After being absent from the Olympic games since the year 1908, a squad or the team that is completely made up mostly of amateurs as well as part funded fans would be one of the highlights of the Rio hockey tournaments. Their members include the mix of IT workers, teachers, accountants and lawyers. But, the men’s hockey team of the Irish was united with only two words i.e., “No Excuses”. This mantra has been adopted by the team at their long way to the Rio de Janeiro Summer Olympic Games. In 108 years, this was the first time that the Irish’s men’s hockey team qualified for the Games of Olympics.
One of the professional athletes of the team Irish - Goalkeeper David Harte has dubbed “The Green Machine” which means “probably summarises everything about this senior men’s team”.
The Irish team has just fell short of participating in the 2012 London Olympics when the Republic of Korea has been the winner with only 7 seconds remaining to blow them out of qualifying for the event. But, this defeat has strengthened their determination. Now, the Irish team has qualified for the Rio having finished at the 5th place at the World League semi-finals at FINTRO Hockey which includes back to back winning against the highest ranked Malaysia and Pakistan.
Irish Men's Hockey Team Raised Funds to Travel to Rio
The Green Machine has not only focused on the pitch rather on their pocketbook too by raising 225,000 euros for covering up the cost of journey to the Olympics. The squad raised the funds regularly from the fans for traveling to the events at Rio. All those tournaments will be taken place at the Olympic Hockey Centre of the Deodoro Olympic Park. The top 4 teams of the every 2 pools at Rio will move to the quarter finals and this is the first time in the history of the Olympics in the hockey competition that quarter-finals will be held. But, in the latest matches the top 4 squads have progressed directly to the semi-finals.
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