The club is saddened to hear of the passing of George McCaw, a long-time member of the club who was part of the Irish Senior Cup winning sides of the 1960s, an Irish international and a member of the Buccaneers touring teams.

He was also the architect who designed the club’s pavilion in the 1980s and was subsequently a pavilion member for many years along with his wife Maureen.

Our thoughts are with Maureen and his family. Funeral Service on Tuesday (June 2) at 1 pm in The Unitarian Church, Stephen’s Green (D02 YP23), afterwards, to Friends Burial Ground, Temple Hill, Blackrock.

https://rip.ie/death-notice/george-a-mccaw-dublin-rathfarnham-632089

Three Rock Rovers are delighted to announce Aidan Khares will lead the men’s firsts coaching team next season with Jody Hosking taking on the assistant coach role for the 2026/27 campaign.

Aidan joins us from Brooklands Hockey Club in Manchester where he coached the Brooklands men’s first team in the English Premier league.

He was involved with the Ireland Under-21 team as Assistant Coach at the most recent Junior World Cup in India where he helped them place 10th overall.

“I’m absolutely thrilled to take on the challenge of coaching Three Rock Rovers!” Aidan says of the new role.

“It’s an incredible opportunity to build on the fantastic foundation that Jody and Ash have established. Their hard work and dedication have set a high standard, and I can’t wait to contribute my own passion and strategies to help the team grow even further.”

Jody added: “Delighted to be involved with this group again going forward. We have made some big strides with a very young side this past season and we’ll be looking to go even further next season.”

We have no doubt that Aidan and Jody will be strong alliance in this upcoming 2026/27 season and look forward to seeing them build on their runs to the Irish Senior Cup final and EY Champions Trophy semi-final.

The Three Rock Rovers AGM for 2026 will take place on Monday, May 18th at 8.00pm in the clubhouse.

Agenda

1. Minutes of the 2025 AGM

   1.1 Matters arising

2. Team Reports

   2.1 Junior teams

   2.2 Ladies teams

   2.3 Mens teams

3. Other reports

   3.1 Committee report

   3.2 Council report

4. Club annual accounts

5. Elections:

   5.1 President

   5.2 Honorary Club Secretary

   5.3 Honorary Club Treasurer

   5.4 Ladies Club Captain

   5.5 Mens Club Captain

   5.6 Council members

   5.7 Committee members

   5.8 Honorary Auditor

6. Update on infrastructure projects

   6.1 Front pitch replacement

   6.2 Sustainability projects

   6.3 Funding update

7. Motion to increase the Senior and Student members annual subscription

   Proposed by: Karen Davis, Ladies Club Captain

   Seconded by: Wendy Lee, President

   Motion:

   “That the annual membership fees for Seniors and Students be increased for the 2026/27 season, as follows:

   • Senior Membership Early Bird rate of €385 to be removed

   • Senior Membership from €430 to €450

   • Student Membership (5th Year – end tertiary education): from €270 to €285”

8. AOB

   8.1 Health and Safety report

   8.2 Child Protection report

   8.3 Pavilion member’s list

When Jody Hosking arrived in Ireland in late November 2010, the plan was simple: three months, a bit of hockey, an experience to take back to South Africa.

That winter’s bizarre snowy white-out and a spate of blanket cancelations, though, was not part of the plan.

“I think I got about three games in those first three months,” Hosking recalls with a laugh. “I didn’t really feel like that gave a fair reflection of me from my time in Ireland and I kind of owed the club a little.”

** Get your tickets to the AIG Cup Finals day here **

So he finished his degree in Potchefstroom, came back for the next season. And then another… and on and on to the present day, bringing a decade‑and‑a‑half of silverware, amassing 29 trophies as a culture-leader for the men’s first team and more than returning any notional debt in abundance.

It led the club through a golden era, ending a 40-year wait for the Irish Senior Cup in 2014, the three EY Champions Trophy titles in succession, 11 national indoor titles and countless European adventures.

Saturday’s Irish Senior Cup final against Lisnagarvey offers a possible first piece of silverware as coach (4.45pm, Grange Road), potentially writing another memorable chapter in his and the club’s combined history.

The irony is he never expected to be in this coaching realm despite having previously worked with the women’s firsts and the Under-16 boys teams.

Ending last season, plans were relatively known with Ashlin Freddy in situ, building systems with a bright young panel who only missed out on the EYHL title on goal difference to Garvey.

Jody, meanwhile, was looking forward to a quieter year and easing off the competitive edge. Instead, everything moved quickly.

