Katie Mullan is still hoping to add to her haul of 236 caps, but after eight years as captain of the Irish hockey team she is stepping down from the role, one she described on Wednesday as “the greatest privilege and honour of my life”.
Along with international team-mate Róisín Upton, Mullan recently joined Shrachi Rarh Bengal Tigers for the inaugural Hockey India League which will begin next month and end in February. However, she plans on being available for new Irish coach Gareth Grundie for next year’s schedule which includes August’s European Championships in Germany.
“I believe the time is right for me to pass on the armband,” said the 30-year-old. “But I’m not ready to retire from playing as I feel I still have much more to give to the Irish shirt. It’s an exciting time ahead.”
A native of Coleraine, Mullan took over as captain from Megan Frazer in 2016 and went on to lead Ireland to the World Cup final in London two years later and their first ever Olympic appearance in Tokyo in 2021.
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During a club career with Ballymoney, UCD and Railway Union, she won every domestic honour, several times over, while also having a spell playing professionally with Club an der Alster in Germany.
A sporting all-round, Mullan won an All-Ireland Intermediate camogie title with her home club CLG Eoghan Rua in 2010 before focussing on hockey after making her senior international debut two years later.
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