It was a historic event for squash as Ireland traveled to Hong Kong to compete in the WSF Team World Championships—the first-ever edition to feature both men’s and women’s team competitions. Representing both categories, Ireland showcased the top talent our island has to offer, gaining invaluable experience against the world’s squash elite.
Ireland Women’s Team achieved 15th place
The women’s team, featuring Hannah Craig (PSA #71), Breanne Flynn (PSA #121), Hannah McGugan, and Ciara Moloney-Doheny, faced a challenging first round against France, Malaysia, and Macau, China.
After a tough opening defeat to France, the Irish women bounced back with a commanding 3-0 victory over Macau. However, a subsequent loss to Malaysia placed them third in their pool.
This result advanced Ireland to the 13th-23rd place draw, where they began with a bye before taking on Colombia. A fantastic performance from Hannah Craig, who defeated Lucia Bautista Sarmiento (PSA #81), and Breanne Flynn, who triumphed over Catalina Pealez (PSA #100), secured the victory for Ireland.
The team then faced Germany in the next round. Despite Hannah Craig’s straight-sets victory over Saskia Beinhard (PSA #67), Ireland narrowly missed out on overall success.
In their final match of the tournament, Ireland battled Switzerland for 15th place. Demonstrating exceptional resilience and determination, the team clinched a 2-1 victory. Hannah Craig delivered another stellar performance, defeating Nadia Pfister (PSA #87), while Breanne Flynn sealed the win with a strong result against Maja Maziuk.
Ireland Men’s Team achieved 20th place
The men’s team, featuring Sam Buckley (PSA #139), Conor Moran, Oisin Logan and Michael Creaven, started their competition in a rather difficult round against top teams India and Colombia.
The competition began on a high note, with Sam Buckley securing a brilliant victory in three games over Abhay Singh (PSA #54). Despite their determined efforts, the Irish team ultimately fell short against India, a side boasting three players ranked within the world’s top 90.
A similar challenge awaited Ireland in their match against Colombia, another squad featuring top-90-ranked players. Though the Irish players displayed great grit and heart, they finished last in their pool.
This result moved Ireland into the competition for 17th-26th place, where they faced Peru and Australia.
In the match against Peru, Conor Moran delivered an impressive display of stamina, triumphing over Rafael Galvez in a grueling 3-2 match, capped off by a nail-biting 12-10 win in the final game. Sam Buckley also earned special recognition for his spirited performance against PSA #3 Diego Elias, battling for every point and challenging the squash superstar.
Against Australia, Ireland secured a hard-fought victory. Conor Moran’s win over Rhys Dowling (PSA #138) and Oisin Logan’s solid performance against Brendan Macdonald sealed a satisfying result, setting Ireland up to compete for 20th place.
Ireland closed the tournament with confidence and momentum, delivering two dominant 3-0 wins against Korea and Kuwait. Bolstered by the high-level experience gained throughout the competition, the team ended on a high note, reflecting their resilience and growth.
All results can be found at wsf.tournamentsoftware.com
