Ireland qualify for 2016 Olympics hockey after a century

The Green Machine have been patiently playing the waiting game since World League in Antwerp in July where they finished with a record high of 5th place.

Qualifying for the Olympics for the first time in more than a century will change hockey in Ireland “forever”, according to Craig Fulton, the head coach of the men’s national team.

“Australia cane out really well and put us under pressure early on”, New Zealand captain Simon Child said.

The Irish men, who made history by winning a bronze medal at the Eurohockey Championships in August, will become the first to represent Ireland in a team sport at an Olympic Games since 1948.

“I was pretty disappointed about that after such a close fight”.

The powerful United States team – led by the reigning two-time all-around world champion Simone Biles – dominated qualifying, with the Netherlands taking the eighth and last berth in the teams final with a combined score of 222.354.

Their claim on one of the extra spots would have disappeared if New Zealand had won their continental cup ahead of Australia, who had already qualified for Rio, but the Black Sticks fell to a 3-2 defeat in Stratford. Three were secured by Hong Kong, Japan and Norway in the Gold Fleet and the other three by Australia, Denmark and Greece in the Silver fleet. “It’s a good opportunity to get a few more experience as we move forward and it’s going to help everyone as we prepare for Rio next summer”. The upcoming Laser Radial World Championships will be another opportunity to secure the Women’s Laser Radial spot.