Fitzwilliam men’s team have been drawn to face Swiss and Austrian opposition at this week’s ESF European Club Championships.
The four-day tournament, which starts in Graz on Wednesday, will see the Irish club champions in Group B action against Grasshopper and Wiener Neudorf Modling.
The Dublin club, which won the Irish title last May, has six players registered for Australia, including Sean Murphy, the August winner of the PSA Satellite individual event hosted at Fitzwilliam.
Jack O’Flynn, Conor O’Hare, Niall Rooney, Dermot MacNamara and Elliot Kelly have also been named on the Fitzwilliam team whose opening match is scheduled for 10am local time (9am Irish) against Grasshopper.
It’s been a week of familiar faces for the Irish men’s players taking part in the European Individual Closed Squash Championships in France.
Three Irish – Jack O’Flynn, Sean Murphy and Alex Smith – pitched up on Wednesday for the opening round of the 45-player men’s section in Chartres.
None of the trio enjoyed any round of 64 luck, as they were beaten 2-3, 0-3 and 1-3 by respective Danish, Liechtenstein and Czech opposition.
What happened since, though, was essentially local parish news. The players would have travelled to France in the hope of encountering foreign opposition the whole way through. Instead, there have been two all-Irish shoot-outs.
It was Thursday night when O’Flynn took on Murphy in a 33/40 place match he won 3-0. That qualified him for a 33/36 place match against Smith on Friday afternoon, which he won 3-1 to secure a 33/34 Saturday fixture against Poland’s Jakub Pytlowany.
This win for Flynn over Smith was a reversal of the result when they clashed less than two weeks ago in Dublin. Contesting the 3/4 play-off at the PSA Satellite event in Fitzwilliam, Smith got the better of O’Flynn on that occasion 3-2.
That result came after Smith had lost out 0-3 in his Satellite semi-final to Murphy, who went on to lift the title on August 9.
Smith will now play Hjalmer Mois of the Netherlands for 35th place in France, with Murphy looking to clinch 37th against his Dutch opponent Joseph Burman.
In the women’s section, Breanne Flynn remained in the hunt for a 25th-place finish with a 3-0 win over Portugal’s Catarina Nunes and a 3-1 success against Megan van Drongelen of the Netherlands.
European Individual Closed Squash Championship
MEN’S PLACE MATCHES
Sean Murphy
LOST 0-3 (6-11, 9-11, 10-12) v Jack O’Flynn (33-40 match)
WON 3-0 (11-9, 11-7, 11-7) v Ivan Krznaric of Croatia (37/40 match)
NEXT: Plays Joseph Burman of the Netherlands (37/38 match) on Saturday
Jack O’Flynn
WON 3-0 (11-6, 11-9, 12-10) v Sean Murphy (33/40 match)
WON 3-1 (11-8, 9-11, 11-8, 11-8) v Alex Smith (33/36 match)
NEXT: Plays Jakub Pytlowany of Poland (33/34 match) on Saturday
Alex Smith
WON 3-1 (10-12, 11-6, 11-3, 11-8) v Ivan Krznaric of Croatia (33/40 match)
LOST 1-3 (8-11, 11-8, 8-11, 8-11) v Jack O’Flynn (33/36 match)
NEXT: Plays Hjalmer Mols of the Netherlands (35/36 match) on Saturday
WOMEN’S PLACE MATCHES
Breanne Flynn
LOST 1-3 (5-11, 16-14, 7-11, 8-11) v Tessa Ter Sluis of the Netherlands (17/32 match)
WON 3-0 (13-11, 11-3, 11-2) v Catarina Nunes of Portugal (25/32 match)
WON 3-1 (11-7, 9-11, 11-5, 11-8) v Megan van Drongelen of the Netherlands (25/28 match)
NEXT: Plays Lea Barbeau of France (25/26 match) on Saturday
We are now three years to the very day away from seeing squash take its place in the Olympic Games.
The sport has been added to the schedule for the Games in Los Angeles, and the exact dates for the 10 days of competition have now been confirmed, starting on July 15, 2028.
A World Squash statement read: “The competition schedule for squash at the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028 (LA28) has officially been announced on the LA28 website.
