Ireland produce ‘some of the best hockey we have played’ in defeat to close out 2024
Ireland senior men closed out hockey’s FIH Pro League programme – and 2024 - with a 4-3 loss despite “some of the best hockey we have played with the ball”.
Having finished down by 8-0 over the weekend to England, Mark Tumilty’s side then suffered a narrow 4-3 reverse to hosts Argentina in which Ben Nelson opened his goal account at senior international level, with Alistair Empey and Lee Cole also on target for Ireland.
“It’s an extremely disappointing result,” said Ireland senior men’s head coach Mark Tumilty. “That is some of the best hockey we have played with the ball since the Antwerp series with Belgium last summer.”
He added: “It was an excellent piece of play from Ben Nelson for the first goal and we created chances.
“Overall, we had three positive (FIH Pro League) performances, and I think we deserved a lot more out of this block than a single point...we are in a much better position than we were at the start of the previous FIH Pro League campaign. It's a much more positive start compared to the last time around and that can be put down to having the experience of the last time around.”
Ireland next line out in February for the FIH Pro League against India and Germany.
IRELAND: Tim Cross, Daragh Walsh, Kyle Marshall, Peter McKibbin, Benjamin Walker, Jonathan Lynch, Peter Brown, Ben Nelson, Lee Cole, Louis Rowe, Luke Roleston. Subs: Mark McNellis, James Milliken, Ben Pasley, Adam Walker, Conor Empey, Nicholas Page, Alistair Empey.