Ayeisha McFerran
Hockey
BIOGRAPHY
Ayeisha McFerran represented Ireland in the women’s hockey tournament at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, where Ireland finished 10th.
Growing up in Larne, McFerran took up hockey at seven and was an Irish dancer and flute player in her youth. She attended Larne Grammar School and made her senior debut for Ireland on 11 January 2014 – the day after her 18th birthday – while still a club player with Randalstown. She went on to earn a hockey scholarship to the University of Louisville, where she was named an NFHCA All-American four times. She joined Pegasus on her return to Ireland, winning the Women’s Irish Hockey League in 2015. The defining moment of her career to date came at the 2018 Women’s Hockey World Cup in London, where her penalty shoot-out heroics – saving three against India in the quarter-final and four against Spain in the semi-final – propelled Ireland to the final and a silver medal.
She was named Goalkeeper of the Tournament. She played a similarly crucial role in Ireland’s first-ever Olympic qualification, saving penalties in the shoot-out victory over Canada in Dublin in November 2019. She has been twice nominated for the FIH World Goalkeeper of the Year award and plays professionally in the Netherlands.
OTHER HOCKEY ATHLETES
HOCKEY NEWS
Performance Round Up – June 2026
Athletics Mark English finished second in a high-quality men’s 800m field at the Rome Diamond League. The Donegal athlete clocked a season’s best time of 1:43.80, his second fastest ever over the distance, as he closed strongly in the final metres to challenge for victory. Sarah Healy delivered a personal best time of 14:48.88 in [...]
In The News – 22nd June 2026
Ireland Hockey, Athletics, Basketball and Boxing Update: Positive Progress Across the Board Hockey Ireland Women Secure Crucial Pro League Win The Ireland Women’s Hockey Team produced an impressive display to defeat Spain with a 3-1 win and strengthen their position in the FIH Hockey Pro League, building on their 1-1 draw against the same opposition [...]
In The News – June 15 2026
Boxing Two-time Olympic champion Kellie Harrington secured her first international gold medal since her Paris 2024 success, leading a strong Team Ireland performance at the opening phase of the Four Nations tournament in Glasgow. Harrington delivered an assured performance in the women’s 60kg elite final, defeating England’s Ella Lonsdale, as Ireland amassed an impressive 33 [...]
Events Coming up in June 2026
Hockey IRL Men - FIH Hockey Nations Cup - South Africa - June 11 to 20 IRL Women - FIH Hockey Pro League Netherlands Stage - Rotterdam - June 13 to 18 IRL Women - FIH Hockey Pro League Germany Stage - Berlin - June 23 to 27 Swimming Sette Colli International, Rome, Italy, 26-28 [...]
LA28 Qualification Dates in 2026
ROAD TO LA ALREADY UNDERWAY! 2026 marks the beginning of the qualification journey for many sports as they look ahead to the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028. Qualifying for the Games, which take place from 14–30 July 2028, is challenging across all disciplines. Most sports require either direct qualification through specific events, qualification via [...]
Turning Pain into Progress: Ireland Hockey Captain Sarah Hawkshaw Reflects on Olympic Setback and World Cup Qualification Success
It is easy, sometimes, to presume that every high performance athlete who is heartbroken not to make a global tournament will be super motivated once their next goal is writ large on a white board. Yet even someone as experienced and driven as Tokyo Olympian Sarah Hawkshaw struggled when the Irish women’s hockey team didn't [...]