“LA28 promises to be a landmark occasion for squash, which will make its Olympic debut at the Games in Los Angeles with two 16-player draw men’s and women’s singles competitions set to take place at Universal City Squash Center in the Universal City Zone.
“Play is set to take place over 10 days in Los Angeles, with play beginning on Saturday, July 15, one day after the opening ceremony, and ending on Monday, July 24.”
The inclusion of squash at the Olympics last month resulted in Squash Ireland officially becoming a full member of the Olympic Federation of Ireland.
Squash Ireland CEO Scott Graham attended the OFI AGM along with president Rosie Barry. Following the vote to approve Squash Ireland’s full membership, he said: “It is an honour for Squash Ireland to join the family of Olympic sports in Ireland.
“We have been developing our high-performance structures with the recent appointment of a head coach and two junior performance coaches. Additionally, we are increasing support for players at all stages of their development.
“Three of our top professional players have reached career-high world rankings and continue to improve. We look forward to being an active member of the Olympic Federation of Ireland and striving for excellence on the world stage.”
We’re raising funds to support the Irish U19 Squash Team as they prepare to compete at the World Championships in Egypt this summer.
This is an incredible chance for these young athletes to represent Ireland internationally — but we need your help to get them there!
Whether you can donate or simply share our GoFundMe, every bit of support makes a difference.
The Ireland Women’s team of Hannah Craig, Hannah McGugan, Aimee McConnell, and Lydia McQuillan claimed the bronze medal at the European Team Championships Division 2 in Wrocław, Poland.
The team emerged from Pool B with wins over Portugal and Slovenia, which saw them progress to the medal matches. A narrow loss to the Netherlands teed up a match against Italy in the battle for bronze.
Hannah Craig was up first against Cristina Tartarone of Italy. Tartarone took the first game 12-10, Craig fought back in the second winning 11-9. The back and forth continued but in a nail biting finish Craig took the fifth game 11-9 to get Ireland off to a winning start. Aimee McConnell sealed the win with a convincing 3-0 win over Beatrice Filippi in just 23 minutes.
The result was a major positive for the squad, with Aimee McConnell and Lydia McQuillan both earning their first senior caps for Ireland showing the strength in depth of the squad.
Ireland Men Relegated Despite Win Over World #7
The Ireland Men’s team finished 11th in Division 1, resulting in relegation to Division 2 next year. The team of Sam Buckley, Conor Moran, Michael Creavan, Oisin Logan, and Sean Conroy got off to a promising start as Conroy opened the scoring with a win over Rory Richmond of Scotland.
Sam Buckley, with a world ranking of 116, was next on court, playing exceptional squash against world number 18, Greg Lobban. A five-game thriller unfolded over the next hour, with Lobban eventually edging out Buckley. Narrow losses by Michael Creavan (against Alan Clyne) and Conor Moran, ranked 217, (against Rory Stewart, ranked 55) meant that Ireland lost the tie.
Motivated by a chance to reach the top 8, and buoyed by their performance the previous day, Ireland faced 44-time champions England with grit and determination. Oisin Logan suffered an early loss to world number 66 Tom Walsh.
Next up, Sam Buckley took on world number 7, Marwan Elshorbagy. Buckley had the Englishman under pressure from the outset, with the pair trading blows in a tight first game. Elshorbagy edged it 20–18, then took the second quickly. However, Buckley staged a remarkable comeback, taking the next three games 11–4, 11–9, 11–7. The win will go down as one of the greatest upsets in European Team Championship history and serves as a huge confidence boost for Buckley and the entire Ireland squad.
Michael Creavan followed, facing world number 33 Curtis Malik. Creavan took an early lead, winning the first two games 11–8, 11–7. England looked shaken, staring down the barrel of an early exit. But to his credit, Malik fought back and claimed the next three games 11–5, 11–8, 11–3. Creavan can be proud of a performance that raised his game to new heights.
Conor Moran was the final Irish player to take the court, facing rising star and world number 35, Jonah Bryant. Moran lost the first game 11–2 but had Bryant under pressure in the second and third, holding the lead at times with opportunities to win. However, it wasn’t to be, as Bryant sealed the win for England.
