Ireland 4-1 South Africa<\/p>\n
Ireland produced a brilliant final quarter to topple South Africa in the Men’s Hockey World Cup on Tuesday evening and keep their hopes of progression to the second round alive.<\/p>\n
It’s Ireland men’s their first FIH Hockey World Cup victory since 1978.<\/p>\n
Having lost their opening Pool C match 3-1 to a very strong Australia, Mark Tumility’s side knew they had to beat the South Africans to realistically stay in the hunt for a top-two finish in the four-country pool.<\/p>\n
A tense contest was nip and tuck until Kenton Melville produce a brilliant aerial flick to break the deadlock eight minutes into the third quarter.<\/p>\n
At that point Ireland were on the ropes, but – aided by the excellent Jamie Carr in goal – they held firm to keep themseleves in it, with Ben Walker nabbing a leveller with two minutes to play in the penultimate quarter.<\/p>\n
In Q4, Ireland shot the lights out.<\/p>\n
Ireland lead! Lee Cole with a wonderful finish from a short corner and Ireland have rescued their World Cup hopes with this comeback. \u2014 RT\u00c9 Sport (@RTEsport) August 18, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Lee Cole put them ahead with an emphatic penalty corner four minutes into the quarter, and as South Africa desperately pushed for an equaliser, Ireland countered four minutes from time to get a third, Cole the man on the mark again as he arrowed a short corner low into the goal.<\/p>\n Sam Hyland put the cherry on top with 11 seconds to go, coming round the far side to bash home a fourth which could yet prove vital with goal difference a factor in the final placings.<\/p>\n Ireland next take on Spain at 4pm on Thursday. The Spaniards beat South Africa 3-1 and then lost 1-0 against the Aussies.<\/p>\n If Ireland secure second they would enter a pool with the winners of Pools B and C, plus the runners-up in Pool B. The top two teams in that pool progress to the semi-finals.<\/p>\n “We started a little bit slow, we improved but then found ourselves behind,” said player of the match Lee Cole afterwards.<\/p>\n “But unbelievable character to come back and get a win. It’s the stuff we dream of.<\/p>\n “Everyone in our back four today was unbelievable.”<\/p>\n Ireland lead! Lee Cole with a wonderful finish from a short corner and Ireland have rescued their World Cup hopes with this comeback. \u2014 RT\u00c9 Sport (@RTEsport) August 18, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Watch Ireland v Spain in the Men’s Hockey World Cup on Thursday from 3.45pm on RT\u00c92 and RT\u00c9 Player. Follow our live blog on RT\u00c9.ie\/sport and RT\u00c9 News app.<\/p>\n
IRL 2-1 SAF pic.twitter.com\/TJbiAsjRn9<\/a><\/p>\n
IRL 2-1 SAF pic.twitter.com\/TJbiAsjRn9<\/a><\/p>\n