But Ash was offered dream move to AH&BC Amsterdam in the Netherlands and Rovers were suddenly on the hunt for a head coach with potential suitors hard to come by.

The club turned, naturally, to someone who knew the environment and the players as well as anyone with Jody taking on the role, assisted by Niall Denham.

“I was actually a big part of trying to get Ash over to Ireland in the first place,” Hosking explains. “We had spoken about his three-year plans and I was happy enough to finish up playing and looking forward to playing 2s so it was funny how it worked out.”

“When the boys asked for a conversation, I didn’t hesitate,” Hosking says when he was asked about the role. “Not because I was desperate to do it, but because I knew the side just needed a bit of direction.”

He inherited a side which was still a little raw. The departures of Irish internationals Luke Madeley and Kevin O’Dea to London had already reshaped the group.

Rather than forcing an early charge, Hosking chose patience.

“The first half of the season was about finding our feet,” he says. “To be honest with you, I was also a bit thrown in the deep end myself. Like I hadn’t coached in a while.

“So there was a real drive from my side just to make sure to use the first half of the season just to get an understanding of the team and where we wanted to be.”

It has paid off. Rovers’ cup run has coincided with a clear upward curve since the turn of the year, unbeaten in the EYHL in 2026 and reaching the Senior Cup final for the first time since 2019.

Incidentally, Jody scored the winner that year in a 1-0 final win over Garvey at Grange Road.

Chief among the results was a formative 3-2 away win over Banbridge in the cup semi-final while last weekend’s 4-0 win over Corinthian in the EY Champions Trophy quarter-final was a first knock-out win of its kind in recent times.

“There’s huge confidence in the squad,” Hosking says. “We’re trending in the right direction at the right time.”

Central to that growth has been the growth of younger players. Conor Walsh is, in Hosking’s words, “playing some of the best hockey of his life”, while Sam Rothwell has been carefully managed back to full impact after injury at the end of last term.

Oscar Pasley has also shone while youngsters Simon Montgomery and Harry Glennon have taken their opportunities of late as Mark Samuel and Rex Dunlop moved abroad midseason.

That belief in pathways, patience and people is characteristic of Hosking’s entire Rovers journey. This current group is primarily made up of players who came through the youth section while only a handful are over 25.

Saturday’s final brings matters full circle. Lisnagarvey, ever‑present rivals, stand between Rovers and their potential third straight Senior Cup.

The rivalry itself rarely disappoints. Two league meetings this season produced a 6–5 thriller and a 4-4 draw last month in the league, highlighting both teams’ attacking richness.

As recently crowned EYHL champions, Garvey carry a clear favourites tag with a side bedecked with a quartet of international players who helped Ireland qualify for the World Cup.

Hosking expects structure to tighten from the league encounters on the big occasion, but believes the nature of modern hockey means goals will never be far away.

“Regardless,” he says, “I think we’re in for a treat.”

Irish Senior & Junior Cup Finals
📍 Three Rock Rovers Hockey Club, Grange Road, D16 PT82
📅 Saturday, May 2nd

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Event Overview

Three Rock Rovers is delighted to host the Irish Senior and Junior Cup Finals, featuring the top men’s and women’s club teams from across the country. We look forward to welcoming players, officials and supporters for a full day of top‑class hockey.

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Match Schedule

• 10.30am – Women’s Junior Cup Final
  Old Alex II v Railway Union II
• 12.30pm– Men’s Junior Cup Final
  Lisnagarvey II v Corinthian II
• 2.45pm – Women’s Senior Cup Final
  Monkstown v Railway Union
• 4.45pm – Men’s Senior Cup Final
  Lisnagarvey v Three Rock Rovers

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Ticket Information

• Tickets available:
• Online: https://events.mygameday.app/event/iscfinals/products
• at the gate

• Prices:
  • Adults: €25 (day pass); €10 (single game pass)
  • U18 Concessions: €17.50 (day pass); €6 (single game)
  • Under 5s: free
• Cashless payments preferred

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Getting to Three Rock

As part of the club’s sustainability initiatives, we encourage visitors to come to Grange Road via public transport, bicycle or walk where possible.