After the emotional high of pushing two of the top teams so close, Ireland struggled in the 9th–12th place playoffs, as fatigue began to take its toll. They tied with Belgium and lost to Hungary on Friday. A win over Israel wasn’t enough to retain a place in Division 1.
It was a rollercoaster campaign for the Ireland men’s team. However, they gained valuable experience and showed they are capable of competing with some of the world’s best players.
Full results here
The team event is always where passion runs highest and tension reaches its peak—and this year was no different. Our #TeamIreland – featuring Danny Lynch, Conal Jackson, Christian Dromgoole, Ella Erickson, Lydia McQuillan, and Ella Walsh – was eagerly anticipating it.
For the past few decades the team format was two boys and one girl, this year was the first with gender parity, two boys and two girls matches per tie. All matches were played on the same court and in the event of a tie, it would go to game count and then points count, if necessary then the tie would be separated by the winner of the first match played in the tie. The pool stages allowed for draws—but not so in the knockouts, a detail that, as it turned out, didn’t work in our favour.
Prague did a phenomenal job hosting—this is the only event in Europe that has this amount of squash fitted into 10 days. It’s a mammoth effort from all teams, players, and organisers.
Our Irish squad can be incredibly proud of their journey. The passion, resilience, and heart they showed was something special.
All results can be found at esf.tournamentsoftware.com .
Ireland’s pool included defending champions and tournament favourites, France, alongside strong squads from the Netherlands, Italy, and Denmark. While other pools had four teams, ours had five.
Ireland opened against France and, despite showing some strong squash, the result went as expected: a 4–0 loss.
We bounced back with a determined 4–0 win over Denmark, needing to dig deep for that one.
Next came the Dutch—a seriously tough contest. Danny Lynch reached his highest performing level of the week against a strong Robert Linder, pushing hard but falling just short. Lydia also put up a fight but couldn’t get the result. Ella Erickson’s opponent was ruthlessly impressive, consistently hammering left-handed forehand winners. Christian’s match was a fiery and entertaining battle—a common occurrence for the charismatic young Irishman—but he too came up short, with the Dutch taking it 4–0.
Ireland then faced Italy. After splitting the matches 2–2, our team won on games countback, which felt like a huge moment. But heartbreak followed: since the Italians had taken a match off the Dutch and Ireland hadn’t, they finished ahead of us in the group. Gutting for our players not to get the chance to battle for a top-10 finish as per their expectation, but the numbers didn’t agree.
Ireland’s first knockout match was against Wales—a team with real depth. Danny played Oliver Jones in a marathon five-setter lasting 1 hour and 26 minutes. He gave everything but lost a gruelling battle. Conal also fell to a stronger opponent in three games. On the girls’ side, Ella won a five-set thriller, and Lydia took a best-of-three. But it wasn’t enough. On countback, Ireland came up one game short. Every point counts, and this one was another tough pill to swallow.
Our wounded players took the court against Norway, and delivered a solid 3–1 win thanks to strong performances by Lydia, Christian, and Ella Walsh.
Later that same day, Ireland faced Scotland. After ten days surrounded by squash for 12 hours a day, the team put in a heroic effort. Danny produced the most entertaining squash of his campaign, thrilling the crowd in an hour-plus of amazing rallies, eventually losing in four after a marathon effort. Ella Erickson faced Robyn McAlpine in a clash of two talented young players, and Robyn came out on top. That left it to Lydia and Conal, who both needed to win 3–0 for us to take the tie. They delivered with immense mental strength, giving us a huge team win to close our campaign on a high.
To celebrate, the players enjoyed a well-earned BBQ complete with a DJ and a few games of padel.
This year, Prague is playing host to the U19 Championship—an event that’s fast becoming a standout on the European junior squash calendar. For many, it’s a highlight of their playing careers, a week with some of their fondest juniors memories. Spanning 10 days, the event is split into two parts: the first half dedicated to individual competition, the second to the team championship.
Both the men’s and women’s events featured 64-player draws, with only each nation’s top talents competing. That meant every match was a battle—rarely an easy run for anyone.
The competition was spread across two venues. The primary site was the impressive Hector Centre, home to five glass-back squash courts lined up in a row, which served as the event’s vibrant hub. Beyond squash, Hector boasts tennis, badminton, padel, beach volleyball, a gym, and on-site accommodation—though squash was very much the star this week. A secondary venue, a squash and bowling centre across town, hosted a handful of matches.
