Hannah Matthews


Hannah Matthews 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. Matthews has also won Irish Senior Cup and Women's Irish Hockey League titles with Loreto. She is the daughter of Phillip Matthews, the former Ireland rugby union international.

Early years, family and education

Hannah Matthews is the daughter of Phillip Matthews, the former Ireland rugby union international, and his wife, Lisa Flynn. Her maternal grandfather, Kevin Flynn, was also an Ireland rugby union international. Matthews was educated at Loreto High School, Beaufort in Rathfarnham and Dublin City University. She works as a primary school teacher.

Domestic teams

Loreto, Beaufort

Matthews played in three Leinster Schoolgirls' Senior Cup finals for Loreto, Beaufort, each time playing against teams that included future Ireland team mates. In the 2006 final Loreto, Beaufort lost 2–0 to St. Andrew's College. 13-year-old Chloe Watkins scored St Andrew's second goal. In the 2008 final Matthews scored the winner from a penalty corner as Loreto, Beaufort defeated an Alexandra College team featuring Nicola Evans and Deirdre Duke 2–1. In the 2009 final Matthews captained Loreto, Beaufort as they faced a St. Andrew's team featuring Chloe Watkins and Gillian Pinder. This time St. Andrew's won 2–0 after extra time.

DCU

Matthews played for Dublin City University at intervarsity level, featuring in the 2009, 2010 and 2012 Chilean Cup tournaments. Her DCU team mates included Alison Meeke.

Loreto

In 2008–09 Matthews was a member of the Loreto team that won the inaugural Women's Irish Hockey League title. In the 2009–10 Irish Senior Cup final against Railway Union, Matthews scored the winning penalty stroke in a penalty shoot-out after the game had finished 2–2. Matthews also scored for Loreto in the 2011–12 final but this time they lost 3–2 against UCD. Matthews has also represented Loreto in European competitions. In June 2011 she scored in the EuroHockey Club Champion's Challenge II final as Loreto defeated HC Olten of Switzerland 7–1. In 2014 she captained Loreto to third place at the European Club Championship Trophy tournament hosted by Leicester Hockey Club. In May 2018 Matthews captained Loreto as they won the EY Champions Trophy. Matthews team mates at Loreto have included Nikki Symmons, Lizzie Colvin, Alison Meeke, Nicola Daly and Elena Tice.

Ireland international

Matthews made her senior debut for Ireland in June 2014 against Italy.
She had previously represented Ireland at Under-18 level. In March 2015 Matthews was a member of the Ireland team that won a 2014–15 Women's FIH Hockey World League Round 2 tournament hosted in Dublin, defeating Canada in the final after a penalty shoot-out. She was also a member of the Ireland team that won the 2015 Women's EuroHockey Championship II, defeating the Czech Republic 5–0 in the final. In January 2017 she was also a member of the Ireland team that won a 2016–17 Women's FIH Hockey World League Round 2 tournament in Kuala Lumpur, defeating Malaysia 3–0 in the final. In June 2018 Matthews made her 100th senior international appearance for Ireland during a series of games against Canada.
Matthews represented Ireland at the 2018 Women's Hockey World Cup and was a prominent member of the team that won the silver medal. She featured in all of Ireland's games throughout the tournament, including the pool games against the United States, India, and England, the quarter-final against India, the semi-final against Spain and the final against the Netherlands.
TournamentsPlace
2014–15 Women's FIH Hockey World League15th
→ 2015 Dublin Tournament1st
2015 Women's EuroHockey Championship II1st
2016 Hawke's Bay Cup5th
2016–17 Women's FIH Hockey World League13th
→ 2017 Kuala Lumpur Tournament1st
2017 Women's Four Nations Cup2nd
2017 Women's EuroHockey Nations Championship6th
2018 Women's Hockey World Cup
2018–19 Women's FIH Series Finals2nd
2019 Women's EuroHockey Nations Championship5th

Honours

;Ireland
;Loreto
;Loreto, Beaufort