Michael Darling (field hockey)

Michael Darling (born 3 July 1988), also referred to as Mitch Darling, is a former Ireland men's field hockey international and Rio 2016 Olympian. Between 2006 and 2018 Darling made 183 appearances and scored 51 goals for Ireland. He was a member of the Ireland team that won the bronze medal at the 2015 Men's EuroHockey Nations Championship. He also represented Ireland at the 2016 Summer Olympics and at the 2018 Men's Hockey World Cup. At club level, Darling has won the Irish Senior Cup with Three Rock Rovers. He also played for Rovers in the Euro Hockey League.

Michael Darling
Personal information
Full name Michael R. Darling
Born (1988-07-03) 3 July 1988
Dublin, Ireland
Height 170 cm (5 ft 7 in)
Weight 65 kg (143 lb)
Playing position Forward
Youth career
199x–2000 Rathgar Junior School
1996–2005 Three Rock Rovers
200x–200x Wesley College
Senior career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2009 Three Rock Rovers
2009–2010 KHC Leuven
2010–2011 HC Den Bosch
2011–2012 SCHC
2012–2015 Three Rock Rovers
2015–2016 HC Rotterdam
2016– Three Rock Rovers
National team
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006–2018 Ireland 183 (51)
Medal record
Representing  Ireland
EuroHockey Championships
2015 London

Early years, family and education

Darling is from Sandyford in Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown.[1] He is the son of Dr. Michael Darling and his wife, Fiona. He has three siblings – two brothers, Jonny and Chris, and a sister, Katie. Darling is married to Erika.[2][3] He was educated at Rathgar Junior School, where in 2000 he captained the boys field hockey team,[4] and at Wesley College.[5][6] Between 2006 and 2009 he attended University College Dublin where he became a Bachelor of Civil Law. Between 2011 and 2012 he attended Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam where he completed his Masters in International Business Law. Between 2013 and 2015 he completed his legal studies with the Law Society of Ireland.[7]

Domestic teams

Wesley College

In 2005 Darling scored the only goal in a 1–0 win as Wesley College defeated a St. Andrew's College team featuring Alan Sothern and David Fitzgerald in the Leinster Schools Senior Cup final.[8][9] He also helped Wesley win the All Ireland Schoolboys Hockey Championship.[10][11] After becoming an Ireland international, Darling returned to Wesley as a coach.[12]

Three Rock Rovers

Darling began playing for Three Rock Rovers at under-8 level.[13] Together with Kyle Good, Darling was a member of the Rovers team that won the 2008 All-Ireland Club Championship and played in the 2008–09 Euro Hockey League.[10][14][15] Darling was also a member of the Rovers teams that won the Irish Senior Cup in 2013–14, 2017–18 and 2018–19.[16][17][18][19][20] Between 2017 and 2019 he also helped Rovers win the EY Champions Trophy on three successive occasions.[21][22][23][24][25] He also played for Rovers in the 2017–18 and 2018–19 Euro Hockey Leagues.[26][27][28]

KHC Leuven

During the 2008–09 Euro Hockey League, Darling played for Three Rock Rovers against KHC Leuven. The 2009–10 season subsequently saw him invited to play for the Men's Belgian Hockey League team.[10][29][30][31]

Hoofdklasse

Darling has also played for HC Den Bosch, SCHC and HC Rotterdam in the Hoofdklasse.[7][10][13][32][33][34] His teammates at HC Den Bosch included Alan Sothern.[29]

Ireland international

Between 2006 and 2018 Darling made 183 senior appearances and scored 51 goals for Ireland.[1][3][32][33][35][36] He made his senior international debut in July 2006 against England at the age of 18.[3][10][34] He had previously represented Ireland at Under-18 level.[37] Darling was a member of the Ireland team that won the 2009 Men's EuroHockey Nations Trophy.[38] He also helped Ireland win Men's FIH Hockey World League tournaments in 2012 [39] and 2015.[40] Darling made his 150th senior Ireland appearance at the 2014–15 Men's FIH Hockey World League Semifinals.[41] He was a member of the Ireland team that won the bronze medal at the 2015 Men's EuroHockey Nations Championship. He also represented Ireland at the 2016 Summer Olympics and at the 2018 Men's Hockey World Cup. He made his last senior appearance for Ireland at the World Cup against England.[1][3][32][33][35][36]

Tournaments Place
2009 Men's EuroHockey Nations Trophy [38]1st
2009 Men's Hockey Champions Challenge II [42]2nd
2009 Men's Hockey World Cup Qualifiers [30][31]3rd
2011 Men's EuroHockey Nations Championship [43][44][45]5th
2012 Men's Field Hockey Olympic Qualifier [46][47][48]2nd
2012–13 Men's FIH Hockey World League Round 1 [39]1st
2012 Men's Hockey Champions Challenge I [49]3rd
2012–13 Men's FIH Hockey World League Round 2 [50][51]2nd
2013 Men's EuroHockey Nations Championship [52][53][54]6th
2014 Men's Hockey Investec Cup [55]2nd
2014–15 Men's FIH Hockey World League Round 2 [40]1st
2014–15 Men's FIH Hockey World League Semifinals [41][56]5th
2015 Men's EuroHockey Nations Championship [57]
2016 Summer Olympics [6][13][58][59]10th
2018 Men's Hockey World Cup [60]14th

Source:[61]

Solicitor

Between 2013 and 2018 Darling worked as a trainee solicitor/solicitor with A&L Goodbody. His colleagues at A&L Goodbody included Cecelia Joyce. Since 2018 he has worked for Allied Irish Banks as part of their corporate legal team.[7][62]