Credit to the Czech Federation for organizing a seamless event, including securing a fantastic hotel just minutes from Hector—a nice treat for the players.
The individual championships had its ups and downs for all players. There were huge highlights, some performances that need forgetting quickly, and some major 5 set battles that went both ways. For all involved, it was an invaluable learning curve. How best to progress from here is the mission.
All results can be found at esf.tournamentsoftware.com .
U19 Boys – Final Ranking
16th place – Aaron Knox
24th place – Christian Dromgoole
45th place – Danny Lynch
50th place – Conal Jackson
61st place – Frank O Flynn
U19 Girls – Final Ranking
23rd place – Lydia McQuillan
25th place – Ella Erickson
30th place – Ella Walsh
38th place – Zoe Yeomans
45th place – Riley Slade
The event was closed out with the men’s and women’s finals. Both had impressive French winners, showcasing an incredible level of squash and inspiring many of the spectators!
The team event starts on Thursday for Danny, Conal, Christian, Lydia, Ella and Ella. An exciting week ahead!
An event that didn’t quite meet Danny’s own high expectations, but did provide some great performances and battles that will stand to him in the team event. He ended with three wins and three losses, showing moments of real grit. An agonizing first-round defeat, followed by a heartbreaking 12–10 fifth-set loss (after holding match balls), were tough pills to swallow. But his ability to bounce back mentally and refocus was perhaps his biggest win of the week. Sometimes the making of an athlete is how they react!
Thrown in at the deep end with the No. 3 seed in round one, Conal gave a good account of himself, making the opponent work for his victory. Then came a series of grueling five-setters—three in a row, two of which he won. By his final match, fatigue had taken its toll, bringing to a final loss. Still, a solid performance that sets him up nicely for the team event.
Off to a flyer with a 3–1 win in round one, Christian followed up with a closely contested four-set loss. Day two brought a strong win over Maltese Julian Scerri [17/24], pushing him into tougher territory in the draw. Though he didn’t notch another win, his top-25 finish and trademark tenacity made for a strong outing.
What a start from the Waterford man—two wins on day one, including a nail-biting 11–8 in the fifth against a top French opponent to break into the top 16 – and providing his teammates with the nervous excitement that only these events can bring. A performance to be proud of for us all! Though he faced Europe’s best in the later rounds, he never lost heart. His poise and fight at just 16 years old bode well for the future.
A few tough opening matches for Frank. He was always competitive in the games, always fighting hard. Frank played superb squash in parts, and it all came together in the later stages where he closed out the event with two commanding 3–0 victories. A strong finish to a valuable learning experience.
Making her Irish debut, the American-based Ella did not disappoint. A clinical first-round win was followed by a valiant effort against a top English player. Pushing her in each game, Ella lost 3-0 but showed what she’s capable of. A narrow 11–9 fifth-set loss in round three stung, but she rebounded in style—winning the rest of her matches and gearing up confidently for the teams event.
Lydia opened with a commanding win, before a narrow round-two loss which set up an unfortunate all-Irish clash against teammate Ella Walsh in round three. Lydia came through that in straight games and continued with strong performances. After two tough losses, her final win—15–13 in the fifth—was a thriller and a great note to end on.
A huge round-one comeback win for Ella—down two games, she clawed back to win 11–9 in the fifth. Brilliant effort from the Dublin based player. Tough luck followed, running into the second seed (for the second year in a row) – held a good account of herself but was out in 3 games – and then drawing Lydia in round three. She bounced back with a dominant 3–0 win over a Croatian player and a spirited match against a higher-seeded Norwegian. Plenty of positives to take forward.
Still just 16 years old, Zoe showed impressive maturity winning three from six! Her event began with a loss to the eventual finalist, England’s Emily Coulcher-Porter—a player with the rare skill of using opposite hands on either side of the court, avoiding backhand. Zoe’s standout moment came in a commanding win over a German rival who had previously troubled her. Always nice to see improvements coming along, positive event for sure!
