Róisín Upton (born 1 April 1994) is an Ireland women's field hockey international and Irish Hockey League club Catholic Institute. She was a member of the Ireland team that played in the 2018 Women's Hockey World Cup final.

Upton was also a member of the Connecticut Huskies teams that won the 2013 and 2014 NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championships.

Early years and education Upton is the daughter of Dermot and Pauline Upton and is originally from Janesboro on the south side of the city. She has two older brothers, Diarmaid and Sean, both of whom have played rugby union for Munster at schoolboy level and have played for Young Munster in the All-Ireland League. Upton attended An Mhodh Scoil and Crescent College before studying at the University of Connecticut where she gained a BA in Psychology. In 2019 she completed her two years Masters in Primary education in Mary Immaculate College Limerick. As well as playing field hockey in her youth, Upton also played ladies' Gaelic football for Mungret St.Pauls winning numerous County medals.She also won a munster and All-Ireland title with Limerick underage football. and women's association football for Janesboro Football club.

Domestic teams Early years Upton started playing field hockey at Crescent College and then subsequently with Catholic Institute. She helped Crescent College win two Munster Schools Junior Cup and two Senior Cup titles. She also captained the Crescent College team. She helped Catholic Institute challenge for Munster club honours.

Munster and Ireland youth player of the year in 2011

Connecticut Huskies Between 2012 and 2016 Upton attended the University of Connecticut. During this time she was a prominent member of the Connecticut Huskies teams that won the 2013 and 2014 NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championships. Upton captained the team during the 2014 season and in 2014 and 2015 was nominated for the Honda Sports Award. Upton also helped the team win four consecutive Big East Conference Field Hockey Tournaments between 2012 and 2015. During her time with the Connecticut Huskies, Upton also worked as a member of the teams coaching staff.

Cork Harlequins In November 2016 Upton began playing for Cork Harlequins in the Women's Irish Hockey League. Her teammates at Harlequins include Yvonne O'Byrne. Upton, along with O'Byrne and Naomi Carroll, played for Harlequins in the 2017 Irish Senior Cup final, losing 1–0 to UCD. In 2017–18 she helped Harlequins finish as runners up in both the Women's Irish Hockey League and the EY Champions Trophy.

Catholic Institute In 2018 Upton re-joined Catholic Institute as they became founder members of the Women's Irish Hockey League Division 2.

International career

Róisín Upton made her senior debut for the Ireland women's field hockey team in 2016. She quickly established herself as a key midfielder and penalty corner specialist. Upton has earned 159 senior caps for Ireland, scoring 52 goals, with most coming from penalty corners and penalty strokes. She reached her 100th cap milestone in December 2022. Her 150th cap in June 2026.

Upton has had standout performances in major tournaments. At the 2019 EuroHockey Championship, she scored four goals against Belarus, helping Ireland secure a decisive victory. She has also contributed important goals in World Cup qualifiers, Nations Cup matches, and the FIH Olympic Qualifiers. Her most recent goal was scored on 20 August 2026 in the World Cup against New Zealand.

Historic Olympic Achievement

Upton played a pivotal role in Ireland's qualification for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. She scored the winning goal in the Olympic qualifier shootout against Canada, securing Ireland's first-ever Olympic appearance in women's hockey.

At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Upton became the first Irish female hockey player, to score at an Olympic Games. She scored in Ireland's opening match against South Africa on 24 July 2021, converting a penalty corner in the 9th minute to give Ireland an early lead. The match ended in a 2–0 victory, marking Ireland's first-ever win in Olympic women's hockey.

Ireland international Together with Emily Beatty and Katie Mullan, Upton represented Ireland at the 2010 Youth Olympic Games. Graham Shaw first included Upton in an Ireland squad in 2015. In January 2016 she was also included in a squad for series of away games against Spain. However, on both occasions Upton had to withdraw from the squads because of injuries. She eventually made her senior debut on 6 November 2016 against Scotland. In January 2017 she was 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. Upton scored four goals in the tournament. On 17 January 2017 she scored her first senior Ireland goal in a 10–0 win against Hong Kong. On 19 January 2017 she scored a hat-trick in a 10–0 against Singapore.

Upton 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. In opening game against the United States, Upton provided an assist for Anna O'Flanagan. In the quarter-final against India, she was the first Ireland player to score in the penalty shoot-out.

International Goals GoalDateLocationOpponentScoreResultCompetition1.17 January 2017Kula Lumpur, Malaysia1–010–02017 World League Round 2 2.19 January 20174–010–03.5–04.8–05.16 June 2017Berlin, Germany2–22–52017 4 Nations Invitational6.8 July 2017Johannesburg, South Africa1–01–12016–17 World League Semifinals7.18 July 20171–21–28.24 August 2017Amstelveen, Netherlands2–13–12017 EuroHockey 9.11 June 2019Banbridge, Ireland4–011–02018–19 FIH Series Finals10.6–011.19 August 2019Antwerp, Belgium1–011–02019 EuroHockey 12.5–013.7–014.11–015.26 January 2020Stellenbosch, South Africa3–05–12020 Test matches vs South Africa16.28 January 20202–12–117.9 June 2021Amstelveen, Netherlands1–01–12021 EuroHockey 18.24 July 2021Tokyo, Japan1–02–02020 Olympic Games19.21 October 2021Pisa, Italy1–04–12022 World Cup European Qualifier20.2 July 2022Wagener Stadium, Amstelveen1–21–52022 World Cup21.10 July 20222–02–022.18 August 2022National Sports Campus, Dublin, Ireland2–03–02023 Women's EuroHockey Qualifiers23.3–024.21 August 20226–07–025.24 August 2023Warsteiner HockeyPark, Germany1–02–22023 EuroHockey 26.15 January 2024Estadio Beteró, Valencia, Spain5–08–02024 Olympic Qualifiers27.16 January 20243–13–128.6 June 2024Terrassa, Spain4–04–02023–24 Nations Cup29.1 March 2025Santiago, Chile1–12–12024–25 Nations Cup30.15 August 2025Warsteiner HockeyPark, Germany1–02–32025 EuroHockey31.2 March 2026Santiago, Chile5–05–02026 World Cup Qualifiers

Tournaments Place2010 Youth Olympic Games5th2016–17 Women's FIH Hockey World League 13th → 2017 Kuala Lumpur Tournament1st2017 Women's Four Nations Cup2nd2017 Women's EuroHockey Nations Championship6th2018 Women's Hockey World Cup2018–19 Women's FIH Series Finals2nd2019 Women's EuroHockey Nations Championship5th

Honours Ireland Women's Hockey World Cup Runners Up: 2018 Women's FIH Hockey World League Winners: 2017 Kuala Lumpur Tournament Women's FIH Hockey Series Runners Up: 2019 Banbridge Women's Four Nations Cup Runners Up: 2017

TOYKO OLYMPICS 2020

Connecticut Huskies NCAA Division I Field Hockey Championship Winners: 2013, 2014 Big East Conference Field Hockey Tournament Winners: 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 Cork Harlequins Women's Irish Hockey League Runners Up: 2017–18 Irish Senior Cup Runners Up: 2016–17 EY Champions Trophy Winners: 2024,2025 Railway Union

IRISH SENIOR CUP winner 2022 Catholic Institute

Winner 2024, 2025 Railway Union

Crescent College Munster Schools Senior Cup Winners 2010, 2011 Munster Schools Junior Cup Winners: 2008, 2009

References

External links

Róisín Upton at Hockey Ireland