Ireland Men beat Poland to top group at World Cup Qualifiers
Ireland 4
Poland 1
TODAY’S VICTORY OVER Poland saw Ireland Men take the top spot in their group at the 2026 World Cup Qualifier event in Chile meaning the side can now focus on their semi-final opponents with a win in that securing them a ticket to the main event in Belgium and the Netherlands this August.
The Green Machine began well at the Estadio Nacional in Santiago with the customary swift ball speed they had shown in their passing throughout this qualifier event.
Stubborn Polish defending especially in their own circle however continued to frustrate the Irish forward line but diagonal aerial balls regularly found space in these attacks.
Louis Rowe opened the scoring in the fifteenth minute with a crisp backhand strike after the Polish goalkeeper Mateusz Popliolkowski had saved another strong shot just moments before.
Lee Cole then scored in the second quarter with a swift drag flick from a penalty corner. Popliolkowski actually dived to the correct side but couldn’t prevent the flick from going in.
The goal also brought Cole to five so far in the campaign, making him the leading scorer at this qualification tournament.
In the second half concentration began to tell with Poland’s defensive efforts and the Green Machine had another when connected passing around the baseline set up Ben Walker who swatted one into the net.
Poland eventually managed to score one of their own in the final quarter with an exceptional drag flick from Wojciech Rutkowski into the top of Luke Roleston’s net when the reserve goalkeeper came on for his first appearance in Chile.
Ireland now looked to be playing slightly within themselves in the closing moments as Poland pressed much higher but seemed to lack the energy to maintain the intensity required.
In response, the Green Machine dug deep to answer with a fourth goal when Matthew Nelson tapped one in. Nelson almost thought he had another in the final seconds but the attack was ruled to have obstructed a Polish defender.
Having now topped Group B, Ireland Men will play the second-placed side from Group A in the qualification tournament semi-final.
A win in that match will send them to their first Hockey World Cup appearance in eight years. Poland have also secured a semi-final slot.
Player of the Match: Louis Rowe
Ireland: J Carr (GK); J McKee, K Marshall (capt), S Murray, M McNellis, P McKibbin, J Duncan, B Walker, J Lynch, L Cole, A McAllister.
Rolling subs: L Witherow, M Nelson, P Brown, L Rowe, S Hyland, L Roleston, G Williams.
Poland: M Popiolkowski (GK); T Bembenek, G Jarzynski, M Gumny, J Kurowski (capt), M Koperski, J Janicki, P Pawlak, J Chumenczuk, E Bembenek, J Holosyniuk.
Rolling subs: M Glowacki, D Jarzembowski, R Pawlak, W Rutwoski, M Nowakowski, M Lange