A tough event for the athletic Mount Pleasant player, with early matchups against powerful opponents. Riley posses plenty of speed, but struggled to answer to some of the big hits. She also had the misfortune of drawing teammate Zoe—never ideal in a large event. But Riley saved her best for last, taking down a tricky Norwegian opponent in a five-set thriller on the final day. Valuable lessons learned.
The adventure began early Thursday morning with a bleary-eyed 3:30am start at Dublin Airport. Excitement buzzed through the group—especially for those donning the Irish shirt for the very first time. The team landed in Nantes before breakfast and headed straight to La Maison du Squash, the tournament venue, for a practice session to get familiar with the courts and surroundings.
La Maison du Squash proved to be a fantastic host throughout the weekend, providing a warm and welcoming atmosphere for players, coaches, and parents alike. After training, the team enjoyed some well-earned downtime with a fun evening at the bowling alley—a perfect opportunity for team bonding.
It was lights out early that night, as the early start was catching up with everyone. Spirits were high, and the team was ready to take on the competition ahead.
The team arrived early at La Maison du Squash for the opening ceremony, followed by a quick warm-up session to prepare for the first challenge of the weekend—England.
The U13s were first on court, with several players making their international debuts. Despite facing a very strong English side, our players settled in well and found their game. Special mention goes to our No. 1s, Saibh Darcy and Jamie Morrissey, who both came heartbreakingly close to taking a game.
Next up were the U15s, clearly inspired by the grit shown by the U13s. Every player delivered a strong performance, pushing their opponents and showing real fight. There was some excellent squash on display, with a special shoutout to Danny Jones (Sutton LTC) and Nathan Walsh (Freshford and Celtic SC), both earning their first caps for Ireland. They rose to the occasion, playing bold, attacking squash. Danny even pulled off the trick shot of the tournament to earn a point for the team!
Final Scores:
U13: England 6 – 0 Ireland
U15: England 6 – 0 Ireland
Saturday morning brought another big challenge as both Irish squads faced off against hosts France.
The U13s were up first, with debuts for Eoin O’Brien (Sutton Lawn Tennis Club) and Ruby Carroll (Limerick Lawn Tennis Club). Both players gave it everything, battling hard and showing real determination against top-class opponents.
The U15s followed, facing some of Europe’s finest junior talent. Despite the tough opposition, the team rose to the occasion and showed serious grit and skill. Gabby Curran (Belfast Boat Club) and Ben Lynch (Galway LTC) stepped into the lineup for this one, both putting in strong, composed performances and making life difficult for their French opponents.
Final Scores:
U13: France 6 – 0 Ireland (1-18)
U15: France 6 – 0 Ireland (1-18)
U13s were first on court, and the squad delivered some brilliant performances. Harry Knox (Celtic Squash Club) impressed with a commanding 3-1 win, while Josh Archer (Belfast Boat Club) cruised to a 3-0 victory—both showcasing a level of squash beyond their years. Jamie Morrissey (Celtic Squash Club), Saibh Darcy (Sutton LTC), and Aurora McDonnell (Mountpleasant LTC) also put in high-quality performances that kept the pressure on throughout their matches.
But the standout clash—and a top contender for match of the day—came from Daisy Morrissey (Celtic Squash Club). In a nail-biting 3-2 thriller, Daisy edged out her opponent in a match that swung back and forth: up 1-0, down 2-1, then mounting a spirited comeback to seal it for Ireland. A special shoutout to the travelling parents who (unofficially) played every point of that final set from outside the glass!
With the tie ending 3-3, it came down to countback—Wales narrowly edging it 12-9.
Determined to flip the narrative, the U15s came out firing. Nathan Walsh, Danny Jones, and Michael Lai (Mountpleasant LTC) delivered dominant 3-0 wins, giving Ireland a crucial edge. The girls—Laya Sabry, Ashrakat Elmahgoub, and Zoe Nyhan (all Mountpleasant LTC)—fought hard, with Ashrakat and Zoe grabbing those all-important points needed to push Ireland over the line.
This time, it was Ireland who took the countback win with an 11-9 score!
Final Scores:
U13: Ireland 3 – 3 Wales (9-12 on countback)
U15: Ireland 3 – 3 Wales (11-9 on countback)
The final day of the tournament came around all too quickly, with both Irish teams set for one last challenge—taking on Scotland in a Sunday morning battle to close out a fantastic weekend of squash.
