Grace O'Flanagan explained

Grace O'Flanagan
Birth Date:7 April 1989 [1]
Position:Goalkeeper
Years1:2007–2010
Clubs1:UCD Ladies
Years2:2010–
Clubs2:Railway Union
Years3:2010–2016
Nationalyears1:2012–
Nationalcaps1:34

Grace O'Flanagan (born 7 April 1989) is an Ireland women's field hockey international. She was a member of the Ireland team that played in the 2018 Women's Hockey World Cup final. In 2009 O'Flanagan also won an Irish Senior Cup final with UCD and in 2012–13 won a Women's Irish Hockey League/Irish Senior Cup double with Railway Union. O'Flanagan is also a qualified doctor.

Early years and education

Between 2001 and 2007 O'Flanagan attended Loreto College, Foxrock.[2] [3] Between 2007 and 2010 she attended University College Dublin where she gained a Bachelor of Commerce in Banking And Finance. Between 2010 and 2016 she attended the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and subsequently qualified as a doctor. While attending RCSI, O'Flanagan also played for the college's hockey team.[2] [4] [5] [6]

Club career

UCD

Between 2007 and 2010 O'Flanagan played for UCD. In addition to playing as a goalkeeper for the first team she also served as club treasurer.[2] In 2009 she kept goal for UCD as they defeated Pegasus 4–1 in the Irish Senior Cup final.[7] [8]

Railway Union

In 2012–13 O'Flanagan was a member of the Railway Union team that won a national double, winning both the Women's Irish Hockey League[9] and the Irish Senior Cup. In the cup final Railway Union defeated UCD 3–2. O'Flanagan's teammates at Railway Union included Cecelia and Isobel Joyce, Emer Lucey and Kate McKenna.[10] [11] O'Flanagan has also represented Railway Union in European club competitions,[12] including the 2014 EuroHockey Club Champions Cup.[13]

Ireland international

O'Flanagan made her senior debut for Ireland in 2012.[3] [14] [15] She subsequently represented Ireland at the 2013 Women's EuroHockey Nations Championship.[16] [17] On 22 July 2017 at the 2016–17 Women's FIH Hockey World League Semifinals, after Ayeisha McFerran was sin-binned in the seventh and eighth place play-off against India, O'Flanagan came on as replacement. With her first touch she saved the subsequent penalty stroke. Ireland were 1–0 down at the time but eventually went onto win 2–1. Ireland's seventh-place finish in at the tournament eventually saw them qualify for the 2018 Women's Hockey World Cup.[18] [19] [20] [21] [22] At the 2017 Women's EuroHockey Nations Championship, O'Flanagan was Ireland's first choice goalkeeper.[23] [24]

O'Flanagan represented Ireland at the 2018 Women's Hockey World Cup and was a member of the team that won the silver medal.[25] [26] During the tournament she served as the reserve goalkeeper to Ayeisha McFerran.[27] [28] [29] She featured in several games during the tournament, including the pool stage game against England[30] [31] and in the final against the Netherlands.[32]

TournamentsPlace
2013 Women's EuroHockey Nations Championship7th
2016–17 Women's FIH Hockey World League Semifinals7th
2017 Women's Four Nations Cup[33] 2nd
2017 Women's EuroHockey Nations Championship6th
2018 Women's Hockey World Cup[34]

Personal life

O'Flanagan is a qualified doctor.[3] [14] Since January 2018 she has worked as a Senior house officer in Otolaryngology at the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital. She has previously trained at Beaumont Hospital, Dublin, Northwestern Memorial Hospital and St. Vincent's University Hospital.[2] [6]

