Ireland keeper Harte retires after almost 20 years

Ireland goalkeeper David Harte has announced his retirement from international hockey after almost 20 years in the Irish net.

One of just two Ireland players to play at two Olympic Games, the 37-year-old Cork man was capped 247 times.

Harte made his Ireland senior debut against France in August 2006 at the age of 18 and went on to become one of Ireland's most influential hockey figures.

He represented Ireland at the Rio 2016 and Paris 2024 Olympics, captained the side to a bronze medal at the 2015 EuroHockey Championships in London, and made multiple appearances at major tournaments such as World Cups and World Leagues.

Alongside his team accolades, Harte was also recognised as FIH World Goalkeeper of the Year on two occasions, in 2015 and 2016, along with several Goalkeeper of the Tournament and player-of-the-match awards.

In an open letter, Harte said that he had taken the decision "after a lot of thought", adding that he believed "the time is right to step away from international hockey".

"I earned my first senior cap for Ireland back in 2006, and what followed has been a journey I could never have imagined. Pulling on the green jersey and representing my country has been the greatest honour of my career, and one I never once took for granted," he said.

"Over the years, I've been incredibly fortunate to have competed on some of the biggest stages in our sport — European Championships, a World Cup and Olympic Games.

"This was made even more special doing so shoulder-to-shoulder with my twin brother Conor. I'm proud of how far Irish men's hockey has come during that time and hopeful that I have played a small part in that progress."