Nicci Daly
Hockey
BIOGRAPHY
Nicci Daly represented Ireland in the women’s hockey tournament at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, where Ireland finished 10th, retiring afterwards having won 200 caps.
A midfielder from Dublin, Daly came to hockey relatively late – she attended The High School in Rathgar where she was introduced to the sport, but did not join a club until 2008. Around the same time she was called into the Dublin senior ladies football panel and named an All-Star in 2009, but chose hockey when Ireland’s opportunities grew. She made her senior hockey debut in 2010 and went on to be one of Ireland’s most creative players. Her solo goal against South Africa in the 2015 World League semi-finals in Valencia – collecting the ball 25 yards out, running around defenders, popping it into the air and volleying past the goalkeeper at full pace – is widely regarded as one of the finest goals ever scored in an Irish shirt. She was a silver medallist at the 2018 World Cup in London and scored a crucial shoot-out penalty against Canada in the 2019 Tokyo qualifier.
Her family background is steeped in motorsport: her father Vivion was a Formula Ford racing driver, her uncle Derek Daly a former Formula 1 driver, and her cousin Conor Daly races in IndyCar. She worked as a data engineer for Juncos Racing in Indianapolis and was involved in the Formula Female initiative to bring more women into motorsport.
OTHER HOCKEY ATHLETES
HOCKEY NEWS
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 [...]
In the News – 9 March 2026
Hockey The Irish Men’s and women’s hockey teams qualify for the FIH World Cup, after competing in the Qualifiers tournament in Santiago, Chile. The Ireland Men’s Hockey Team closed out their FIH Hockey World Cup Qualifiers with a win over France to take top spot in the tournament. Having trailed by a goal, Ireland fought [...]
Sport Events Coming up in July
We are at the start of a jam packed July, check here for information on the upcoming events? DATES EVENT (SPORT) 27 June – 6 July EQUESTRIAN Team Ireland – World Equestrian Festival CHIO Aachen – Aachen, Germany LINK 28-29 June ATHLETICS Team Ireland – European Athletics Team Championships Division 2 – Maribor, Slovenia LINK [...]
In The News – June 16th
Men’s Hockey | Ireland Edge Belgium in FIH Pro League Thriller Ireland secured a stunning 3–2 victory over world-ranked #2 Belgium in Antwerp - their first win of the 2024/25 FIH Pro League season. Louis Rowe opened the scoring; Lee Cole struck twice with penalty corners. Jaime Carr delivered a Player of the Match performance, [...]
Olympic Champion Rhys McClenaghan Inspires Students on Return to His Old School
Olympic Champion and Dare to Believe ambassador Rhys McClenaghan revisits his school Olympic Champion on the pommel horse (gymnastics), Rhys McClenaghan, returned to his former school this week, bringing with him not only his Olympic gold medal but also an inspiring message of resilience and perseverance. As an ambassador for the Dare to Believe Olympic [...]