Honours

Ireland
Railway Union
UCD

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Vitality Hockey Women's World Cup 2018 – Team Details Ireland. fih.ch. 5 August 2018.
  2. News: Grace O'Flanagan. ie.linkedin.com. 11 November 2018.
  3. News: Grace O'Flanagan. https://web.archive.org/web/20180726092332/http://www.hookhockey.com/index.php/2018/07/grace-oflanagan-womens-world-cup-squad/#.W-hxCPZ2tjo. usurped. 26 July 2018. www.hookhockey.com. 11 November 2018. 21 July 2018.
  4. News: UCD land second Varsity double in three years. https://web.archive.org/web/20131105004427/http://www.hookhockey.com/index.php/2013/10/ucd-land-second-varsity-double-in-three-years/#.W4hpYvZFxy0. usurped. 5 November 2013. www.hookhockey.com. 30 August 2018. 30 October 2013.
  5. News: Ireland's fairytale World Cup ends with historic silver for UCD athletes. www.ucd.ie. 16 August 2018. 7 August 2018.
  6. News: Ireland's history-making World Cup hockey heroes. www.ucd.ie. 13 November 2018. 8 August 2018.
  7. Web site: UCD stun Pegasus in Irish Senior Cup showdown. https://web.archive.org/web/20180818052331/http://www.hookhockey.com/index.php/2009/04/ucd-stun-pegasus-in-irish-senior-cup-showdown/#.W3cXu_ZFxy0. usurped. 18 August 2018. www.hookhockey.com. 17 August 2018. 26 April 2009.
  8. Web site: UCD & Pembroke claim Cup titles. www.rte.ie. 13 November 2018. 29 April 2009.
  9. News: Loreto Hockey Club v Railway Union - Electric Ireland Irish Hockey League Women's Final Photos. www.sportsfile.com. 25 September 2018. 5 May 2013.
  10. Web site: Railway Union 3-2 UCD. www.rte.ie. 26 March 2013. 24 March 2013.
  11. News: Delany strike sees Railway Union complete the trophy set with controlled Irish Senior win. https://web.archive.org/web/20140727023114/http://www.hookhockey.com/index.php/2013/03/delany-strike-sees-railway-union-complete-the-trophy-set-with-controlled-irish-senior-win/#.W-sIMfZ2ty0. usurped. 27 July 2014. www.hookhockey.com. 13 November 2018. 24 March 2013.
  12. News: Euro joy for Railway and UCD as men's EHL place hangs in balance. https://web.archive.org/web/20131214105302/http://www.hookhockey.com/index.php/2013/05/euro-joy-for-railway-and-ucd-as-mens-ehl-place-hangs-in-balance/#.W-tXnvZ2ty0. usurped. 14 December 2013. www.hookhockey.com. 13 November 2018. 20 May 2013.
  13. News: Railway produce first draw with German opposition but fall short on penalties. https://web.archive.org/web/20140426235220/http://www.hookhockey.com/index.php/2014/04/railway-produce-first-draw-with-german-opposition-but-fall-short-on-penalties/#.W-tad_Z2ty0. usurped. 26 April 2014. www.hookhockey.com. 13 November 2018. 20 April 2014.
  14. News: Get To Know The Green Army Goalkeepers. www.hockey.ie. 13 November 2018. 16 July 2018.
  15. Web site: Grace O'Flanagan. www.hockey.ie. 5 August 2018.
  16. News: Seven changes as Smith shuffles his deck for European championships. https://web.archive.org/web/20181017001930/http://www.hookhockey.com/index.php/2013/07/seven-changes-as-smith-shuffles-his-deck-for-european-championships/#.W8Y94PZFxy0. usurped. 17 October 2018. www.hookhockey.com. 16 October 2018. 15 July 2013.
  17. News: Scotland send Ireland down to European second tier. https://web.archive.org/web/20140509154016/http://www.hookhockey.com/index.php/2013/08/scotland-send-ireland-down-to-european-second-tier/#.W8ZEXPZFxy0. usurped. 9 May 2014. www.hookhockey.com. 16 October 2018. 24 August 2013.
  18. Web site: 'I went from being a healthy 26-year-old to maybe not being alive in five years' - Grace O'Flanagan opens up about cancer battle. www.irishexaminer.com. 5 August 2018. 26 July 2018.
  19. News: McFerran hails O'Flanagan "turning point" as Ireland prove their quality on world stage. https://web.archive.org/web/20181009172636/http://www.hookhockey.com/index.php/2017/07/mcferran-hails-oflanagan-turning-point-as-ireland-prove-their-quality-on-world-stage/#.W-r_e_Z2ty0. usurped. 9 October 2018. www.hookhockey.com. 13 November 2018. 25 July 2017.
  20. News: Women's World League: Ireland edge India to boost World Cup hopes. www.bbc.co.uk. 13 November 2018. 22 July 2017.
  21. News: Two goals in two minutes keep Ireland's slim World Cup dream alive. www.the42.ie. 14 November 2018. 22 July 2017.
  22. News: Ireland beat India to keep slim World Cup hopes alive. www.rte.ie. 14 November 2018. 22 July 2017.
  23. Web site: O'Flanagan set to don number one smock at Euros. https://web.archive.org/web/20170820083051/http://www.hookhockey.com/index.php/2017/08/oflanagan-set-to-don-number-one-smock-at-euros/#.W-sBmvZ2ty0. usurped. 20 August 2017. www.hookhockey.com. 13 November 2018. 9 August 2017.
  24. Web site: Czech favour rescues Irish women's Euro status. https://web.archive.org/web/20181018043106/http://www.hookhockey.com/index.php/2017/08/czech-favour-rescues-irish-womens-euro-status/#.W8eEefZFxy0. usurped. 18 October 2018. www.hookhockey.com. 17 October 2018. 27 August 2017.
  25. Web site: 20 things you didn't know about Ireland's hockey heroes. www.irishexaminer.com. 9 August 2018. 5 August 2018.
  26. Web site: Meet Ireland's history-making World Cup hockey heroes. www.irishtimes.com. 12 August 2018. 1 August 2018.
  27. News: In pictures: How Ireland girls secured World Cup semi-final spot with shoot-out success. www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk. 11 November 2018. 3 August 2018.
  28. News: Superb McFerran named goalkeeper of the tournament. www.rte.ie. 13 November 2018. 5 August 2018.
  29. News: 'We don't often get the chance to shine': The goalkeeping coach behind Ireland's World Cup hero. www.the42.ie. 13 November 2018. 11 August 2018.
  30. Web site: Giselle Ansley takes England past Ireland before hard work begins. www.theguardian.com. 13 November 2018. 30 July 2018.
  31. Web site: Ireland Lose Narrowly To World Number 2. www.hockey.ie. 11 November 2018. 29 July 2018.
  32. News: No fairytale ending as Dutch masters prove step too far for Ireland. www.independent.ie. 13 November 2018. 6 August 2018.
  33. News: Irish Women's 4 Nations squad announced. www.bbc.co.uk. 16 October 2018. 7 June 2017.
  34. News: Ireland v Spain - Women's Hockey World Cup Finals Semi-Final Photos. www.sportsfile.com. 10 August 2018. 4 August 2018.

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