A World Cup campaign can turn on a single result. Ireland now have theirs.
The Ireland Women’s Hockey Team claimed their first win of the 2026 FIH Hockey World Cup with a 3-2 victory over New Zealand in Wavre, keeping alive their hopes of reaching the next stage from Pool C.
Captain Sarah Hawkshaw gave Ireland the lead before New Zealand drew level in the third quarter. Róisín Upton restored Ireland’s advantage from the penalty spot, and Katie Mullan then touched in an Upton flick from close range to give Ireland a two-goal cushion.
New Zealand scored late from a penalty corner, but Ireland had done enough to secure three crucial points.
After losing their opening game to Spain, Ireland needed a response against New Zealand. They got one with a performance built around composure, set-piece threat and the kind of resilience that becomes more than a dressing-room word when a team has to protect a lead at a World Cup.
Ireland had chances from penalty corners in the opening quarter, while New Zealand also threatened from set pieces. The breakthrough came in the second quarter, when Aisling Utri beat her player and found Ellen Curran, who in turn picked out Niamh Carey inside the circle. Carey sent the ball goalward, where Hawkshaw was waiting to deflect into the roof of the net.
New Zealand pushed back after half-time and eventually found their equaliser through a series of penalty corners.
Ireland responded in the final quarter. Curran drove down the right to win a penalty corner, and Ireland’s variation ended with Utri deflecting the ball goalward from close range. The ball hit a New Zealand player on the line, giving Ireland a penalty stroke.
Upton stepped up and sent the goalkeeper the wrong way.
Ireland then extended the lead from another penalty corner, this time won by Charley Beggs. Upton’s flick from the top of the circle found Mullan, who touched the ball over goalkeeper Grace O’Hanlon.
New Zealand’s late goal narrowed the scoreline, but Ireland saw out the result to get off the mark in Wavre.
“A World Cup win is not easy to come by,” Mullan said afterwards. “We had an early start this morning and I think we came out of the blocks quite well. Ourselves and New Zealand have played each other so many times over the years that it was always going to be a battle.
“I think we showed great resilience and executed our corners again which are really threatening. I am so proud of the girls, it was just unbelievable strength of character.”
Ireland now turn to their final Pool C match against hosts Belgium on Thursday, August 20 at 19:30 Irish time. A win could be enough to send them through.
After the frustration of Spain, this was the result Ireland had to find. They have given themselves a final pool game with something real attached to it.
