The Ireland Men’s national hockey team will play Wales on Saturday, October 23 for a spot in the 2023 Men’s FIH World Cup.
The two teams will meet each other in the semi-final of the European qualifier – both finalists will go to India in two years time.
France and Austria will go head-to-head in the other semi-final for the second spot in the next World Cup.
Ireland reached the semi-final after a two-goal win over Russia, with both goals coming from Benjamin Walker, who is currently one of the joint-top scorers in the qualifier.
Wales’ Gareth Furlong had the same effect on his side as his brace brought them past Italy and they are now one game away from a competition they have never reached – a game they play in the Welsh capital of Cardiff.
Ireland, on the other hand, are on a quest to reach their fourth World Cup and their second in a row after appearing at the 2018 instalment, also held in India.
Mark Tumilty’s side are 60 minutes away from achieving the goal of qualification but face a Wales team on the rise.
They recently moved up seven places in the World rankings to 18th, five behind the Irish, and have taken part in the top tier of the EuroHockey Championship for the past two tournaments.
The winner will play in India next year but the losers will not get another chance to qualify – it all comes down to this for Ireland and Wales.
Teams
Ireland: Carr (GK), Cross, McKee, Marshall, O’Donoghue, Murray (C), Duncan, Robson, Walker, Harte, Cole.
Subs: Ingram (GK), Madeley, Walsh, Glassey, McKibbin, Empey, Hyland.
Wales: Reynolds-Cotterill (GK), Daniel Kyriakides, Ioan Wall, Alf Dinnie, Jacob Draper, Prosser, Shipperley (C), Bradshaw, G. Furlong, Morgan, Hawker.
Subs: Tranter (GK), Naughalty, R. Furlong, Carson, Hutchinson, Dolan-Gray, Pritchard.