Honours
Ireland
Three Rock Rovers
Wesley College

References
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  2. "Dr Michael Darling RIP". www.hockey.ie. 23 February 2018. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  3. "183 caps later, Ireland's Darling announces retirement from international hockey". www.the42.ie. 5 February 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  4. "Congratulations to Anna O'Flanagan – World Cup Silver for RJS Hero". www.rathgarjuniorschool.ie. 6 August 2018. Retrieved 21 August 2018.
  5. "Past Pupils". www.wesleycollege.ie. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
  6. "Wesley trio in for Rio". dublingazette.com. 14 July 2016. Retrieved 15 May 2019.
  7. "Mitch Darling". www.linkedin.com. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  8. "Darling strikes for Wesley". www.irishtimes.com. 10 March 2005. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
  9. "Darling's delight". www.independent.ie. 10 March 2005. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  10. "Olympic biographies – Mitch Darling". www.hookhockey.com. 3 August 2016. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  11. "Men's World Cup – Ireland by the numbers". www.hookhockey.com. 26 November 2018. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  12. "Minor Schoolboy final: St Andrew's 3 Wesley College 2 aet". www.hookhockey.com. 4 March 2009. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  13. "The Pinnacle of Rovers Representing - Our very own Mitch Darling is going to Rio!". www.threerockrovershc.com. 15 July 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  14. "Blakeney attempts to make some lasting EHL memories". www.hookhockey.com. 30 March 2018. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  15. "Olympic biographies – Kyle Good". www.hookhockey.com. 3 August 2016. Retrieved 13 May 2019.
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  20. "Goals dry up at wrong time as Garvey fall in second final". www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk. 13 May 2019. Retrieved 19 June 2019.
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  22. "Darling delights Rovers to land EY Champions Trophy title". www.hookhockey.com. 30 April 2017. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
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  28. "Three Rock Rovers fight back twice before Dragons roar home". www.irishtimes.com. 17 April 2019. Retrieved 20 April 2019.
  29. "Sothern joins Irish exodus to Europe". www.hookhockey.com. 30 August 2010. Retrieved 5 June 2019.
  30. "Irish squad for BDO World Cup Qualifier announced". www.fih.ch. 22 October 2009. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  31. "Ireland defeat Chile in qualifier". news.bbc.co.uk. 15 November 2009. Retrieved 10 July 2019.
  32. "Mitch Darling retires from the men's international hockey team". www.irishtimes.com. 5 February 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  33. "Darling retires after sparkling Irish career". www.hookhockey.com. 5 February 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  34. "Get To Know The Green Machine". www.hockey.ie. 26 November 2018. Retrieved 11 December 2018.
  35. "Irish hockey Olympian Mitch Darling announces retirement". www.irishexaminer.com. 5 February 2019. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  36. "Mitch Darling Retires From International Hockey". www.hockey.ie. 5 February 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
  37. "Ireland v England - U18 Hockey International Photos". www.sportsfile.com. 14 February 2006. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  38. "Irish men's hockey squad named". www.rte.ie. 23 July 2009. Retrieved 29 July 2019.
  39. "Ireland top World League pool with Swedish romp". www.hookhockey.com. 9 September 2012. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
  40. "Ireland add gold to Olympic progression as O'Donoghue shoots down Austria". www.hookhockey.com. 9 March 2015. Retrieved 20 December 2015.
  41. "Ireland 1-0 Pakistan: Birthday boy Mitch dreaming of Rio". www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk. 4 July 2015. Retrieved 27 July 2019.
  42. "Ireland v Chile - FIH Champions Challenge II Photos". www.sportsfile.com. 6 July 2009. Retrieved 3 July 2019.
  43. "Ireland squads named for European C'ship". www.rte.ie. 3 August 2011. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
  44. "Jermyn's strokes of genius earns rising Irish big win over France". www.hookhockey.com. 22 August 2011. Retrieved 6 January 2019.
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  46. "Ireland 12-0 Ukraine". www.rte.ie. 11 March 2012. Retrieved 9 May 2019.
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  49. "Meredith includes just six Irish-based players in first squad". www.irishtimes.com. 12 November 2012. Retrieved 16 December 2018.
  50. "Meredith heads to Delhi event with strong Irish squad". www.irishtimes.com. 1 February 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  51. "O'Donoghue drags Ireland into World League round three". www.hookhockey.com. 24 February 2013. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
  52. "Jackson to lead Irish men in Boom". www.hookhockey.com. 11 August 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  53. "Captain Fantastic salvages Irish A status, averting Czech disaster". www.hookhockey.com. 25 August 2013. Retrieved 3 February 2019.
  54. "2013 European Men's Hockey". www.olympics.ie. 12 August 2013. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  55. "England win Investec London Cup in shoot-out thriller". www.englandhockey.co.uk. 13 July 2014. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  56. "Ireland have shot at Rio 2016 with fifth spot in World Hockey League". www.rte.ie. 5 July 2015. Retrieved 2 August 2019.
  57. "Caruth heroics edge Ireland into historic semi-final". www.independent.ie. 26 August 2015. Retrieved 10 May 2019.
  58. "Rio 2016 Olympic Games - Day 2 - Hockey Photos". www.sportsfile.com. 7 August 2016. Retrieved 20 December 2018.
  59. "Michael Darling". www.sports-reference.com. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  60. "Ireland edged out by world champions Australia in India". www.rte.ie. 30 November 2018. Retrieved 29 May 2019.
  61. "Michael Darling – Competitions as an Athlete". tms.fih.ch. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
  62. "Meet the lawyer who opens the batting for Ireland". www.lawsociety.ie. 6 April 2018. Retrieved 25 July 2019.
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