"VAN" (Sports Desk - 16.02.2026) :: Debutantes Ireland claimed a sensational 4–1 victory over the Australian women in Hobart on Sunday, sealing their first-ever win in the FIH Hockey Pro League.
Earlier, the home crowd were treated to a thrilling contest between the Australian men and world champions Germany, with the hosts holding their nerve for a fiercely contested 3–2 triumph.
Later in Rourkela, India’s men struck late to narrow the gap, but Argentina remained in firm control to secure a comfortable 4–2 win.
(Men’s) Australia 3 – 2 Germany
Australia remains unbeaten in the tournament after posting a 3-2 victory against Germany in one of the most hotly contested matches of the season.
An action-packed first half served up plenty of physicality, a couple of big referrals, some theatrics, four green cards, and plenty of exciting hockey. Germany found themselves under all sorts of pressure in the opening minutes and used their referral as early as the second minute to overturn a penalty stroke. Australia kept creating opportunities and they went ahead in the 8th minute when Jack Welch got the deflection off a quick free hit when the Germans had switched off to engage with the umpire. Germany responded immediately, Jakob Brilla finding the backboard with a sizzling drag flick past the goalkeeper’s left boot. Brilla added an almost identical drag flick in the 16th minute to put Germany ahead, but Blake Govers levelled the scores with a penalty stroke in the 18th. In a fiery finish to the half, Christopher Rühr and Lachlan Sharp received green cards as tensions threatened to boil over, and the score remained locked on 2-2.
Germany created most of the opportunities in a goalless third quarter that saw no drop in intensity from either team. The match was set for a thrilling finish when Australia edged ahead in the 47th minute, turning over possession in midfield and feeding Tim Brand on the right post for a clever reverse stick flip over the diving goalkeeper. Brand promptly earned himself a yellow card for a clumsy tackle and Germany had a full go with a couple of dangerous circle entries and three penalty corners. But the Kookaburras kept them out and Germany were forced to pull their goalkeeper off with three minutes remaining. They made a complete hash of the process though, and ended up with 12 players on the pitch, which saw captain Tom Grambusch yellow carded. The Germans managed to conjure up one final chance with a minute remaining, but Magnus McCausland got his angles right to protect the goal and secure the win for the home side.
Australia’s Tom Craig was named player of the match and said: “Man, that’s just such a fun game to play. You know, like a great team, world champs, a little mix of malice coming down to our turf and putting up a game like that, we love that, we can’t value that highly enough.”
(Women’s) Australia 1 - 4 Ireland
Ireland thoroughly deserved their historic first-ever win in the FIH Hockey Pro League, dominating all the stats in posting a 4-1 result against hosts Australia.
The Irish bossed the first half with 11 circle entries and two penalty corners compared with just two circle entries for Australia. But it was the Hockeyroos who took an early lead, making the most of their chance in the 3rd minute when Olivia Downes muscled her way ahead of a crowded Irish defence to complete the deflection from a baseline pass. Ireland had their first chance just seconds later, but goalkeeper Zoe Newman made a good reflex save from the close-range deflection. Ellen Curran then equalised in the 17th minute, nailing an excellent penalty corner deflection from the p-spot and Katie Mullan gave Ireland a 2-1 half-time lead, getting among the Aussie defenders for her 27th-minute deflection from open play.
Ireland doubled their lead in the 34th minute with an exquisitely worked penalty corner variation, Sarah Hawkshaw getting the final tap-in on the line. The Hockeyroos then had a couple of missed chances through the middle of the third quarter, and again at the start of the fourth before the Irish started to control possession. Goalkeeper Jocelyn Bartram did her bit to keep Australia in the hunt, but they couldn’t find a goal at the other end. Hannah McLoughlin put the result beyond doubt for Ireland in the 56th minute, slapping a penalty corner in from the top of the circle. The Aussies pulled their goalkeeper off and earned a couple of late penalty corners, but Irish goalkeeper Elizabeth Murphy made two excellent saves to cap off an outstanding team performance.
Roisin Upton was named player of the match for Ireland and said: “Phenomenally proud. This is an incredibly hard-working bunch here, and we’ve had a gang at home as well that really want to stay in the Pro League. It’s our first year here and we’ve been building since Dublin, so to get our first win at the tournament is fantastic”
Responses
Leave your comment