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Irish World Cup hero and record scorer returns to Irish league as player-coach

Anna O’Flanagan will link up with Muckross after two years in The Netherlands.

Anna O’Flanagan celebrates winning the shoot out New chapter: Ireland star Anna O'Flanagan. Sandra Mailer / INPHO Sandra Mailer / INPHO / INPHO

IRELAND 2018 WORLD Cup hero and all-time leading goalscorer Anna O’Flanagan is set to return home from The Netherlands’ top tier after signing for Dublin’s Muckross Hockey Club.

29-year-old O’Flanagan has been confirmed as an assistant coach/player for the 2019/20 season following a two-year stint with Bloemendaal.

“The club are delighted in welcoming Anna back to her school grounds of Muckross Park College as she joins the Muckross Magic,” Muckross said in a statement.

With 180 international caps to her name, Anna will be utilising her vast experience and world class skills to further develop this young, talented and ambitious team.

There, she’ll join Simon Pearson’s set-up and coaching staff after he was announced as first team head coach yesterday.

O’Flanagan has already won two Irish Women’s Hockey League titles with UCD (2014) and Hermes-Monkstown (2016).

She was one of the stars of the show in Ireland’s journey to World Cup silver in London last summer, scoring two key goals as Graham Shaw’s side made history.

Anna O'Flanagan is presented with the Player of the Tournament award O'Flanagan with her Player of the Tournament award. PressEye / Jonathan Porter/INPHO PressEye / Jonathan Porter/INPHO / Jonathan Porter/INPHO

Under the watchful eye of Gareth Grundie with Sean Dancer waiting in the wings to take over full-time, the Green Army recently took a significant step on the road to Tokyo 2020 as they booked their place in a two-legged Olympic play-off tie later this year.

Reaching the final at the FIH Final Series in Banbridge assured that, and although they suffered a 3-1 defeat to Korea in the decider, it was a successful tournament overall. 

O’Flanagan starred throughout, finishing up as Player of the Tournament.

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