Alison Meeke
Alison Meeke (born 7 June 1991), also referred to as Ali Meeke, is an Ireland women's field hockey international. She was a member of the Ireland team that played in the 2018 Women's Hockey World Cup final. Meeke has also won Irish Senior Cup and Women's Irish Hockey League titles with Loreto.
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Alison Meeke | ||
| Born | 7 June 1991 [1] | ||
| Playing position | Midfielder/Defender | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2003–2009 | The High School, Dublin | ||
| Senior career | |||
| Years | Team | ||
| 200x–200x | Corinthian | ||
| 200x– | Loreto | ||
| 2009 | → DCU | ||
| 2018 | → PSI All Stars | ||
| National team | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2014– | Ireland | 117+ | |
Medal record | |||
Early years, family and education
Between 2003 and 2009 Meeke attended The High School, Dublin.[2][3] Between 2010 and 2013 she attended Sallynoggin College of Further Education where she studied Fitness and Personal Training.[2][4] Since 2017 she has attended St Mary's University, Twickenham where she is studying for a Master's degree in Strength and Conditioning.[2][5] During her youth, Meeke also played Gaelic football with Ballyboden Wanderers. Together with Nicola Daly, she was a member of the Wanderers team that won 2008 Dublin Ladies Junior E Football Championship.[6][7][8]
Domestic teams
Early years
Between 2003 and 2009, Meeke played field hockey for The High School, Dublin. Her team mates and fellow students included Nicola Daly.[3][9] Meeke and Daly were members the High School team that finished as runners-up in the 2005 Leinster Schoolgirls' Premier League. In the final they lost 2–0 to an Our Lady's, Terenure team captained by Emer Lucey.[10][11] In her youth Meeke also played for Corinthian Hockey Club.[12][7][13] Meeke played for Dublin City University at intervarsity level, featuring in the 2009 Chilean Cup tournament. Her DCU team mates included Hannah Matthews.[14][15]
Loreto
In 2008–09 Meeke was a member of the Loreto team that won the inaugural Women's Irish Hockey League title.[16] She was also a member of the Loreto team won the 2009–10 Irish Senior Cup.[17] Meeke has also represented Loreto in European competitions.[18] In June 2011 she was a member of the Loreto team that won the EuroHockey Club Champion's Challenge II.[19] In June 2014 she was also a member of the Loreto team that finished third at the European Club Championship Trophy tournament hosted by Leicester Hockey Club.[20][21] In May 2018 Meeke was named Player of the Tournament as Loreto won the EY Champions Trophy.[22][23][24] Meeke's team mates at Loreto have included Nikki Symmons, Lizzie Colvin, Hannah Matthews and Nicola Daly.[16][19]
PSI All Stars
In December 2018 Meeke played for the Pro Series Indoor International All-Stars in a series of exhibition indoor hockey games against South Africa.[25][26][27][28]
Ireland international
Meeke made her senior debut for Ireland in April 2014 against India.[12][7] In March 2015 Meeke was a member of the Ireland team that won a 2014–15 Women's FIH Hockey World League Round 2 tournament hosted in Dublin, defeating Canada in the final after a penalty shoot-out.[29] She was also a member of the Ireland team that won the 2015 Women's EuroHockey Championship II, defeating the Czech Republic 5–0 in the final.[30] In 2017 Meeke made her 100th senior Ireland appearance during a series of games against Spain.[31]
Meeke represented Ireland at the 2018 Women's Hockey World Cup and was a prominent member of the team that won the silver medal.[8][13][32][33][34][35] She featured in all of Ireland's games throughout the tournament, including the pool games against the United States,[36] India [37] and England,[38] the quarter-final against India,[39][40] the semi-final against Spain [41] and the final against the Netherlands.[42][43] In the quarter-final against India, Meeke scored in the penalty shoot–out to help send Ireland through to the semi-final.[39][40]
Occupation
Meeke works as a field hockey coach and fitness instructor. Since 2011 she has coached at The High School, Dublin and since 2012 she has worked as a fitness instructor at University College Dublin. Since 2017 she has served as an ambassador for DB Sports Tours.[2][18][53] Since September 2016 she has also served as an assistant coach at Rathgar Hockey Club.[54][55]
Honours
Field hockey
- Women's Hockey World Cup
- Runners Up: 2018
- Women's FIH Hockey World League
- Winners: 2015 Dublin
- Women's EuroHockey Championship II
- Winners: 2015
- Women's FIH Hockey Series
- Runners Up: 2019 Banbridge
- Women's Four Nations Cup
- Runners Up: 2017
- Women's Hockey Champions Challenge I
- Runners Up: 2014
- EuroHockey Club Champion's Challenge II
- Winners: 2011: 1
- Women's Irish Hockey League
- Winners: 2008–09: 1
- Runners Up: 2011–12, 2012–13, 2014–15: 3
- Irish Senior Cup
- Winners: 2009–10: 1
- Runners Up: 2011–12: 1
- EY Champions Trophy
- Winners: 2018
References
- "Vitality Hockey Women's World Cup 2018 – Team Details Ireland". fih.ch. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
- "Ali Meeke". www.linkedin.com. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
- "Ireland hockey squad selection". www.highschooldublin.org.uk. Retrieved 23 September 2018.
- "Fitness and Personal Training Graduate Success Stories". careersportal.ie. 13 February 2019. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
- "Ali Meeke". Retrieved 27 March 2019.
- "Get To Know The Green Army Midfield". www.hockey.ie. 17 July 2018. Archived from the original on 3 December 2019. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
- "Ali Meeke – Women's World Cup profiles". www.hookhockey.com. 21 July 2018. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
- "20 things you didn't know about Ireland's hockey heroes". www.irishexaminer.com. 5 August 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
- "The High School, Dublin - Hockey". www.highschooldublin.com. Retrieved 25 September 2018.