U13s kicked things off, determined to finish strong. There were solid performances across the board from Saibh, Jamie, Josh, Aurora, Eoin, and Ruby. Eoin O’Brien opened the scoring for Ireland, sealing the win with great returns and some slick trickle boasts. Over on the other court, Ruby Carroll followed up with another win, coming through 3-1 after a marathon third game that ended 17-15—showing serious grit and mental toughness.
Next up, it was time for the U15s to bring the weekend to a close. Danny Jones and Nathan Walsh once again delivered excellent wins, demonstrating maturity beyond their years and creating plenty of attacking opportunities. Ben, Ashrakat, Zoe and Gabby all played with heart and determination, ending the tournament with strong performances they can be proud of.
Final Scores:
U13: Ireland 2 – 4 Scotland (6-13)
U15: Ireland 2 – 4 Scotland (6-13)
A fantastic weekend showcasing some of Ireland’s brightest young talent at U13 and U15 level—an exceptional group of players we’re sure to see plenty more of in the years to come!
Full scores:
The news comes as the sport prepares to make its debut at the LA 2028 Olympic Games. In recent years, Squash Ireland has been professionalising its operations and governance, helping to grow the sport and secure increased investment.
A key aspect of this progress has been the strengthening of high-performance structures through key coaching appointments. Arthur Gaskin was appointed Head Coach in late 2024, while David Noone recently joined as Junior Performance Coach, and Michael Conroy as Junior Development Coach.
A new structured Junior Performance Academy will soon launch, offering enhanced support to help young players progress to the top levels of the PSA World Tour.
Alongside these new structures and increased coaching capacity, Ireland’s top senior players have shown strong progress in what is a pivotal year ahead of the opening of the LA 2028 Olympic qualification window.
Speaking on the announcement, Squash Ireland CEO Scott Graham said: “Squash Ireland’s inclusion as a recognised High-Performance Development Sport is a key milestone and a well-deserved recognition of the talent and potential within our sport.”
“In addition to the welcome €50,000 funding allocation, this opens up new opportunities to learn from national governing bodies that consistently deliver medals at European, World, and Olympic levels. We can also tap into the growing expertise within Sport Ireland, the Sport Ireland Institute, and the wider high-performance system in Ireland.”
“This achievement has been made possible thanks to the dedication of the High- Performance Working Group volunteers, our Board of Directors, our excellent coaches, clubs, and, of course, our talented and committed players.”
“While squash’s inclusion in the LA Olympic Games has shone a spotlight on the sport, it is not our only focus. We have high aspirations for success at European and World Championships in the coming years. With the support of Sport Ireland and Sport NI, we aim to create structures and performance programmes that will develop young talent for years to come.”
For more information see the Sport Ireland High Performance Investment press release here .
The countdown is on for the ESF European Team Division 1 & 2 Squash Championships 2025, set to take place from April 30th to May 3rd in Wroclaw, Poland. This prestigious event will see the continent’s best squash talent come together to compete at the highest level, and Ireland is set to field two teams ready to leave their mark on the competition.
Representing Ireland on the men’s side are Sam Buckley, Conor Moran, Sean Conroy, Michael Creaven, and Oisin Logan.
Arthur Gaskin, Squash Ireland Head Coach, commented “With Sam’s recent run on the PSA World Tour and Conor’s consistency as of late, the team will be led out with some real quality. All players are super competitive and have been pushing each other to greater heights all season, bringing strength in depth.”
On the women’s side, Ireland will be represented by Hannah Craig, Hannah McGugan, Aimee McConnell, and Lydia McQuillan. It’s a lineup that boasts a compelling blend of youth and experience.
“Our women’s team suffered a big loss in Breanne Flynn due to injury. But in our #1, Hannah Craig, we have great leadership that the younger players can greatly benefit from. In particular, Aimee and Lydia, who are poised to make their senior debut for Ireland,” said coach Gaskin.
The Women’s team is settled to start their competition in the Women’s Division 2 in Pool B, facing Ukraine, Slovenia and Portugal.
The Men’s team will compete in the Men’s Division 1, seeded in Pool A with two strong competitors: England and Scotland.