still to play.
In goal, Ayeisha McFerran returns to the side for the first time since March 2025 having been sidelined through injury, but has been in exceptional form since returning to the pitch with English club Surbiton where she helped her side to an English Premier League title. Alongside McFerran will be Elizabeth Murphy and Holly Micklem, with both expected to feature heavily throughout the final stages following continued success between the sticks with both club and country.
Across Ireland’s backline are the reliable figures of Roisin Upton, who is expected to make her 150th senior appearance, Caoimhe Perdue who will make her 50th, Hannah McLoughlin, Sarah McAuley, Ellen Curran, Lisa Mulcahy, Caitlin Sherrin, and Katie Larmour.
Elena Neill (Tice) will make a return to International duties for the first time since the arrival of her baby in January of this year. Eva Gaston also joins the side to make her senior debut after a superb campaign with the Ireland U21 squad at the FIH Junior World Cup in December.
In midfield, captain Sarah Hawkshaw will be the focal point, and is joined by Michelle Carey, Charlotte Beggs, Mia Jennings, and Jessica McMaster. Gabriella Scott also joins the squad for the first time, after another impressive season with her club side, Ulster Elks.
In attack, Sarah Torrans will be Ireland’s primary goal threat having impressed thus far in the FIH Hockey Pro League. Niamh Carey will add pace from wide as she anticipates a 50th senior appearance, along with Emily Kealy, Mikayla Power, and the experience of veteran forward Katie Mullan. Completing Ireland’s forward line is Aisling Utri, the third and final player expected to make her debut during Ireland’s final FIH Hockey Pro League stages. Australian-born, Utri made the switch to the familiar surroundings of Dublin this year, trading Melbourne for the area where her mother grew up. The former Australia U21 hockey international and professional AFL player will represent Ireland having switched her international allegiances and is pipped to make a positive impact in front of goal, having scored 11 EY Hockey League goals, and a further three in the AIG Irish Senior Cup since her arrival in January 2026.
Ireland travel to one the world’s hockey hotbeds, Rotterdam, as they enter their penultimate FIH Hockey Pro League stage. Back-to-back encounters with hosts and World #1 the Netherlands on June 13 & 14 will prove Ireland’s toughest test of the season, before they take on a rival of recent years, Spain (#5) on June 17 & 18.
The side then trade Rotterdam for Berlin where they close out their 2025/26 FIH Hockey Pro League campaign against Germany and China. Ireland’s meeting with China on July 24 & 27 will be their first meeting with the reigning Asia Cup champions and World #4 since 2022.
Prior to that though, Ireland will face the hosts on July 23 & 26 in a tie that is much more familiar. The sides last faced each other at the 2025 EuroHockey Championship in Monchengladbach which ended in a 0-0 draw. Ireland will look to go one better than that at the Ernst Reuter Sportfield as they look to secure 3 points against the Germans for the first time since 2018.
Charlotte Beggs
Michelle Carey
Niamh Carey
Ellen Curran
Eva Gaston
Sarah Hawkshaw
Mia Jennings
Emily Kealy
Katie Larmour
Sarah McAuley
Ayeisha McFerran
Hannah McLoughlin
Jessica McMaster
Holly Micklem
Lisa Mulcahy
Katie Mullan
Elizabeth Murphy
Elena Neill
Caoimhe Perdue
Mikayla Power
Gabi Scott
Caitlin Sherin
Sarah Torrans
Roisin Upton
Aisling Utri
June 13 – 12:30 Irish Time – Ireland vs Netherlands
June 14 – 12:30 Irish Time – Ireland vs Netherlands
June 17 – 16:00 Irish Time – Ireland vs Spain
June 18 – 16:00 Irish Time – Ireland vs Spain
June 23 – 19:30 Irish Time – Ireland vs Germany
June 24 – 16:30 Irish Time – Ireland vs China
June 26 – 19:30 Irish Time – Ireland vs Germany
June 27 – 15:30 Irish Time – Ireland vs China
Be the first to comment on "Ireland Women’s squad announced ahead of exciting final stages of 2025/26 FIH Hockey Pro League"