- "The long wait is over for Terenure". www.irishtimes.com. 17 December 2005. Retrieved 23 November 2018.
- "Our Lady's land Leinster crown". www.independent.ie. 17 December 2005. Retrieved 26 September 2018.
- "Get To Know The Green Army Midfield". www.hockey.ie. 17 July 2018. Retrieved 13 October 2018.
- "Meet Ireland's history-making World Cup hockey heroes". www.irishtimes.com. 1 August 2018. Retrieved 12 August 2018.
- "College bragging rights at stake up north". southernfriedhockey.com. 24 October 2009. Retrieved 11 February 2019.
- "Hosts Elks hoping for Varsity double". www.hookhockey.com. 25 October 2009. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
- "Loreto take national honours". www.hookhockey.com. 4 May 2009. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
- "Loreto strike gold in stellar encounter". www.hookhockey.com. 9 May 2010. Retrieved 6 September 2018.
- "Tour memories among Meeke's most cherished as Irish star takes on new role with DB Sports". www.hookhockey.com. 3 October 2017. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
- "Small inspires large Loreto Euro victory". www.hookhockey.com. 13 June 2011. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
- "Loreto secures third spot in Europe!". www.loretohockeyclub.ie. 12 June 2014. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
- "Loreto confound expectations to land Euro bronze". www.hookhockey.com. 13 June 2014. Retrieved 11 February 2018.
- "Loreto Win EY Champions Trophy". www.hockey.ie. 6 May 2018. Retrieved 30 September 2018.
- "Loreto come from nowhere to take EY Champions Trophy". www.irishtimes.com. 6 May 2018. Retrieved 27 September 2018.
- "Joy for Loreto as Harlequins come up short once more". www.irishexaminer.com. 7 May 2018. Retrieved 27 September 2018.
- "Meet the All-Star team to take on South Africa at PSI Nationals". www.psihockey.ie. 7 November 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
- "Meeke in All-Star line-up for Pro Series Indoor in Cape Town". www.hookhockey.com. 14 December 2018. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
- "Meeke rewarded for strong World Cup with All Star selection". www.independent.ie. 14 December 2018. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
- "International All-Stars produce flawless performance in victorious second match". www.sahockey.co.za. 16 December 2018. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
- "World League 2: Ireland beat Canada in shootout". www.bbc.co.uk. 22 March 2015. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
- "Golden moment for Ireland's women as McCay breaks caps record in Prague". www.hookhockey.com. 25 July 2015. Retrieved 11 September 2018.
- "100 Caps for Loreto's Ali Meeke". www.loretohockeyclub.ie. 7 December 2017. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
- "Scramble for hockey tickets as Ireland stick it out". www.irishtimes.com. 4 August 2018. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
- "Sense of pride as Dublin crowd cheers hockey's rare spectacle". www.irishtimes.com. 5 August 2018. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
- "Hockey nerd Meeke says World Cup start of something special". www.hookhockey.com. 9 August 2018. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
- "World Cup Homecoming for Loreto Superstars!". www.loretohockeyclub.ie. 22 August 2018. Retrieved 4 October 2018.
- "'Magnificent' Ireland open hockey World Cup campaign with USA scalp". www.rte.ie. 21 July 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
- "'We can beat anyone in the world' - Optimism growing as O'Flanagan puts Ireland in last eight for first time". www.independent.ie. 26 July 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
- "England v Ireland - Women's Hockey World Cup Finals Group B Photos". www.sportsfile.com. 29 July 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
- "Ireland v India - Women's Hockey World Cup Finals Quarter-Final Photos". www.sportsfile.com. 2 August 2018. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
- "Green Army Beat India To Reach World Cup Semi Final". www.hockey.ie. 2 August 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
- "Ireland v Spain - Women's Hockey World Cup Finals Semi-Final Photos". www.sportsfile.com. 4 August 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
- "As it happened: Ireland v Netherlands, Women's Hockey World Cup final". www.the42.ie. 5 August 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
- "Ali Meeke - World Cup Final 2018". www.highschooldublin.org.uk. 16 September 2018. Retrieved 25 March 2019.
- "USA too strong but long-term Irish gains abound from Champs Challenge". www.hookhockey.com. 6 May 2014. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
- "Ireland v Lithuania - World Hockey League 2 Quarter-Final Photos". www.sportsfile.com. 19 March 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
- "Irish Women's 4 Nations squad announced". www.bbc.co.uk. 7 June 2017. Retrieved 16 October 2018.
- "Czech favour rescues Irish women's Euro status". www.hookhockey.com. 27 August 2017. Retrieved 17 October 2018.
- "Ireland v Netherlands - Women's Hockey World Cup Final Photos". www.sportsfile.com. 5 August 2018. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- "Hawkshaw, Barr and Buckley set for major tournament debuts". www.hookhockey.com. 31 May 2019. Retrieved 27 August 2019.
- "Three changes in Ireland women's squad for FIH Series in Banbridge". www.bbc.com. 31 May 2019. Retrieved 21 August 2019.
- "Ireland women come up just short in semi-final bid". www.irishtimes.com. 21 August 2019. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
- "Ireland women beat Russia to secure fifth place in Belgium". www.irishtimes.com. 25 August 2019. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
- "Alison Meeke". www.hockey.ie. Archived from the original on 5 August 2018. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
- "Rathgar appoint Gray and Meeke to coaching team". www.hookhockey.com. 14 September 2016. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
- "Rathgar – Women's Leinster Division 1 preview". www.hookhockey.com. 23 September 2016. Retrieved 26 March 2019.