KATIE MULLAN is stepping down as Ireland captain, it has been confirmed.
The 30-year-old made her Ireland debut in 2012 and was appointed captain in 2017. She also represented Ballymoney HC at an early age and subsequently lined out for EY Hockey League Division 1’s UCD Ladies Hockey Club in Dublin.
“Captaining Ireland has been the greatest privilege and honour of my life,” Mullan said in a statement released today. “For eight unforgettable years, I’ve always focused on what’s best for the team and this decision is no different. I believe the time is right for me to pass on the armband. I’m not ready to retire from playing, as I feel I still have much more to give to the Irish shirt. It’s an exciting time ahead.
“Whilst I have been blessed to lead the team on some of the most historic days in Irish sport, the role has presented many challenges and moments of isolation. I am incredibly grateful to my support network for being there through the thick and thin: my parents, Brian and Cathryn, my four siblings, and granny Joy, my number one fan.”
Mullan has played a key part in historic moments for the national team, helping them reach the 2018 World Cup final and competing at the Olympics for the first time at the 2020 Tokyo Games.
“In 2018 we witnessed the potential for the sport but we are still some distance off realising it,” the Derry-born forward added. “In my next chapter, I endeavour to continue helping drive the sport to new heights.”
Best of luck Wales, get over this 1 and anything is possible. A very beatable Portuguese team in the semis.
There’s a clause in Ronaldos contract that stipulates Bale cannot beat him in internationals.
Come on Wales pour further embarrassment on the vastly overrated England team
Would love to see Wales win, and is there a better anthem out there than the Welsh, love it.
And you call me obsessive!
Surely that clause would need to be in Bales contract?
That they have done.Land of Song.Land of Poets and dragon fire!
He does not play for Man U anymore Bravo, but you guys are way too sensitive…. Pussies….
Loved the way Bale celebrates when others score, ie, with them, not his own chest bearing lonely celebrating……
Hoping for Iceland Wales final.
Wales and Iceland in the final.
Iceland will have got tremendous inspiration from Wales tonight thats for sure. Absolutely fantastic from the Welsh, they can definitely beat Portugal and Bale can upstage Ronaldo !
It’s a great result.. Until you realise we’ve Wales in our next World cup qualifying group..
Mighty Taffies. Respect. I’d fancy them against Portugal. Hope they make it. Belgium leaderless.
Mighty indeed.Fire in the belly.And they sing better (than the English)too
Dominic I think the Welsh probably sing better than most nations, to be in the Millenium Stadium when the Welsh are belting out ‘Land of my fathers’ is truly an amazing experience.
We might have to reassess Ireland ‘s performance after this.
Why couldn’t Belgium have been this bad against us?
Trevor eh Welch, is eh hard to eh listen too and eh, Keith eh Andrews is eh, not much better.
Watch it on BBC then
I did.
A Belgian win kicking the last element of the U.K. Out of the Euros would be an apt closure to the week
How could you have something against Wales?
They are just as arrogant as the English if that was at all possible.
Personally I’d like to see them do well
The Welsh are not arrogant Cathal – far from it.
They are.
Arrogant how?
Wales see the English as lords who like to look over there subjects….
That goal, are Belgium taking the piss with that defending.
They are down to the bare bones defensively
But still, that is a school boy error.
Their defenders aren’t much older than schoolboys
But much worse.
What a game !!!!!
I was happy that Vermaelen was suspended as it would force Wilmonts to finally pick Vertonghen and Alderweirld together in the centre of defence…and then Vertonghen gets himself suspended.
I think Wales will win, that Fallani miss tells you it just won’t be Belgium’s night.
Great stuff wales!!! well done!!
Wales. Just like England, but just slightly to the west. Think they are a proper country because they can sing a national anthem.
Semi finals
BBC. .have it on..Keith Andrews hurts my head..but what a goal..
Hard to watch tv3 coverage. Can’t beat the 3 amigos on rte. Anyhoo come on Wales. They deserve to win.
3-1 belguim
Flip that
Comon taffy
Wales to win in a penalty shoot out.
The small mickeys are like dolphins tonight!
Bad for European football when Wales and Iceland are in with a chance of winning the euros
I disagree
Spain, Holland, Belgium and England out of the competition before Iceland and Wales
There seems to be a theme in this championship; the more the players are paid, the worse they play.( with one or two exceptions)
@conor so with your logic it was bad the the EPL that Leicester won it ? Idiot
Ya it was really bad for the premier league because it shows how much the top teams in england have declined. That has reflected on the English national team and is one of the reasons for their loss to Iceland. Idiot
It is a great achievement for Iceland Wales and Leicester and what they have done is amazing but it reflects badly on the epl and European football
@Conor Coleman
Holland is actually just a province of The Netherlands, like Leinster or Ulster here, and it annoys the Dutch when used by us ignoramus foreigners to reference their national team, anyway – I digress – as they didn’t appear in the these finals having failed to progress from their qualifying group.
@the pope I’m pretty sure there is a law against changing your name on online accounts to a name that doesn’t belong to you. The Netherlands that are supposed to be one of the top teams in the world failed to qualify from a really group. The Dutch team have a lot of top class players but yet they cannot even qualify for a tournament.
The42: Fu€k OFF WITH YOUR NOTIFICATIONS SHOWING MATCH RESULTS.
Was watching on 30 minute delay after putting the kids to bed. Thanks for ruining it. If you’re going to notify match results, do it for them all or don’t do it at all.
Do really want your phone going 90 for maths results of Slovakia vs Hungary?
Cormac, stevie wonder even saw the turn off notifications tab…..
Eoghan – No I don’t. But at least then I’d know what the deal was.
NTG – I also am clever enough to turn off notifications. However I like the news updates e.g. “Ryan Giggs rode Ibrahimovic’s missus”. But if the notifications are for matches, make it consistent so that I know. The system of updates if you’ve viewed the live updates stream makes sense. Random updates are stupid.
Briliant strike ! But the blame is firming at the analfields Pirlo
I dunno, since the fantastic Flopaini came on, Belgium looked terrible, that guy belongs on UFC….
Another team of fanny dancers are going home – whoppeee
Ashley willams. .what a defender.
Good to see a team with a few beards win!
16 nilto belgium
Camroc doesn’t know how to turn off notifications so he’s mad at everyone.
Cmon Wales you can do it!