Public Transport

• Bus routes: 16, 74, S8, 116, 16D
• Nearest Luas: Dundrum – then take 74 bus
• Cycling encouraged – bike parking stands available in the back car park

By car

• Parking inside the venue only available for teams and officials
• Parking on the grass verges and bike paths outside the club is illegal and has the potential for cars to be clamped/towed

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Facilities on the Day

• Clubhouse open throughout the day
• Food & beverage options available
• Ed Sports open 10am to 4pm

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Match Day Guidelines

• Please arrive early for your preferred fixtures
• Respect players, officials and volunteers
• Follow any guidance from event volunteers

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Stay Connected – follow updates on the day:

• TRR @TRRHC (Instagram); ThreeRockRoversHC (Facebook)
• Hockey Ireland: @hockey_ireland/ (Instagram); IrishHockeyAssociation (Facebook)
• Tag your photos: #AIGIrishSeniorCup #IrishJuniorCup

🏆 🏆 🏆 National champions once again!! 🏆 🏆 🏆

The indoor side won the men’s National Indoor Trophy for the fifth season in succession and 12th title since winning it for the first time in 2011!

On finals day, the side opened up with a composed 7-1 win over Portrane in the semi-final in the morning, getting used to the impressive new air-dome at Our Lady’s Terenure.

In the final, it was yet another showdown with Corinthian and it was close until the final stages. Luke Madeley’s early corner was countered quickly to make it 1-1; Ryan Williams produced the moment of the final to set up James Walker to edge us back in front for a 2-1 lead at half-time!

The reds levelled in Q3 but Luke ensured we went into the final quarter with a narrow 3-2 lead with an excellent corner recovery goal. And the lads closed out the game strong, Luke completing his hat trick and Jody Hosking made the game extra-safe for a 5-2 final score.

It gives the side a great boost ahead of next week’s indoor journey to Vienna where they will play in the EuroHockey Indoor Club Trophy!

Team picture

Back row: Shane Davey, Scott Crombie, Ali Haughton, Ross Canning, Stephen O’Keeffe, Harry MacMahon, Mark Collins, Mark Samuel, Diarmuid MacMahon

Front row: James Kyriakides, Liam Canning, Luke Madeley, James Walker, Ryan Williams, Jody Hosking

Three Rock Rovers celebrated one of the most significant developments in the hockey club’s 132-year history last Saturday following an extensive sustainability and pitch replacement project.

It follows the most extensive renovation project since moving to Grange Road in Rathfarnham in the early 1980s with the front pitch fully replaced from base to top surface.

Through its main contractor, Tony Patterson Sports, a new subbase, tarmac, shock pad and an international-standard TX Elite carpet were installed, together with a more efficient pitch irrigation system and new lighting poles, surrounded by modern fencing and paving for spectator safety.

The sustainability work included planting many hundreds of flowers in its woodland area and a new herb garden for local use.

This was done in tandem with infrastructural work including energy efficiency and water conservation in the clubhouse, LED lights for its two floodlit pitches and the provision of a bike park.

The works were possible through 75% members’ fundraising and sponsor funding while the balance was secured through two major grants, one each from South County Dublin Country Council and the government’s Sports Capital Grant Scheme.

Speaking about the opening, club president Wendy Lee was thrilled to usher in the new era, saying: “It was a joy to see so many members to be part of this celebration of our club after all the effort from each section to make this dream a reality”.

The ceremonial ribbon-cutting was performed by Minister of State at the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport Charlie McConalogue, South Dublin County Council Mayor Pamela Kearns and Olympians Katie Mullan and Ben Johnson.

Mullan and Johnson opened the gates for a youth blitz for over 80 of the club’s youngest members on Saturday morning, undeterred by the after-effects of Storm Claudia and the teeming rain it brought.

Six Three Rock adult teams lined out at the venue on the same day in league fixtures with the men’s first team playing out a thriller in the EY Hockey League against Lisnagarvey, the Ulster side prevailing 6-5.

A full day of events on November 15th and something for everyone to get involved in. We have a special start to the day with our very own Olympian Ben Johnson and Irish World Cup silver medal winning captain Katie Mullan opening the pitch with the junior section (great opp for photos and signings for the youngsters!).

At 10am, the Minister for Sport will join the formal pitch opening before a full schedule of matches takes place throughout the day.

In the evening, the barbecue will be cranked up and the bar will be open all day.

A great schedule and something for everyone to celebrate what has been one of the biggest projects the club has undertaken, all made possible by the work of the club and our wonderful members!

The club is currently looking to recruit a new groundsperson for the club ahead of the new season following the retirement of JJ and Sylvie this summer after long spells with the club.

Expressions of interest should be sent to club manager Bernie Keogh on club.manager@threerockrovershc.com.

We are also looking to build a list of people available for weekend and tournament work who can also assist with occasional pitch duties and car parking on tournament weekends and some busy Saturdays.

This might suit students and/or coaches; training will be provided. Again, please contact Bernie if interested